SOUL TIES (The Sánchez Brothers Series, Book 1)

CHAPTER 19 : DEBBIE

It'd been a week.

One motherfucking week after Andre had dropped me off at my house after our date. One whole week and I hadn't hear from him again, save for the flimsy text he sent me that night. What was I supposed to send as a reply to the 9-word message?

After that Sunday night, it felt like he just fell off the earth. I was pretty sure he hadn't even come to work all week and it was finally Friday. Amber was heading the staff meeting, just as she always did before he came along. Huffing in agitation, I tried to pay attention to what the supervisor was saying and gave up after a few futile attempts.

As much as I tried to deny it, I was a little concerned about his 'disappearance'. Did he lie when he said he had a great time and wanted to repeat the date? Maybe he had second thoughts when he woke up the next day. I was ungracefully half-drunk that night, that could have been a reason. Besides, Nelly wasn't exactly friendly when she met with him at my door. I let out my hundredth sigh that day and rubbed my forehead. That was the exact reason why I avoided men. They always had a way of getting on your nerves. Well, fuck him!

"Miss Rodriguez, can I see you for a moment?" I snapped out of my trance and stared at the short lady at the end of the conference table. She gestured to the seat closest to her as the room emptied out, leaving both of us alone.

Briefly wondering what it could be about, I lowered myself in the seat she had pointed to. She rested her hip on the table and crossed her arms, which prompted me to lift my right brow in question. Okay?

"You saw my mail about the gala hosting?"

I furrowed my brows. "I literally replied the mail 2 days ago, Amber."

The petite lady nodded slowly and gazed at me for a couple seconds. Years of conducting therapy sessions had already taught me what that meant. She was debating if she should say what she had in mind. Being someone who'd never back down from a staring battle, I also bore my eyes into hers till she blinked away. Ha!

"You haven't been as active as usual recently." I tilted my head at her and felt my face scrunch in confusion and question. "Your work hours have taken a nosedive."

"Excuse me? I haven't resumed late once and I haven't gotten off work a minute before the official closing time, which I should remind you is 6pm. So again, excuse me?"

Her eyes bore into mine the second time that night and I could feel, if not see, the condescension radiating from her 5 foot something body. Short people always had the biggest nerves. "You used to work way past the closing time and even on the weekends too. Every weekend, I should remind you. Now, you clock off like others and don't even show up on the weekends anymore. It's almost like you're slacking." I gritted my teeth to ground myself. "Is there anything I should be concerned about?"

"Your business." She gave me a look of annoyance but I was too gone to care. "That's it. That's what you should be concerned about. Your business and your business alone. I have the largest clientele and I haven't missed one of my appointments. So Amber, explain slacking one time. I'm sorry but I'm not sorry. I can't apologise for having a life outside the walls of WeCare Inc."

She let out a dismissive scoff. "What could be more important than your work here, Miss Rodriguez?"

"My daughter. And a million other things if I take a moment to think."

The altercation ended on the same note all my altercations with Amber always ended. Both of us irritated but she, slightly more irritated than me. That was a win in my opinion. Once I got home, Nelly tried to bombard me again with questions about my 'Prince Charming'. That was what she christened Andre as.