“Parker or Phil?” Lynn tossed back at her.
“Alphabetical order suggests…”
It was damn near impossible to stay upset with a best friend like Suz around. “Pick me up at seven.”
“Are you sure you’ll be okay ’til then?”
“Fine and dandy. Now get back to work before both of us end up in trouble for getting nothing accomplished.”
The next umpteen hours passed quicker than Lynn had expected, rushing to meet her deadlines before wearily hauling herself to the elevator. She’d spent so much time putting out one final fire that most of her coworkers had already gone home for the day.
The frantic pace had stopped her from brooding too much about Parker. She rested her head on the car seat for a moment as she breathed out long and hard.
She missed him already, stupid, needy woman that she was.
Although, that wasn’t right either. She wasn’t stupid to want the man in her life to be trustworthy in the big things and little things. Everything tied together, and if Parker couldn’t understand that, as heartbreaking as it was to deal with right now, they would have been headed into a pile of trouble down the road.
The look of anguish in his eyes returned to mind, and her gut twisted. He knew how disappointed she was. He was willing to wait?
Now it was only a matter of how long.
Enough dilly-dallying. She turned the key in the car ignition, and nothing happened. Lynn tried again, and again, finally undoing her seatbelt and popping up the hood. Not because she knew what to look for, but because that’s what people did when their car wouldn’t start.
“Jeez. This is stupid.”
She pulled out her cell phone to call Parker, pausing as a sharp pain stabbed her heart again.
Nope. Not him. Maybe Suz—
“Lynn? What’s wrong?” Phil appeared from the shadows, briefcase in hand, dress coat thrown over his arm.
“I have no idea.” She peered at the engine in hopes little gremlins would jump up and down and point to something that was obviously unplugged. No such luck. “It won’t start, and it worked just before lunch.”
“Did you leave a door open or a light on? It could be your battery.”
She didn’t think she had, but it was possible. “Do you have jumper cables?”
He shook his head. “Sorry, I’m afraid car mechanics are another thing I’m not very good at.” He tossed her a self-deprecating smile. “But I can drive you home. Would that help?”
Suz was probably at home already getting changed. Lynn examined her would-be rescuer. Phil clutched his briefcase handle with both hands, an earnest light in his eyes. There seemed no good reason to turn him down.
She accepted with a smile, opening her door and grabbing her purse. “Thanks for the lift.”
“No problem. I’m glad I was still here.”
Lynn was grateful he didn’t offer his arm or anything that would have made the situation awkward. Instead they walked in companionable silence toward his parking stall.
She didn’t recognize the vehicle. “What happened to your Porsche?”
Phil opened the passenger door before offering a hand into the oversized beast. “Decided it was time for something a little more reliable.”
While Phil walked the long way around, she glanced over her shoulder into the back of the suburban minivan. It made no sense, but she supposed if the guy wanted to drive a van instead of a sports car, that was his decision.
It was like falling back into a familiar pattern. They didn’t say a word as Phil concentrated on driving, easing slowly from the underground parking and merging into rush-hour traffic.
Lynn stared out the window without seeing anything. She didn’t want to be moping about this forever. Putting it in perspective, while honesty was important to her, she understood why Parker might have hesitated to share. It wasn’t as if he’d cheated on her or turned out to have a secret attic family or a serial killer dungeon in his basement. It wasn’t life or death, and even now after a few hours to think it over, her temperature gauge was cooling.
After a couple of drinks and a solid heart-to-heart with Suz at Wu’s Kitchen, she’d consider giving Parker a phone call. Or sending a text. She pulled out her phone and checked it without thinking, but there were no new messages.
He had taken her suggestion to stay away seriously. Probably the first time the demanding man had ever caved and followed an order from a woman.
She wasn’t sure if she should be pleased or upset.
To avoid the temptation to contact him immediately, she slipped the phone into her coat pocket, then clasped her hands in her lap and tilted her head back, closing her eyes. Just for a moment, because it had been a hell of a day.
The low rumble of the tires on pavement fell into a rhythm.
Smooth.
Steady.
Lynn jerked upright, catching herself nodding off to sleep. “Sorry about that.”