Follow Your Heart

Chapter 14

She didn't need to avoid him now because he was avoiding her. He was so hurt and annoyed she wouldn't even open the door to him, now he needed time to cool off. Both their schedules had them missing each other.

For a week, she cried herself to sleep. She was finished being angry and now she was just miserable. Mr. DelGuidice decided to cooperate with the district attorney's office so now she had no excuse to see him. She would pass by his cubicle but he was rarely there. When he was, he was usually on the phone with his back to her so he never saw her. She would stand there until she would get the urge to reach out and touch his ash blond hair, then she would turn and go back to her office. She noticed he had gotten a haircut. Now some of his curls were gone.

Every time he passed her office, the door was closed. Nancy would tell him to go in, but he would just shake his head and walk away.

One day Skylar and Kyle were walking down the hall with Luke Donaldson discussing one of Kyle's cases. Luke saw Matthew and called him over. Skylar immediately made up an excuse about calling a client and left as Matthew approached them. He tried not to watch her leave but the sway of her hips in her brown skirt was too tempting. He knew this charade had to end soon but who would end it first?

Nancy told Skylar what she overheard at the bar that night. Skylar was grateful but still she did nothing about it. Nancy would try to convince Matthew to talk to her but he would shake his head and tell her to forget it. She'd never met two such stubborn people in her fifty-two years.

Two more weeks passed without either of them talking to each other until one day they accidentally met at the courthouse. Matthew and Doris were deep in conversation when Skylar came out of one of the courtrooms and ran into him, losing her balance and dropping her briefcase, coat and umbrella. He quickly reached out to steady her. His warm strong hands felt so right against her forearms, it made her shutter. She missed his touch.

They both squatted to retrieve her items. Skylar tucked her coat under her arm as he handed her the umbrella. She kept her gaze on his arm, refusing to look at him and stood up. He followed her, grabbing her briefcase near his feet. She then looked at him as he handed it to her and held her gaze for a moment. She was determined not to reveal her joy at seeing him.

"Are you ok, Ms. Montgomery?" he asked.

She forced remote dignity into her voice. "Fine, thank you, Mr. McAlister. Hi Doris."

"Hi, Skylar. How are you?" Doris asked innocently.

Sklyar swallowed hard, lifted her chin and boldly met his gaze. "I'm fine." His expression was that of complete unconcern as he released her. Her arm still burned where his hand was. "Well, I'd better get going." They just stared at each other, each challenging the other to say something.

Doris started to get uncomfortable. "Ummm, Matthew, we have a case..."

"Right. Good day, Ms. Montgomery."

"Same to you, Mr. McAlister, Doris." She pasted on a smile of nonchalance and left with her head held high. Her back was so straight she thought she broke a vertebrae. She could feel his sharp eyes boring into her as she walked away. When she turned the corner and knew she was out of sight, she leaned against the wall for support and closed her eyes, feeling utterly miserable.

Skylar went home after that encounter. She was too tired to think in her office. She took a long hot bath and made herself some dinner. She couldn't even remember why she was angry with Matthew. She just missed him and needed him. That's when she decided to stop this nonsense and go talk to him. With a sense of conviction that was part of her character, she went to his door and knocked. After silence greeted her, she tried the bell. She resorted to knocking again until she realized he probably wasn't home yet. With a moan of distress, she turned away and went back to her apartment.