“I just borrowed them… Wait, why am I bothering to explain myself to you?”
“I don’t know, you tell me.” He took another step toward me.
“I know the kind of guy you are.”
“You do? Please, tell me. I can’t wait to hear this assessment.”
“You’re arrogant, pig headed, and you think a girl’s just going to fall to her knees if you take your shirt off…” To my credit, I was still standing. “Speaking of which, why is your shirt off?”
He smirked. “Why do you think it’s off? Since apparently you’re the expert on guys like me. I’m going to ignore the fall to their knees comment. You look cute when you blush, but it might push you over the edge.”
“I’m sure there’s a reason for it.” I crossed my arms, wishing I were in my own clothes and wishing he hadn’t made me think about falling to my knees around him. That just made me wonder if his lower half was as impressive as his top.
“There is. Maybe I’ll tell you about it sometime.” As if he could read my thoughts, he adjusted the waist of his jeans.
“Not likely. Is there a reason you’re still here even though I told you Toby’s out?”
“Yes. He wasn’t in his office either. I need to find him.”
“I won’t be able to help you there.”
“But you might be able to help me in other ways?” He smirked again, and I had a feeling those kind of lines had worked for him before.
“Could you just leave?”
“I suppose I could. Is that what you want?”
I nodded.
“Maybe I’ll see you around again. I think I missed your name though.”
“You didn’t miss it. I never told you.”
“Oh, I see. I’m Jared.” He held out his hand like he wanted to shake. I resisted the urge to take it, to find out what his touch felt like.
“If you’re going to be that way.” He flashed me another smile before walking out the door. “See you around, sleep over girl.”
I stepped back and closed the door behind him, a mix of relief yet surprise that he’d left so easily. I thought I would have to kick him out.
I walked back into the guest room and threw on my clothes from the night before. I wanted to try a shower that actually had hot water, but knowing my luck, Jared would be back. Jared. I liked the way the name felt rolling off my tongue.
I grabbed my purse and started to walk out, but then I realized I’d be leaving the door unlocked. I sighed before picking up my phone and calling Toby.
He answered immediately. “Casey? You’re up?”
“Hey. Yeah…you had a visitor.”
“A visitor? Who? Are you okay?” His voice bordered on panic.
“His name was Jared. He said he had business to discuss with you or something.”
“Jared? Jared Florence.” Toby groaned. “He didn’t bother you, did he?”
“Define bother.”
“I’ll take that as a no then. You’d know if he did. I’m on my way home. Give me two minutes.” He hung up.
I took a seat on his huge sectional and looked out at the city. Growing up in the suburbs, I always dreamed of living in New York City, but the reality of it wasn’t as great as I imagined. I was starting to wonder if it was worth it. My experience would have been different if I’d lived in a place like Toby’s rather than a closet.
I got up and walked into the kitchen, figuring that as long as I was waiting around, I might as well make coffee. He’d evidently made it for me and left a note.
I poured two cups, assuming Toby would want one.
I heard the door open. “Hey.”
“Good morning,” I called from the kitchen.
Toby sat down at the island. He was dressed in a suit again. “I’m sorry about Jared. I should have made sure he knew not to come by.”
“Were you at church?” I handed him his cup of coffee.
“Church?”
“You’re pretty dressed up for a Sunday morning.”
“Oh, I had a meeting.”
“A meeting this early on a Sunday?”
“Yeah…thanks for the coffee.” He lifted up his cup.
“All I did was pour it, you’re the one who made it. And was the meeting about anything interesting, at least?” I fished for information. Between the morning meeting, the shirtless guy at the door, and all his talk about Eric, his mysteriousness was becoming more frustrating.
He opened his mouth, and then closed it. Like he was weighing the pros and cons of telling me something. “The meeting was actually with your boss.”
“My boss?”
“Yeah. With Marv. Eric was there too.”
“What?” I set down my coffee hard enough to spill a little bit of it. “Tell me everything, right now.”
“I can’t tell you everything.”
“You met with my boss without my permission.”
“Your permission? Do you think the meeting was about you?”
“Of course, I do. What else would it be?” I seethed. He had completely overstepped his bounds.
“I already told you I do business with them…it had nothing to do with you—at first.”
“At first?” I leaned on the counter.
“I did have a few choice words with Eric…”
“What was the first part of the meeting about?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You can’t or you won’t?”
“A little of both.” He pulled out the stool next to him. It was the same one I’d sat on the night before. “But if you sit down, I can tell you about the parts that involve you.”
I sat, not because he told me to, but because I already wanted to. “Start talking.”
“Eric claims he was trying to protect you too.”
“Protect me?”
“Has anything strange happened to you lately?”
“Strange?”
“Yes. Anything out of the ordinary?”
Like almost being mauled by a giant wolf. “No.”
“Come on, Casey. Be honest with me.” His eyes implored me to share.
“Yes,” I reluctantly admitted. It was harder to do than you’d think. It meant admitting I was either losing my mind or a witness to something terrifying.
“Then you probably already know that there are some crazy things happening around here.”
“Do you know what happened to me?” I strongly suspected what his answer would be.