Chapter 44
Chapter Forty-Four
PATRICK
Ihad gotten confirmation that Elle was at work today but I’ve been out all morning and I’m chomping at the bit to see her.
I speed walk towards the office, hoping she’ll scowl at me or utter a curse when I walk into the room.
If she reacted like that, I could get rid of this worry that’s been choking me all weekend.
I hate how much distance has come between us and I’m clueless as to why. I thought things were going well and then radio silence once she became sick? Did she really not want anyone to take care of her or is it that she’s sick of me?
I’d been working here for almost two months now and tours were starting next week. I was excited to get everything started but I didn’t want this storm cloud hanging over me and Elle. Determined to get this figured out this afternoon, I made quick strides to the office.
When I push the office door open, I am stunned to a quick halt.
There’s a man leaning against Elle’s desk.
A man in the office and Elle is nowhere to be found. The furrow pulling at my brow is mirrored by the man standing in front of me. “Can I help you?” The question seems to upset him but I have no idea why, he’s the one in Elle’s office, assumingly uninvited.
“I’m waiting for Elle.” His voice tickles at a memory in the back of my brain. “I’m taking her out to lunch.” I feel the muscle in my jaw tick. In the whole time I’ve worked here, I’ve never seen Elle take a lunch meeting.
I want to question him further but it’s not my place and the scope of my job doesn’t interact enough with Elle’s for me to do anything outside of letting Elle know she has a visitor.
“Oh, um, I’m not sure where she is but I could text her to let her know you’re here?
What time was your appointment?” I walk to my desk as I ask the question, needing somewhat of a distraction from the uneasiness that’s rolling in my stomach.
“No appointment. Just wanted to surprise her.” His voice has taken on a warmer quality. Elle hates surprises.
How was this guy familiar enough to stride into her office and think he could whisk Elle to lunch when she had been gone for three days and would surely be hyper focused on catching up on anything she had missed while she was out?
“Uh, okay. Well, she’s been sick so I don’t know if she had to leave because she’s still not feeling well or when she might be back.” I shrug, hoping to sound casual as I racked my brain for some type of recognition on who this guy is.
“Alright, maybe I’ll walk around, see if I can find her, Thanks, man.” The tight words spark the memory. The accountant. I’d only met him that one time when I first started but a memory slams to the forefront of my mind.
Walking into the office, this guy is in almost the same spot. He was standing over Elle and he called her ‘my girl’.
Was Elle dating this guy? Was that why she’d been avoiding me? A million questions swirled in my head as the man walked out the door.
I needed to talk to Elle. I wasn’t going to jump to conclusions or assume something that put Elle in a bad light. I knew Elle, or I thought I did. I wouldn’t let my anxiety cause problems until I had all the facts.
I take a fortifying breath and get to working on packing up my area. I had been gone all morning doing a walk through the new education center. Lola and Paul had worked some type of magic and once all the permits were through, everything moved very quickly.
I was amazed that it had only taken a couple of weeks, not months, to get it all finished.
The Warren family could be scary with how they got stuff done.
It would be a few more days until I could officially move in but I would rather be ready to go now.
Waiting until the last minute wasn’t my style and there may have been a small, scared, part of me that thought the end was coming with Elle and I knew I wouldn't be able to handle being in her space if that happened.
The need to run around the Farm until I found her caused an ache in my chest but I did my best to ignore it. Everything would be fine.
I hoped.