Elude [H.S.]

TWENTY-ONE

(It will be noted in the chapter when the song above starts - play the song then.)

"I don't understand how this is so complicated," I mutter under my breath as I rub my hands up and down my face.

I had been staring at this file on my desk for the past three hours - going through all the numbers just to have them not all add up in the end. It was pushing eight in the evening on a Friday night and I had never stayed this late at the office before this week. Ironically enough, I had found myself staying this late, sometimes later in the days that had past.

Ever since last week when Maeve came over and ended things I've been a wreck. I called out of work for the first time the following day as I had drank myself into oblivion. I don't think I went to bed until almost four in the morning and when my alarm went off at six it showed that I had Maeve's contact up on the screen.

I instantly panicked, praying to whoever was above that I hadn't actually called her and, thankfully, I hadn't. When I checked my text messages as well, just to be safe, I had typed one out. Most of it was gibberish but the last five words stood there - spelled out clear as day.

'I love you. I'm sorry.'

I can't tell you how happy I was that drunk me hadn't gone through with that either.

I returned to work the next day and tried to avoid Conrad at all costs. Just the sight of him would send me spiraling, I was sure of it, and I just needed more time. Unfortunately, I had to be in his presence a few times this week since we had several meetings. We were trying to get everything out of the way before clients and investors started taking off time for Christmas.

My skin crawled just looking at him. It didn't help when his phone went off in his pocket while we were taking a quick break and he pulled it out and took the call. The minute her name fell from his lips I could feel all the color leave my face. It was actually pathetic how just the sound of her name leaving another man's mouth could have this effect on me.

The sound of a knock on the door frame to my office causes me to lift my head out of my hands. There he stands, tie off and in his pocket as he loosens the top buttons of his shirt.

"Didn't expect you to still be here," Conrad comments. "Was just finishing up myself."

I swallow harshly before giving him a nod. "Just having a bit of trouble with these numbers. I wanted to get it sorted before I went home for the weekend.

"Leave it," Conrad says, walking into my office now with his hands in his pockets. "You've been working late all week and I can tell that something's stressing you out."

I want to laugh - the action is stuck right there in my throat but I force it down.

If he only knew.

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

Silence overtakes us for a moment before I hear him snap his fingers. "Look, I'll tell you what. I was just about to head to Minx to meet with the owner and finalize that deal I had you look over not too long ago. How about you join me? Let loose a little."