“How’d ya get in the house, Sam?”
She didn’t respond for a minute. She just watched me warily before opening her mouth. “One of the keys I had made yesterday worked in the lock.”
“I told you yesterday to only copy the blue keys.”
“Apparently the hardware store didn’t listen to my instructions,” she shrugged, exasperation lacing her voice. “Look, I’m sorry. I was only trying to do what was right. You are so stressed out, Maxie. I can see it all over your face. You need someone to help you and that’s what I was trying to do.”
I leaned back in my chair, my arms crossed in front of me. “You knew where my office was and you had no reason to be in our bedroom. I don’t find this amusing in the least.”
She pouted again. “I’m sorry. I really am. Your little puppy took off up there and I followed him. Oh my God he’s so cute!” Her face lit up. “He took the tip of his nose and rolled his little ball towards me. I tossed it across the room and he ran to chase it and fell head over heels. He’s adorable!”
“Yeah, he is.” I gauged her mannerisms, trying to decipher her intent. She seemed nervous, her blue eyes wide. “I’m gonna need my keys back, Sam. And you’re gonna need to remember what I said. Just because I’ve known you for practically—”
“I know,” she said, swinging her head side to side, her blonde curls bouncing. “I work for you. End of story. But today’s incident was the puppy’s fault, not mine.” She cast me a huge, silly grin and I couldn’t stay mad at her.
“I’ll be sure to have a talk with Titus when I get home. After,” I groaned, “Kari has a talk with me.”
She gripped the back of one of the seats across from my desk. “Want me to call and apologize to her? I know I scared the crap out of her. I talked to Brielle on the way back here and she told me that Kari’s sister was almost killed by an intruder last year. I’m sure she was shaken up. I just feel so bad. Truly.”
I twirled a pencil between my fingers. “You probably scared the shit out of her and I can’t blame her. But you probably shouldn’t call her. Just let it be.”
“You sure?”
“Yeah. I’ll explain things to her and we’ll leave it at that.”
“I don’t want to cause problems between you, Max. She really just seemed . . . angry.”
“I’m sure she was,” I grinned, thinking back to Kari’s call. “This won’t cause any problems because I won’t let it. Kari is my world, Sam, and if things come down to the two of you—if you working here is an issue—I’ll pick her. Understand?”
Sam nodded and placed her hands on her trim hips. “Of course I do,” she smiled, but without the usual twinkle in her eye.
A strange sort of chill raced momentarily down my spine.
“How’d you meet her, anyway?” she asked.
“Her car was broken down and I came to her rescue.”
“A knight in shining armor?” A shadow danced across Sam’s eyes and I knew immediately what she was thinking—that I was not her knight in shining armor when I should’ve been.
“I’m no one’s knight,” I said, my voice low and steady.
My office phone rang and I looked up at her again, her baby blues locking onto mine. I could see the hurt, the pain, swirling in them, the realization that I had come to someone else’s rescue when I had left her to her own devices.
“I’ll grab your keys,” she whispered and walked out the door.
KARI
I was washing dishes when Max came in. I heard him, felt him, sensed him, but didn’t turn around. Sam’s appearance had rocked me pretty hard. After talking to Max, I had put away the groceries, but found myself leaving the decorations I had purchased for the house in my car.
I knew it was silly and that I was overreacting. But overreacting or not, how stupid would I feel if I was packing those items back out in a couple of weeks? Days? Hours? Because if I knew anything, it was that things could be over in a split second. And seeing another woman in my bedroom, of all places, left me disconcerted.
My emotions were all over the place. I was angry. Sad. Embarrassed. I was confused and worried. In a perfect world, I’d call someone, like my sister, and talk it out. But that never worked out for me. Everyone was always busy when I needed them.
Max’s arms slipped around my waist, his breath hot on my ear. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Hi,” I said softly, rinsing the last cup. I breathed in his scent and briefly closed my eyes, taking comfort in the only things that had ever made me feel safe at a time when I felt anything but.
“Are you still mad?”
I shrugged, not really knowing how to answer. Is it even Max’s fault?