by Krista Lakes
“A snack?” Laura caught the pillow and put it on the bed. “No. It's almost dinner.”
Laura hurried past Dallas to the kitchen where Ivy had a bowl and cereal out. She was just pulling the milk from the fridge when Laura caught her.
“Ivy, what are you doing?” Laura asked, putting the milk back in the fridge.
“Getting a snack. I'm hungry,” she explained, looking annoyed.
“It's basically dinnertime,” Laura informed her. “Can you wait twenty minutes while I make dinner?”
Ivy sighed dramatically and rolled her eyes. “I guess.”
Laura looked at the bowl and raised her eyebrows. Ivy sighed again but put the bowl and cereal away like it was the hardest thing she'd had to do all day. Laura shook her head. She was not looking forward to the teenage years with these two.
“You two can watch a movie,” she offered. “Dinner will be ready in just a little bit.”
Ivy fell onto the couch, but Dallas happily went over to their selection of DVDs and picked one out. Laura stopped paying attention to them and pulled out her phone expecting to see a message from Ethan. But there wasn't one.
She rechecked the time, trying to ignore the way her stomach tightened. He probably just forgot or got busy. She did make him late, and he did have meetings. Still, she was nervous.
You land yet? Call me :)
She hoped the smiley face at the end made the text message sound less needy. She'd already texted him twice since he took off. She knew it was overkill, but she couldn't stop the feeling that something bad had happened to him. She needed to know he was okay.
She pulled out some chicken breasts and started some Rice-a-Roni in a pot. She had some broccoli in the freezer that she would add to the simple dinner. She tried to focus on cooking rather than the fact that he hadn't called her yet.
What if the plane went down? What if there was bad weather? What if there was an earthquake when he landed and it swallowed up the plane?
She rolled her eyes at the last thought. Even that was a bit much. She laughed to herself as she cut into the chicken.
What if he never comes back? What if he leaves just like they did?
She froze knife in midair and raw chicken all over her hands. Icy fear ran down her spine, and the hairs on the back of her neck stood upright. She was used to him in her life. She wanted him in her life. She wanted him in her siblings' lives. The idea of him not coming back was terrifying.
She remembered coming home from work and having to tell her sister and brother that their parents were never coming home. She wasn't sure she could do that again if anything happened to Ethan. She wasn't strong enough to do it again. It would destroy her, and she knew it.
She thought she could handle him flying, but this was more than that. If anything happened to him, on an airplane or a car or even just walking down the street, she wouldn't survive it. She'd lost too much. She couldn't lose him too.
Panic rippled up and down her skin like she was covered in ants. She threw the knife in the sink and washed her hands, trying to take deep breaths. She was too close to him, and she just realized the danger now.
He could hurt her without meaning to. He would hurt her without meaning to.
Her text message alert went off, and Laura let out a sigh of relief. She dried her hands and reached for the phone, relieved that he had finally messaged her.
Except it wasn't a message from him. It was a picture of baby Miri in the outfit Laura had bought her. She looked absolutely adorable, but it wasn't what Laura was looking for. She texted Mia a thank you and then pulled up Ethan's number.
Please call me. It's important.
Her stomach was in knots as she set the phone on the counter. She closed her eyes and searched for strength inside of herself.
“It's just a plane ride,” she whispered to herself. “It's just a plane ride. He's fine. Millions of people fly every single day and are absolutely fine. It's safer than driving.”
She still felt the ball of ice in her stomach grow. Who cared about millions of people? She cared about one. Anything could have happened to him.
She jumped as her phone began to ring and vibrate. Her hands shook as she picked it up and saw Ethan's number on the screen. Her relief was palpable as she sighed and nearly collapsed into the kitchen counter.
“Ethan?” she answered before the second ring even went off.
“You messaged me?” He sounded annoyed. She could hear voices in the background.
“Are you okay?” she asked, her hand on her stomach and her knees weak with relief.
“Of course I'm okay,” he replied. “Why wouldn't I be?”
A tear trickled down her cheek, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. “I didn't get a message, and I kept thinking the worst had happened.”
“I'm fine, Laura. I don't know why you didn't get my text, but I did send one as soon as I landed,” he told her. “I must have been in a dead zone and it just never sent.”
“I was just worried.” She tried to keep her voice level and happy, but it betrayed her and quivered.
“Laura, you realize I will be traveling a lot, right?” he asked.
“I know,” she said quickly. She felt a little silly now for all the text messages, but she had been worried. “I thought I could handle it. I just got worried when I didn't get a message.”
“I did send you a message,” he replied. “Look, I'm in the middle of a meeting. I can't be on my phone right now. I'll call you back.”
Laura stared at the screen as the line disconnected. She was glad he was okay, but not so impressed by the call itself. She had been legitimately worried about him, and he'd just blown her off. That wasn't how the phone call was supposed to go.
Her chest squeezed hard against her heart, and she wiped another tear from her cheek. She really cared about him, but did he care about her? He had to know how worried she would get with him flying, yet he just brushed her off. Maybe he didn't care as much as she thought he did. Did she make a mistake?
Laura took a shaky breath and checked her messages to see if she just missed his message, but there wasn't one.
Did he really send one?
She hated that she even had to wonder. Of course, he sent one. It would probably just come through in an hour, and she'd chuckle and laugh at how late it was. It happened all the time, especially up in the mountains where she didn't get good reception.
Still, the niggle of doubt remained. Anger bubbled up, and even though she knew it was irrational, it didn't stop her from feeling it. She knew she was overreacting about him not messaging her, but she wasn't most people. Most people didn't have a history of losing loved ones to airplanes. She had a valid reason to be worried when people she cared about got on a plane.
Laura hated this. She hated feeling like this. She slammed the phone down on the counter and went back to her chicken. The butter in the pan was burning, and she needed to get dinner going, not worry about a stupid message. She tipped the chicken into the pan, covered it and washed her hands before going to the couch.
She hugged Ivy and Dallas to her as she sat on the couch between them and let dinner cook. They both leaned into her, smelling of sunscreen and grass. They were safe. They would never do this to her. They were the only thing in her world that was constant.
She needed to focus on them. She needed to focus on people that wouldn't leave her.
Chapter 31
Ethan
It felt good to be back in his office. Things were where he expected, and his life made sense here. He knew where his pens were. He knew where the coffee was. He didn't have to hunt and search for everything. Plus, the hustle and bustle of the office were the soundtracks to his life.
It felt like home.
Ethan leaned back in his chair, and it didn't tip over. His chair spun exactly the amount a chair should. He smiled, closed his eyes, and let himself relax for a moment. There were still meetings to go to, and he'd only come into his office to g
rab a file, but it he was enjoying his moment of calm.
“Ethan?” Becky opened his door and put her head in. “You've got five minutes before your meeting.”
“Thank you, Becky,” he replied, not opening his eyes. He could reach out and find exactly what he wanted in his desk from this spot. He didn't even have to think about it. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed his organization here.
“I wanted to thank you for my anniversary dinner,” Becky said, leaning against the door. She smiled at him. “Katie loved eating at Le Chat. I don't think she stopped smiling the entire time.”
“Le Chat? That’s a nice place. Good pick. I'm so glad you had a good time,” he said, opening his eyes and smiling at her. “That reminds me, thank you for my tie. It was perfect.”
Becky frowned. “What tie?”
“The tie. The green one you sent to my hotel,” he explained. “It was perfect.”
Becky shook her head slowly from side to side. “I didn't send you a tie. I know you said you needed some, but the ones I ordered haven't shipped yet. I didn't think you needed them until you were back in the office.”
He sat up straight in the chair. “You didn't send the tie?”
She shook her head and shrugged. “You must have a secret admirer.”
“I guess so,” he replied. He thought for a moment, but it didn't really bother him too much. “I'll figure it out eventually. It was probably Carter. Or Mia.”
“I'm sure you will. Four minutes, now,” Becky warned, heading out of the office. Ethan chuckled. He'd missed having her around. He leaned back in his chair again, enjoying the moment of quiet before he had to head back out and work again.
The door opened again, but instead of his secretary, it was his head of security in his office. Bruce Flagg was a big man, and he'd run Ethan's security for as long as Ethan could remember. He had a bald head and his arm still wrapped in a sling from his injury.
“Hello Mr. White,” Bruce greeted him. “How did Colorado treat you?”
“It was great,” Ethan replied, standing up to greet him. He shook the man's non-sling hand. “I've missed this place though.”
Bruce chuckled. “This place is a good one,” he agreed. “How did Craig do for you?”
“He did fantastic,” Ethan answered honestly. “He was a model employee. Why? Is there something wrong?”
Bruce shook his head. “No, nothing wrong. He's just got a lot of overtime hours already this month. It's going to kill my budget. I wanted to check with you before I cut back on his hours.”
Ethan frowned. “You're in charge of scheduling. I don't want you going over budget. You know you have complete control.”
Bruce frowned slightly. “Craig said that you'd be upset. That you'd requested him.”
Ethan raised his eyebrows. He couldn't remember ever actually saying that, but it was certainly possible. The two of them had spent a lot of time together. “Well, Craig is great, but I can take someone else with me on the next trip if it keeps the budget. It's not a big deal.”
“You sure?” Bruce's face lightened. “It would help out my scheduling mess until my arm's better.”
Ethan waved his hand through the air. “Of course. It's not a problem.”
Bruce smiled. “Well, that was easier than I thought,” he said wiping his brow with his good arm. “I'm glad it's going well in Colorado. I'll let Craig know you'll be taking someone else back.”
“Make sure to tell him he did a great job,” Ethan replied.
“Will do,” Bruce assured him. He looked out the door and chuckled. “Becky's pointing at her watch. Have a great meeting.”
“Thanks, Bruce,” Ethan said, standing up from his desk as Bruce headed out of the office.
Ethan picked up a pen and the file he needed, loving that he knew exactly where both were and he didn't have to search for them. It was so nice to be back on his home turf. He smiled and went to pick up his personal phone.
He sighed and went to check the messages and was glad to find there weren't any new ones. He still couldn't believe Laura had messaged him six times for a one and a half hour flight. He understood that she had some fears about flying given her parents’ history, but this felt extreme.
He shook his head and put the phone in his pocket. He was going to have to have a talk with her about it. When he was here, he had to work. She couldn't be messaging him and expecting phone calls while he was working.
But that was a talk for later. He was late for his meeting. He'd been in meetings non-stop since landing and had barely even had time to go to the bathroom. Everyone was trying to get caught up while he was in the office. He was planning on calling her later tonight once the meetings were wrapped up.
But, all in all, things were going well now that the was back in California. He glanced around his office and smiled. It was good to be home.
Chapter 32
Ethan
Ethan walked onto the elevator to the parking garage in a daze. He couldn't remember the last meeting that had gone on that long. All he wanted to do was go home and sleep for a week. Unfortunately, he was going to get about five hours before he had to come back and go back to work.
There were going to be more meetings tomorrow that were just as important as the ones today. The new R&D department was causing issues with investors, and he had to make sure everything worked out. It was stressful, but that was his job. He was good at this. He knew he would make it work, but it would mean a lot of hours in the office for the next few days.
He was seriously just considering sleeping at his desk. He felt like he might actually get more rest. He sighed and stepped out of the elevator and into the parking garage. It would be good to go home. He could call Laura from the comfort of his car on the drive home. He was already looking forward to it.
Ethan waved to Bruce in the security office. Bruce and another security team member waved back before going back to their discussion. Ethan rolled his shoulders trying to get the kink out and headed out the heavy door separating the building from the garage. It was a quick walk from there to his personal parking space.
He checked to make sure he had his keys with him. He had left his Corvette in his work parking spot when he left for Colorado. It was a secured lot with cameras, so he knew it would be as safe here as it would be in his garage at home.
Except, when he got to the car, he found out it wasn't as safe as he thought.
Ethan let out a loud expletive that echoed through the empty parking garage.
Deep gouges ripped across the glossy blue paint like deadly wounds. All four tires were flat, and eggs decorated the windows. Ethan's mouth opened in horror as he walked around his beloved vehicle. Not only was the paint job ruined, but whoever had done this had also scratched up the windows and windshield. It wasn't just vandalized. It wasn't safe to drive.
He noticed a piece of paper taped to the driver's side door. It looked like a typical 8x10 white piece of office paper with something printed in black and white. Being careful not to touch anything he got close enough to see it was a picture of him with big X's across his eyes.
He stepped back so fast he nearly fell over. Whoever did this wanted him dead. The message was clear and easy to understand. This wasn't just someone keying a car and slashing tires because they were mad at his business practices. Someone was mad at him.
He fumbled for his phone and quickly dialed Bruce.
“My car's been keyed,” he said as soon as Bruce answered. His voice was calm despite the fact that his heart was pounding in his chest. “Can you pull up the footage?”
“What? Of course,” Bruce replied. Ethan could hear keys tapping in the background and then a long pause. “You're never going to believe this.”
“What?” Ethan's eyes closed. There was nothing good that was going to come out of Bruce's mouth.
“It's gone,” Bruce said, sounding shocked. “The security footage is gone. It's been deleted.”
Ethan pinched the bridge of his nose.
This was bad.
“Bruce, I'm going to need you to call the police. There's more than just my paint job messed up,” Ethan told him. “There's a threat on my life.”
“Get out of the garage and get up here,” Bruce ordered. His voice had gone dark and dangerous. “And don't hang up until I'm with you.”
“Of course,” Ethan agreed. He turned on his heel and went straight to the heavy door leading inside.
He'd barely pulled it open and taken three steps inside when Bruce met him. The man's face looked like a thunderstorm, and he had four of the biggest, meanest-looking security personnel behind him. Bruce motioned the four to keep going.
“Are you okay?” Bruce asked, his eyes going up and down Ethan, checking for any injuries.
“I'm fine.” Ethan waved him off and put his phone back in his pocket. “I thought we had new cameras after what happened with Carter?”
Ethan shuddered. Two years ago, Carter's car had blown up in this very garage. A creepy picture and a keyed paint job were infinitely less scary than that.
“We did. They're all gone,” Bruce replied. “Someone knew the system. It has to be an inside job or someone who knows our systems.”
“What does that mean, Bruce?” Ethan asked. His stomach clenched and ice ran through his veins. He knew this wasn't just a bored teenager. This was a real threat.
“It means we have a problem,” Bruce said. “You aren't safe. I'm increasing your security. You aren't going home tonight.”
Ethan sighed and felt his shoulders sag. So much for a restful night. He wasn't going to get that call to Laura. He checked his watch. It was already too late anyway.
“I guess I am sleeping at my desk tonight,” Ethan told him. He was just glad he'd put a cot in his closet. It wouldn't be nearly as comfortable as his king bed at home, but it was better than the floor by leaps and bounds.
“Hold up,” Bruce commanded, holding up one hand while the other pressed on the radio in his ear. His eyes narrowed, and he somehow got bigger.