Angie clicked one of the columns and sighed in frustration. She dashed off an email to the client, asking for any additional statements they might have before she started going through the columns and making note of everything that was off. If they didn’t send anything additional that resolved it like magic, she’d have to make a list of individual transactions and ask for information on each one.
Her cell phone rang and she jumped. It was so quiet in the office that the noise scared her. It was Maddy. Angie picked the phone up and leaned back in her chair. That’s when she noticed it was dark outside. She hadn’t realized she’d been working that long.
“Hey, babes,” she said.
“Hi, Ang! You busy?”
Angie glared at the computer screen. “A little, but I’m about to call it a day anyway. What’s up?”
“I fixed too much pot roast for dinner. I was hoping you’d join us.”
Angie couldn’t help but grin. Maddy knew she wasn’t a cook. At all. And whether or not Mads had actually fixed too much pot roast or she was just thinking of her bestie, Angie wasn’t going to turn down a home-cooked meal.
“That would be great. I didn’t realize how late it was. I was just going to shut down and pick up something on the way home, but your cooking is even better.”
“Awesome! I’ll set a place for you.”
“You sure Jace doesn’t mind?”
“Why would he mind?”
“He’s been out of town recently. And so have you. How’d the appraisal go?”
Maddy was an art appraiser for an insurance company and she often traveled to exotic locations in order to evaluate rich people’s collections.
“Oh, it was great. I had to appraise some Russian art in Japan—and Jace joined me when he finished with his assignment, so we haven’t been apart as much as you’d think. Besides, I’ve missed you and I want to see you. Jace is perfectly happy with the idea, so please get here as soon as you can.”
Angie laughed. “Okay, fine, I’ll be there in twenty minutes. I have to shut down my computer and grab my coat.”
“See you then, girlie! I can’t wait to catch up!”
They hung up and Angie logged off her computer and put everything away. She was smiling to herself, happier than she’d been in days. Maddy did that. It was great having a best friend you could say anything to. And who could say anything to you.
Angie had worried just a little, if she was honest, about how much Maddy might need her now that Jace was in her life. But Maddy was the same person—only happier and with more excitement about the future.
Angie wished she had that same excitement. She didn’t, and she didn’t know how to get it. She’d thought the change from math teacher to accountant would do it, but it hadn’t. Not yet anyway.
It didn’t help that when she’d made the change, she’d also discovered her fiancé was a cheating douchebag. The life she’d thought she was working for imploded at that point.
Angie grabbed her coat and handbag and headed for the exit. Liam’s office door was open and his light was on. Angie peeked in.
“Hey,” she said.
Liam looked up, his face fixed in a frown that melted when he saw her. “Hey. You leaving?”
“I am. I thought I was the only one working late. I didn’t hear you at all.”
Liam snorted. “I wish, but I’m here. Have to finish up the Garvin account tonight.”
Guilt pricked her. She should probably be working on reconciling those statements, but she just couldn’t face it tonight. Besides, corporate tax returns weren’t due for another month and a half. There was time to get all her work done, even if she had to pop in and out of the Cardinal Group accounts for another week or two.
Damn that Charles Martinelli anyway.
“Did you get any of Martinelli’s accounts?” she asked.
“A couple. You?”
“Oh yes. You find anything out of the ordinary with any of them?”
Liam’s brows drew together. “Not yet. Will I?”
Angie shrugged. “Maybe. It’s too early to tell, but I feel like he left a bit of a mess. Have you heard from him?”
“Nope. Talk about tanking your career, right?”
Sometimes Angie wished she could walk away like that. Just say see ya, suckers and not come back. But she’d already left one profession and this was the one that was supposed to fulfill her. So far, she wasn’t feeling all that fulfilled.
“He was either very brave or very stupid. I’m not sure which.”
“Yeah, I hear you. Some days I’d love to leave it all behind and retire to a beach somewhere.”
“Sounds like a dream. Okay, I’m out of here.”
Liam tapped some keys. “Have a good night. See you tomorrow.”
“Yep, see you. Don’t work too late.”
“I won’t. The girlfriend is bringing dinner over later, so I’ll get home in time for that.”
Angie said goodbye, then went and got into her car. She sat there for a long minute while the heated seat warmed her up. A man strode down the sidewalk in front of the office building and over to the door. He peered though the glass, and then rapped on it. Angie debated lowering her window and telling him the office was closed, but he continued down the street.
She put the car in reverse and dismissed it from her mind. Soon she’d be at Maddy and Jace’s, eating dinner and having a glass of wine with two of the people she loved most.
She’d worry about how to fix the mess Charles had made tomorrow.
Colt knew the instant he pulled up on the street in front of Jace and Maddy’s place why they’d invited him. He gripped the wheel with both hands and sighed. Maybe he should keep on driving, but then he’d have to explain why he hadn’t shown up after all.
And Maddy would be hurt. He didn’t think Angie would care, but Maddy would—and that was enough to make him put the Yukon in park and get out. He
