Total pages in book: 153
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 155903 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 780(@200wpm)___ 624(@250wpm)___ 520(@300wpm)
And so, so bad.
Bad, because she would never be able to forget.
He reached out and drew her close, holding onto her as they descended.
“You take the elevator every day,” he murmured.
“I’m getting better.”
“Little Blossom, I’d hate to see what you were like when you were worse than this.”
She huffed out a laugh. “Really, I am. I’m just nervous about upsetting Lou.”
“Do you like mustard?”
“No.”
The elevator stopped and he let her go. She had to stop herself from latching onto him.
“Did you ask for no mustard?”
“Yes.”
“Then that’s what you’re going to get.”
He led the way into the café. Lou’s eyes widened, then narrowed. Faith couldn’t figure out the look on her face, though.
“Faith! Something wrong with the sandwich?”
“Oh, it’s really nice—”
“Faith asked for no mustard and this has mustard in it.” Reuben handed the sandwich over.
Lou stared at him with wide eyes. “Oh, right. Sure! I’ll remake it.”
“If you don’t mind,” Faith said quickly. “I’m so sorry. Thank you!”
Lou hurried off and Faith frowned at Reuben. “You could have said please.”
“Why were you apologizing? She made your sandwich wrong.”
“It was just a mistake. I make them all the time.”
Was that . . . did his lips just twitch?
“Here you are. Sorry, Faith.” Lou handed over the sandwich with another strange look.
But Faith wasn’t up to working out what was going on in her friend’s mind.
It was enough trying to keep up with Reuben.
Something she failed at daily.
Faith looked out at the darkening sky several hours later.
Not good.
Really not good.
Moving to Reuben’s door, she knocked on it.
“Come in.”
“I think we should go home,” she blurted out. It was just after four.
“I have a lot of work to get through. But if you need to get home, then go.”
“No, no. I’m good.” Not really.
She went back to her desk. But she knew she wouldn’t get much done.
Faith really wished that she wasn’t so scared of thunderstorms. It was a silly, irrational fear that she just didn’t know how to get rid of.
So, when the lights flickered out about an hour later, she couldn’t stop the scream that erupted from her.
She dove under her desk, huddling there as she shook.
“Blossom?”
She heard Reuben call out, but she couldn’t make herself answer him.
Suddenly, a light appeared and he crouched down by her desk, holding up his phone.
“Hey, are you all right?”
His voice was so soft. So caring. She blinked, wondering if she was dreaming.
“It’s d-dark.”
“Are you scared of the dark?” he asked.
“Of course. Isn’t e-everyone?”
“The dark isn’t scary. It’s what’s hiding in the dark that’s scary.”
“Not helping! I think I’m gonna pee myself.”
“You won’t pee yourself. Come with me.” He held a hand out to her and she looked at it for a long moment.
“I don’t wanna. It’s safe under here.”
Her thumb was slipping closer to her mouth, and she really wished she had Colin with her. He’d keep her safe.
Or at least he’d never tell anyone if she wet her pants in fear.
Don’t go Little.
Don’t go Little.
It was so hard not to, though. Sometimes, Reuben gave off a Daddy vibe that was difficult to resist.
“You’ll be safe with me, Little Blossom,” he told her. “Now, be a good girl and take my hand.”
Her hand was in his before she could think it through. He led her into his office and over to the sofa.
“Shouldn’t we go home?” Although the idea of taking the bus home in a storm was kind of terrifying.
“The elevator will be out of service and it’s thirty stories up. It wouldn’t be safe to navigate all those stairs in the dark.”
She guessed not.
“What do we do?” she asked.
“We wait for the power to come back on. Don’t worry, the fireplace is gas and doesn’t have an electric ignition.” He started it, and it immediately added light to the room.
“I’m going to find some torches. Stay here.” He moved away.
She followed him.
Turning, he looked down at her. “What are you doing?”
“Following you.”
“Didn’t I tell you to stay?” he asked.
“Yeah, I’m not doing that. It’s always the person who stays behind that gets attacked.”
“Attacked by who?”
“I don’t know. It might not be who. It might be what.” Yes, she sounded like a crazy person. But that was her theory, and she was sticking to it.
Instead of telling her she was an idiot, though, he simply nodded and wrapped his hand around hers.
Shock held her tongue still as he led her out to the kitchen. There, he found a battery-powered flashlight.
That was strange. Faith thought she’d looked in every cupboard, but she couldn’t recall seeing this lantern.
He turned it on, and it cast off a lot of light.
Taking her hand, he led her back through to her office.
“I’ll just get my phone,” she murmured, grabbing it. After settling back on the sofa in his office, she sent a quick text to Cammie, letting her know where she was.