Mystery Of You (Pub 5)

38 - Prick

When Ian trudged to work on Tuesday, he should have been excited because he had a date but feared the whole thing would go terribly wrong. Did he expect her to sit and listen to him? She had no qualms about walking out on her dates. He would just join a long list.

Ian braced himself when Henry sauntered his way right on schedule.

"You look happy."

"She accepted defeat." Henry smirked.

Ian's heart dropped. "Did they make a decision?"

"No, but I told her you helped me and an hour later she went home. She blew off work today too."

"I doubt she's blowing it off. Did you ask your boss where she is?"

"Her friend said she's sick. Anyone can play sick."

Ian ran out of patience. "Are you for real? You sound like an arrogant prick. I never spoke to anyone about you getting that job. Seriously, why would I when Ainsley deserves it so much more than you?"

"How would you know?"

Ian ran his fingers through his hair. "Because when you mouthed off about me being your friend it was news to her. You with your dickish attitude is not the type of friend a guy brags about. So yeah, your big announcement screwed me over because what girl wouldn't be pissed when her boyfriend is supposedly helping a prick over her." Henry's jaw dropped. "Yeah, remember how I was dumped. You're the reason. Then you had the nerve to sic Val on me. Please leave and don't come down here again."

Henry left when asked with his chin scraping across the floor. Ian refused to feel bad for him.

He pulled out his phone. Every text message was unread. He sent another. Heard you are sick. Need anything? Then he opened his dating app. Still on for tonight? Honestly, he wouldn't blame her if she had called out and wasn't sick. Working with the prick must be torture. Still his gut told him she wouldn't.

When he hadn't heard from her, he debated if he should skip the blind date. He couldn't believe she would meet a man without a picture, even when he used her favorite character to lure her.

He couldn't stand her up, so he walked over to the bar. He knew she liked to arrive early. When he didn't see her waiting, he didn't bother staying. If she was late, he would pass her on the sidewalk to the station.

Disappointment and relief mingled together. It hadn't really been a good plan. He fed Felix and looked around his lonely apartment and sighed. He didn't even feel like going to the gym. Even though PT was over, he needed to keep up with his strengthening exercises.

When his phone buzzed, he jumped. Why did he think it would be her?

Zach. "Hey, Gilly. Lilli said I shouldn't call. I don't know why not. She's worried because she hasn't been able to reach Ainsley since Saturday. You've seen her right?"

"I, um. She's sick. She didn't go to work today. I'll check on her and let you know."

She wasn't responding to Lilli, and she didn't meet Robert. Ian didn't care if every neighbor heard him. He needed to know she was alright. Before he bolted out his door in his bare feet, he grabbed her key.

He knocked and waited. He heard meowing, but nothing else. Slowly, he slipped the key in the lock. Her apartment was dark. Gunther wrapped himself around Ian's legs crying for his dinner. He put a scoop in his dish and braced himself to be yelled at. He deserved it, but she had never allowed them to fight it out.

On the other side of the screen, she was curled up on her bed in a fetal position. His heart calmed when he felt her breathing. Heat radiated off her. She had a fever. By her bed, there was a full glass of water. He held the metal straw to her lips. She sucked on it without opening her eyes.