A Simple Wish About love - Karice Bolton Page 0,26
to stop chatting. He shook his head.
“Whatever, I have plenty I should be doing.” Slade looked at the stack of checks and grabbed a pen and started scribbling his signature on each one. After he straightened the pile, he stood and stretched, glancing around his office. He did have a lot of work to do, but he didn’t really feel like doing any of it, which was unusual in itself.
In fact, he decided to turn his computer off and head out the door of his office.
“Look up Miranda Cherry yet?” Charlotte asked, popping her head out of a filing cabinet.
“No. I forgot.”
She frowned. “Are you serious? You forgot to look up a sexy client?”
Slade laughed.
“Do you have a fever? Are you okay?” She rushed over and pretended to check his forehead for a temperature.
“Very funny.”
“Seriously. I’m shocked you haven’t looked her up. Is everything okay?” She glanced toward the direction of the parking lot. “You driving your brother’s car?”
Slade let out a sigh. “You really are turning into my mother.”
“I’m just worried about you. I don’t want you to become even more depressed than you already are.”
“You think I’m depressed?”
Charlotte pinched her brows together. “You don’t?”
Slade thought he hid it better. He needed to work on that.
“I mean, you have every right to be, and I’ve always read that when people lose interest in things that they’ve loved, it’s a warning sign.”
Slade smiled. “And you’re saying beautiful women are usually something I love?”
“Well, looking at them, at the very least.”
“Am I really that superficial?”
Charlotte shook her head. “No. Of course not.”
Silence hung in the air for a few seconds until Charlotte started again.
“But, I am surprised you didn’t check out Miss Cherry.”
“That’s not her real name, is it?”
She shrugged. “You tell me.”
“I promise by the time I come in tomorrow, I will have checked her out online. Will that make you feel better?”
Charlotte nodded. “Thank you. That does make me feel better, and don’t forget to call your mom.”
Slade laughed as he walked through the office and back through reception, handing the stack of checks to the receptionist.
“Have a good day, Mr. Tenison.”
Slade smiled at the receptionist. “You too, ma’am.”
When he stepped into the parking lot, he looked at the Camaro sitting in the space his brother used to park in and let out a sigh.
Maybe it was time to park this beast in the garage for a little bit. He nodded as he climbed into the Camaro and decided that was what he was going to do.
By the time he pulled into his garage, he knew that was the right decision. He couldn’t even look at the cigarette lighter without getting weepy over his brother.
Erika’s words ran through him. Let yourself live in a new way. The words took on a beauty of their own, even if he didn’t know what they meant for him—how that would specifically look—but he knew if he didn’t start trying, he wouldn’t survive for long with the way he’d been living.
Chapter Ten
Erika was completely surprised to hear from Slade. It wasn’t that she thought he’d go completely dark, but she thought he’d let a week or two go by before reaching out. They had one another’s cell numbers, but she didn’t dare text him. She didn’t want to lead him on.
But since he reached out via social media, she figured that was harmless enough.
And she missed him.
She smiled and wiped down the bar as she thought about Slade.
He was unique.
He excelled at hiding what was really going on inside him.
He was funny.
And in Colorado.
She was glad she set the boundaries right away, but she learned she had to do that long ago. Men always thought they could change her mind or show her what she was missing. But she knew what she was missing—drama, heartache, empty promises . . . the list was endless, really.
“Earth to Erika.” Drew smiled.
Erika’s gaze snapped to her boss’s, and she grinned sheepishly.
“What are you thinking about?” Drew asked. “It’s got to be something good.”
Erika shrugged. “Just stuff.”
“Stuff, huh?” Drew smiled. “Does that stuff have green eyes, dark hair, and washboard abs?”
Erika chuckled. “I don’t know if he has washboard abs, and that stuff doesn’t matter to me, anyway.”
Drew rolled his eyes. “How admirable.”
She playfully swatted a towel at him, and he laughed.
“Have you heard from him since he left?”
Erika nodded. “Surprisingly, yes.”
“That’s no surprise. I could tell by the way he looked at you that you had yourself a shiny new pet.”
“And people get after me for