Come Back to Me

Chapter 23: Present Day

I was taking a self-imposed time out in Riley's office and it had lasted all morning. I was too mortified to do anything else. Meeting new people and small talk was a struggle for me on a normal day. After Mal's and my morning show, I couldn't imagine meeting my employees - that was weird to even think - and pretending as if I always yelled at 6-foot-something armed men in elevators. The fact I had been yelling about fucking him was just perfect.

Joshua had been at my side instantly, his eyes full of amusement yet keeping silent when he led me directly to Riley's office. Noah had thankfully already been in a meeting. After making sure I was okay, Joshua deposited me into the desk chair with orders to stay put.

"You three need to stop ordering me around."

He perched on the edge of the desk, looking down at me with his arms crossed. "And you need to stop acting like you don't like it."

I huffed. "You can fuck off right along with Mal."

He said nothing and just reached out to brush his knuckles over my cheek. "I can't wait to punish you tonight for that smart mouth."

Joshua stood and waltzed out of the office leaving me staring dumbstruck after him.

I could see him now from my seat behind Riley's desk, making his rounds, stopping to meet with groups of people, engaging in easy conversation with everyone, making them laugh, and putting them at ease. No one was glancing over at me. It was as if I wasn't even there and I was okay with that. He knew I was watching him because every so often he'd look over and smile at me, then go back to joking around with someone.

What exactly was his job here? Did he just hang out and provide the staff with good conversation? Once I had enough courage to leave this room, I'd go searching for his office. If it was like this one, then he had his name next to the door with his title.

Riley's corner space was surprisingly clean and neat. He kept his messes confined to his home. No clutter, no papers hiding the beauty of his black stained wooden desk, or the matching credenza that sat opposite it along the back wall. There were photographs lining the top of it – pictures of our parents and me. He had a copy of the one that sat in the hall at my parent's house, the one that Ann Marie's child had knocked over. Another one was of just me, sitting on our back deck at the house. Last year, maybe. The sun was setting behind me, my hair a wondrous shade of red, my skin tanned. I was laughing at the camera, no doubt at something ridiculous Riley had said to get my attention.

Having my picture out and in such an obvious place meant that Noah would have had to have seen it. Along with all the other photos I was in that my brother proudly displayed, along with some of my art. More proof that the two of them had worked out their differences and Riley was no longer trying to keep Noah from me.

Studying the pictures brought on another bought of tears so I had to distract myself by shamelessly digging through his desk and file cabinets. The lack of clutter made it easy to snoop to my heart's content. It kept my mind off everything happening outside of the office and my focus on finding out more about this place. There was nothing exciting in here, though. My mind was not in the correct space to process any of the client account information, vendor lists, or account ledgers.

Ugh, this could not be my new life.

I grabbed the phone from the receiver and jumped when a female voice spoke abruptly in my ear.

"Yes, Miss Masterson?"

I about dropped the phone before looking up to see a young woman sitting behind the receptionist's desk in the front of the lobby raise a hand and give a wave. A wireless earpiece hung over her ear.