But then another realization struck him. He’d accused her of something she had not done.
Rock dropped his gaze and looked at Jason with narrowed eyes. “Where is she?”
Jason looked perplexed. “I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her since that day-” His voice broke off as Rock turned and headed back into the office. He needed to get his car keys and get out of there fast. He had to find Dana.
He looked around, surprised to see Jason following him into the office. “You’re still here?” he barked.
“I…have to ask you something.” In his eyes was a look of pleading. “You’re not going to press charges, are you? I’ll pay you back every cent, even if it takes me a hundred years.”
Rock gave a grunt of disgust as he shrugged into his jacket. “You’re the least of my problems right now. Get out of here and never enter this building again.”
Jason was out in a flash and as Rock heard the outer door slam behind him he expelled his breath. Now to tackle the very sensitive problem he’d created. What do you say to an innocent woman you’ve accused of being a thief?
As Rock backed his Mercedes Benz CL-600 out of the parking garage and headed down Fifth Avenue he dialed Dana’s cell number. No answer. Luckily, he’d scribbled down her home number and address before rushing out of the office. Her apartment was not that many blocks away so he’d be there soon but still, he didn’t like the idea of showing up unannounced. He dialed the home number. It rang without an answer. Well, there was nothing he could do about being a surprise visitor. He would just go and hoped she didn’t refuse him entry.
But when Rock got to Dana’s building she was nowhere to be found. When he got to the lobby and enquired he was told she was not available. A generous tip got him a little more information, but nothing reassuring. It seemed she was away. She hadn’t passed through that lobby in the last couple of days, at least not that the front desk manager had noticed.
Back to square one. Where the hell was she? Claire. She had to know. She and Dana seemed pretty close in the office. Claire would be his next stop.
But the PR manager didn’t know where Dana was. Either that or she was a damn good actress. She seemed genuinely distressed when he asked. She’d thought Dana had taken some personal days. “Did you call Becky?” she asked. “Since Dana’s parents are all the way in England, Becky’s her emergency contact. They’re best friends.”
And so it was that Rock ended up calling the number of Rebecca Smart.
“This is Rock St. Stephens from Premier Holdings,” he said into the phone. “I’m trying to reach Dana Daniels. Has she been in touch with you in the last couple of days?”
There was a pause and then Rebecca Smart spoke and her tone was just shy of cool. “I’m sorry but Dana does not wish to speak with you.”
Rock released his breath at her words. “So Dana’s with you, then? She’s all right?”
“She’s fine. She just wants to be left alone for a while.” Becky’s tone was beginning to soften. “I’ll let her know you called.”
“Wait,” he said as he heard her getting ready to hang up. “Could you let her know I’m on the phone? I’ll hold on.”
Another pause then she said, “All right, I’ll tell her. Hold on.”
Rock held the phone to his ear, on edge till he heard her come back. “Sorry, she’s not interested in anything you have to say to her. Her words, not mine.”
“Oh. I see.” Now where should he go from here? “Please tell her…I’ll call back. Maybe she’ll talk to me later.”
“I doubt it,” Becky said drily and hung up.
After resting the phone back in its cradle, for a long moment Rock just sat there, staring blankly at the computer screen in front of him. That had not been very encouraging. But then, who could blame Dana for wanting to stay far away from him? He’d acted like a heel and he pretty much deserved anything she dished out.
But he would not give up that easily.
That evening Rock called Becky’s house as he promised, and again next morning. Still, Dana refused to come to the phone. “Tell her I’ll keep calling till she speaks to me,” Rock said, and he meant it.
After another day of it, Rock changed tactics. “I’m coming over to see her,” he told Becky.
She tried her best to dissuade him. “I don’t think that’s such a good idea.”
But Rock had had enough of waiting. With each passing day, instead of waning, his feelings for her grew more intense. He knew he could not rest until he had done everything in his power to win Dana back.
That evening he rang the doorbell to Becky’s house.
She answered the door with a smile. “I’ve spoken to you so many times that I feel I know you already.”
He smiled back at her, immediately liking this woman with the friendly face beneath her curly red hair. Encouraged by her warm welcome, he said, “Is she ready to see me now?”
“Nope. Sorry,” Becky said, still smiling as she gently closed the door in his face.
What the hell…
After that, Rock decided to get serious. He called Becky one more time. “Tell Dana that I will not stop coming by until she sees me. I will not take no for an answer.” He held the phone while Becky relayed the message.
She was chuckling as she came back to the phone. “She said if you do that she’ll call the police and have you arrested for stalking. Careful, Rock, I think she means it.”
“I don’t care. I’ll do whatever it takes to get to see Dana.”
“Wow,” Becky said in a breathy whisper, “you must really be taken by Dana. I never saw a man so persistent.”
“You got it right, Becky. Dana’s the one for me and I won’t stop till I see her.” Rock was resolute.
“Did you ever tell her that?” Becky asked.
“I never got the chance,” Rock said then sighed in frustration. “That’s why I have to see her.”