Ten Days of Perfect (November Blue #1)

“Seriously?” Monica whispered. “As opposed to the November Harris from the ‘Girls You Sexed Up foundation’?” I threw my pen at her.

“Just one moment, Ms. Harris.” I was clicked to hold.

I mouthed to Monica that I was on hold but in an instant, I wasn’t.

“Adrian Turner here.” His voice hadn’t changed at all. It purred through the phone and headed straight for the recesses of my brain. No! You don’t live there anymore, Turner “Adrian, hi!”

“November? How are you?” He did his best to sound surprised.

“Oh, listen to you, acting all surprised that it’s me when your secretary took my name,” I teased while Monica shot me a ‘thumbs up’.

“Witty as ever, I see.” Adrian’s voice retained its purr.

“Listen, Adrian-” I was ready to attack, but he cut me off.

“I know, I know. I should have called you when I first started discussing you guys with DROP, but I knew you’d probably avoid me or tell me to screw off.” His playful defensiveness brightened the conversation.

“Yes, Adrian, you should have called. We’re adults. You made it weird by being all sneaky.” My voice was intentionally flat.

“Anyway,” I continued, “I just wanted to connect with you and clear that up before Monica and I meet with all of you.”

“Actually Ember, I’m heading down to Barnstable today - didn’t Spencer tell you?”

Suddenly I was on an out-of-control carousel. I needed air. I no longer had a few days to prepare to meet Adrian in Concord; I had mere hours. If he was coming all the way to Barnstable, he’d want to see me for sure. Shit! And, no, “Spencer” hadn’t said anything to me about this. The look on my face drew question from Monica’s eyes. I covered the phone and whispered that Adrian was coming here today. Her face flushed the same color I suspected mine was.

Didn’t Spencer tell you?

“No. I haven’t seen Mr. Cavanaugh since our meeting yesterday, and I haven’t checked my e-mail. You were my first order of business,” I lied through the phone with confidence.

“First order of business, was I? Good to hear. I’ll be in town this afternoon to meet with your lawyer and check out some office prospects. I’d love to get together and catch up; tell Monica I say hi.”

“Sure, that sounds great. I will. Bye, Adrian.” I stared at the phone for a few seconds after hanging up, collecting what little thoughts I had.

“So?!” Monica nearly screamed.

“Adrian says hi,” I teased ; she threw my pen back at me.

“Apparently he’s coming here to meet with our lawyer today and to look at some potential office spaces. He’d just fucking love to get together and ‘catch up’. He asked if ‘Spencer’ told me he was coming.”

The bottom of my stomach slipped away as I repeated the words. I began to question if this wasn’t the real reason Bo drove back to Barnstable last night and met me at my apartment at nearly midnight; he wanted some alone time with me before Adrian got to town. Bo seemed so threatened by Adrian. I wondered why Bo wouldn’t just tell me that Adrian was planning on coming.

“Maybe he didn’t want Adrian in your head. He just wanted to enjoy time with you,” Monica suggested after I shared my thoughts with her. It seemed reasonable.

“I guess. I wonder what shit Adrian is pulling.”

“You should call Bo,” Monica said.

“Call Bo about what?” Bo’s voice rounded the corner before he did, and he leaned against my office door. His eyes fell on my still-flushed face and filled with apprehension.

“Uh, well, I just got off the phone with Adrian. He says he’s coming to town today and wondered if you told me. I told him I hadn’t seen you since our meeting here yesterday, and hadn’t checked my email yet today.” I focused my eyes on his.

“Why didn’t you tell me he was coming, Spencer?” The cool accusation caused Monica to shift in her seat.

Bo lifted his chin and confidently retorted, “November, check your email. You will find one sent yesterday evening, informing you of Mr. Turner’s intended travels. It was sent to you, Monica, Carrie, and your lawyer.” His voice was stained with equal parts command and irritation.

“I see.”

“I prefer to keep work at work, November.”

He had a point; not once had we discussed work in our private time. Adrian, however, wasn’t “work.” I knew it, and so did Bo. Accusing him of withholding information clearly hurt him. Still, I was beginning to think I didn’t care for Spencer, the alter ego to my beloved Bo.

“Well, I’m outta here.” Monica gave no further explanation as she slid past Bo and down to her office.

I stared at her empty chair a moment before returning my stare to Bo, who remained standing with his hands in his pockets.

“You’re awfully formal this morning,” I accused as I leaned back in my chair, crossing my legs.

“I told you, November, I prefer to keep work at work.”