bothering me. I’d tossed and turned for an hour before I picked up the stupid phone and called him. One friend to another, of course.
I shook off the thoughts as I got the cupcakes finished and stepped back to look at them altogether. I put the finishing touches on them: plastic kids’ rings with Thor on them. Each tiny cake had a letter on it’s top. THANK U RYKER was spelled out across the tops.
I got one of the custom baker’s boxes from my home supply and settled them in the individual slots. I grimaced at the blank twelfth hole. Damn Tali. I didn’t have a backup plan for the missing cupcake, so I scribbled a short note and stuffed it in the empty space. I closed up the box, sealed it, and gathered the dirty dishes.
Once I got everything cleared away and was ready to go, I turned to the two Amatuccis on the couch. “I’m out of here. I’ll be at the shop if you need me.”
My purse on my shoulder, my hands full of cupcake box, I eased my way out of the loft and down to my car. I was itching to drive. Any kind of freedom I could grasp, I was taking it.
Now it was time to deliver my gift and get those Harry Potter cakes put together.
**
“Hi. I have a delivery for Mr. Penn,” I told the lady at the reception desk. I held up the light blue baker’s box for proof.
She barely glanced up from her computer before lifting a finger in the universal gesture of ‘wait’ before she got back to her call.
I probably should have just texted Ryker to come get the damn things. I set the box on the countertop, tried to keep my legs from stiffening up. I might have overestimated my abilities today, but I wasn’t going to call anyone unless I just couldn’t walk anymore.
I hated being at anyone else’s mercy. I shuddered. Hate would be mild for how I felt about being helpless and dependent.
“Ma’am?” the receptionist called.
I blinked. “Sorry. You were saying?”
She gave me a polite, professional smile. “You’re not on the schedule. You’ll need to come back when you have an appointment. Mr. Ryker is a very busy man.”
I grimaced. I hadn’t thought this through…obviously. I looked at my watch. Shit. “Look, if you could just call him and tell him that I’m here, I’m sure he’ll come get the package.”
She shook her head. “I’m sorry, no. That won’t be happening.”
I rolled my eyes. I’d forgotten how Important People surrounded themselves with layers of peons. I reached into my bag, grabbed my phone. Hit the name I wanted.
“Willow?” he answered and I hadn’t even heard the phone ring once.
I turned away from the receptionist. “Hey. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt you. I brought you something. Your lady at the front desk won’t let me in because I don’t have an appointment. I need you to either come down here or let me up. I’m running later than I thought.” I rushed to get the words out.
My belly tried to revolt now that I was talking to him again. I felt the low-grade panic set in. I shouldn’t be here. I should have left well enough alone and gone to the shop. I was an idiot. A stupid idiot.
“Hold on.” The line closed for a moment.
The receptionist’s phone rang. Her eyes widened after she listened for a moment. “Yes, Mr. Penn. Of course, Mr. Penn. Right away, Mr. Penn.”
I rolled my eyes. Oh sweet goddess. He had them all either cowed or groveling.
She hung up and glared at me. “You’ve been cleared, Ms. Chase. Next time, just give me your name.” She looked away before I could say anything.
I grabbed up my baker’s box and headed towards the elevators.
“Willow? You still there?” Ryker said in my ear.
“Yeah. And thanks for making me look like an asshole. I’ll be there in a minute.” I ended the call and hit the button for the thirty-eighth floor—the top floor for public access. There was no canned music playing in the moving car. Nothing to distract me.
Just this one time, I wished for music to be playing. The crappier the better. My thoughts were spinning all over the place. I almost hit the stop button to let me out on a different floor so I could escape without actually seeing him.
I wasn’t sure what my problem was, but I’d woken up this morning with a burning need to