Reflected in You: A Crossfire Novel

less than brief. He’d been in the middle of something and barely said hello and good-bye.
    I knew he had a lot of work to do. I knew I shouldn’t resent him for having to pay for the time away with extra hours of work getting caught up. He’d done a lot to help me deal with Cary’s situation, more than anyone could’ve expected. It was up to me to deal with how I was feeling about it.
    Finishing my coffee, I rinsed out my mug, then grabbed my purse and bag on the way out. My tree-lined street was quiet, but the rest of New York was wide awake, its ceaseless energy thrumming with a tangible force. Women in chic office wear and men in suits tried to hail taxis that streaked by, before settling for packed buses or the subway instead. Flower stands exploded with brilliant color, the sight of them always capable of cheering me up in the morning, as did the sight and smell of the neighborhood bakery, which was doing a brisk business at that hour.
    I was a little ways down Broadway before my phone rang.
    The little thrill that shot through me at the sight of Gideon’s name quickened my steps. “Hey, stranger.”
    “Where the hell are you?” he snapped.
    A frisson of unease dampened my excitement. “I’m on my way to work.”
    “Why?” He spoke to someone offline, then, “Are you in a cab?”
    “I’m walking. Jeez. Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed or what?”
    “You should have waited to be picked up.”
    “I didn’t hear from you, and I didn’t want to be late after missing work yesterday.”
    “You could’ve called me instead of just taking off.” His voice was low and angry.
    I became angry, too. “The last time I called, you were too busy to give me more than a minute of your time.”
    “I’ve got things to take care of, Eva. Give me a break.”
    “Sure thing. How about now?” I hung up and dropped my phone back into my bag.
    It began ringing again immediately and I ignored it, my blood simmering. When the Bentley pulled up beside me a few minutes later, I kept walking. It followed, the front passenger window sliding down.
    Angus leaned over. “Miss Tramell, please.”
    I paused, looking at him. “Are you alone?”
    “Yes.”
    With a sigh, I got in the car. My phone was still ringing nonstop, so I reached in and shut the ringer off. One block later, I heard Gideon’s voice coming through the car’s speakers.
    “Do you have her?”
    “Yes, sir,” Angus replied.
    The line cut out.
    “What the hell crawled up his ass and died?” I asked, looking at Angus in the rearview mirror.
    “He’s got a lot on his mind.”
    Whatever it was, it sure wasn’t me. I couldn’t believe what a jerk he was being. He’d been curt on the phone the night before, too, but not rude.
    Within a few minutes after I arrived at work, Mark came up to my cubicle. “I’m sorry to hear about your roommate,” he said, setting a fresh cup of coffee on my desk. “Is he going to be all right?”
    “Eventually. Cary’s tough; he’ll pull through.” I dropped my stuff in the bottom drawer of my desk and picked up the steaming mug with gratitude. “Thank you. And thanks for yesterday, too.”
    His dark eyes were warm with concern. “I’m surprised you’re here today.”
    “I need to work.” I managed a smile, despite feeling all twisted up and achy inside. Nothing was right in my world when things weren’t right between me and Gideon. “Catch me up on what I missed.”
    * * *
     
    The morning passed swiftly. I had a checklist of follow-ups waiting from the week before, and Mark had an eleven thirty deadline to turn around a request for proposal for a promotional items manufacturer. By the time we sent the RFP off, I was back in the groove and willing to just forget Gideon’s mood that morning. I wondered if he’d had another nightmare and hadn’t slept well. I decided call him when lunchtime rolled around, just in case.
    And then I checked my inbox.
    The Google alert I’d set up for Gideon’s name was waiting for me. I opened the e-mail hoping to get an idea of what he might be working on. The words former fiancée in some of the headlines leaped out at me. The knot I’d had in my gut earlier returned, tighter than before.
    I clicked on the first link, and it took me to a gossip blog sporting pictures of Gideon and Corinne having dinner at Tableau One. They sat close together in the front window, her hand resting intimately on his forearm. He was wearing the suit he’d worn to the