“Really? I live right across the street in the new condos.”
This guy was really starting to bug me and I had no idea why. If he took one more step closer to me I was going to tell him to back the fuck off.
“I’ve heard they’re really nice. My boss was thinking of buying one.”
Joshua grinned. “Yeah well, they are nice and they are very expensive, but worth it. The amenities are amazing. Hey you ever want to take a look, I’m more than happy to show you mine.”
Uh-huh. I bet you are, you pervert.
Glancing at my phone, I couldn’t read Grayson’s reply. I simply typed in 77 and hit Send. It was Grayson’s code he came up with for when I needed him to call me as soon as possible if anything was ever wrong.
My phone rang almost immediately as I held up my finger and said, “So sorry, I’ve been waiting for this call.”
“Hello?”
“What’s wrong?”
“Hey, are you almost here?”
“Are you at the office?”
“No silly, Starbucks.”
I peeked over to see Joshua was texting someone on his phone. Turning away from him, I lowered my voice.
“I’m fine, just a little uneasy.”
“Is someone bugging you?”
I cleared my throat and moved a bit closer to the front when the line moved up. Joshua was now talking to someone on the phone. “Oh, you know, the same reason you wanted to leave that movie.”
“Joshua Black is there?”
“Bingo.”
“I’m on my way.”
“No! Honestly, that’s not necessary.”
Grayson’s heavy sigh told me he was not happy. “Meg, you fucking text me your distress code and then tell me some asshole guy I have a bad feeling about is bothering you and you don’t want me to come there? Why text me then? Are you no longer feeling uneasy?”
His condescending tone pissed me off. “Sorry to have bothered you then. My mistake.”
I ended the call and tossed the phone into my purse. Joshua was still talking to someone on the phone as I stared straight ahead. When it was my turn to order, I placed my order and stood off to the side. Joshua made no attempt to come over and talk to me at all which allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief. Although my phone going off in my purse was seriously causing me to stress. I knew Grayson would be pissed I hung up on him and left him hanging.
I quickly grabbed the two coffees when they were called out and headed toward the door. Joshua appeared before me as he opened the door and smiled. “Have a good day, Meagan.”
My entire body stiffened as I forced a smile and nodded. “You too.”
Walking out of Starbucks I never looked back, although I was almost positive Joshua was watching my every move. As I rounded the corner I took a chance and glanced back. I let out the breath I was holding when I didn’t see Joshua anywhere.
The moment I stepped into the office, Jennifer jumped up. “Grayson called here looking for you. He said to call him the second you got back.”
Snarling my lip up, I handed Jennifer her coffee. “If he calls again, tell him I’m in meetings up until I have to pick up my father.”
Jennifer’s eyes widened. “Whoa, what happened? You get in a fight?”
I headed back to my office as I called over my shoulder, “Something like that.”
Slamming my door shut, I dropped my purse and set my coffee down. “Ugh! He gives me some stupid code and tells me to use it whenever I need him. Then he goes all caveman crazy on me when all I needed was to hear his voice.” My hands landed on my hips. “Well fuck that.”
My phone buzzed again in my purse. Chewing on my lip, I pulled it out and read Grayson’s text messages.
Gray: Meg, are you okay?
Gray: Meg, please answer your phone or at least text me!
Gray: Meagan. Fucking text me back!
Gray: Stop acting like a child.
My mouth dropped open. “A child? Oh, no he didn’t.”
The phone buzzed in my hand as I swiped it without looking at who was calling.
“How dare you treat me like a child! I’ve made it perfectly fine on my own without you trying to boss me around. I don’t care to talk to you at this moment, so if you’ll excuse me I—”
“Meagan? It’s your father.”
Fuck. My. Life.
Swallowing hard, I quickly sat down. “Oh hey, Dad. Did you land in Dallas?”
“Yep.”
Squeezing my eyes shut, I cursed under my breath as I tried to calm my pounding heart down.
“Great. I’m sorry your layover is so long.”
“What did he do?”
Son-of-a-bitch. “He didn’t do anything.”
With a fake laugh, my father mumbled something away from the phone before saying, “He obviously bossed my daughter around and that doesn’t sit well with me. I’m glad to hear you had the sense to set him straight.”
Oh. My. God.
“I had the sense to set him straight? What in the hell is wrong with men? How dare you think I’d actually let a man boss me around! I’m not a child. I do know how a man should treat a woman. My own father!”