Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105756 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 529(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 353(@300wpm)
“Everything’s fine. I just wanted to let you know we’re running low on sterilising wipes in the supply closet, so you might want to add those to your next order.”
Okay, that was … weird. If we were running low on medical supplies Cathal normally mentioned it to Hannah or Rina, who would then pass the information on to me. The fact he’d come into my office to tell me while Jonathan was there made me suspect he was being nosy. And that made me vaguely irritable because we’d broken up three years ago, and my life was none of his business anymore.
“Thanks for letting me know. I’ll do that,” I told him, stepping forward and moving to close the door. His expression fell, like he’d hoped to be introduced to Jonathan, though why he’d want that was beyond me. He had Hannah now. He shouldn’t care who I spoke with in the privacy of my own office.
“You all right?” Jonathan asked once Cathal was gone. He obviously noticed my annoyance.
“It’s nothing. So, I’ll meet you tonight at—”
“It’s clearly something. Is that man troubling you? I have experience dealing with bothersome employees.”
“He’s not an employee. Well, technically, he is, but he doesn’t work here full time. He’s the area nurse who visits throughout the week to administer medical care to the residents.” I exhaled and shook my head. Cathal had barely spoken to me in three years, but now that I had a handsome older man in my office, suddenly he was poking his head in. Sure. “He’s also my ex.”
“Ah,” Jonathan said, as though suddenly understanding. “Was the breakup recent?”
I scoffed. “No. We split three years ago. He’s with Hannah now. The blonde out front in the purple smock? I’m pretty sure they had an affair right before he broke up with me. And he barely talks to me. Now, suddenly, he’s telling me directly about low supplies.” I paused to roll my eyes. “He’s obviously just being nosy because you’re here.”
Jonathan arched an eyebrow. “Why would he be nosy about me?”
“I don’t know. He shouldn’t be, but people are weird sometimes. Anyway—”
“Perhaps he still holds a candle,” Jonathan suggested with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes even harder.
“I highly doubt it. A man with a perky twenty-six-year-old in his bed is hardly going to be holding a candle for his thirty-seven-year-old ex who, it could be argued, is past her prime,” I said with a heavy dose of self-deprecation.
Jonathan stared at me for so long it made my stomach do a little flip. His eyes never left my face, and something hot began to burn under my skin.
“Agree to disagree on that one, Miss Rose,” he said at last, and I barely had time to digest the statement before he strode to the door while glancing at his watch. “Well, I have a meeting in half an hour, so I need to get going, but I’ll see you later, yes?”
I nodded dumbly and grabbed my cane. “I’ll walk you out.”
We reached the reception, and Jonathan exited the building, his driver waiting in the shiny black Porsche idling out front. I stood watching through the window as he lowered into the car before it drove away, his statement echoing in my head the entire time.
Agree to disagree, huh?
A shiver tiptoed down my spine, and I began to wonder if living in Leonora’s estranged son’s spare apartment wasn’t such a smart idea.
8.
Ada
I arrived at Jonathan’s building a couple minutes early and had to park outside because it was secured by gates that required an entry code. There was no sign of Jonathan, but a minute later, my phone pinged. His name displayed on the screen since I’d saved his number after he’d called me yesterday.
Jonathan: Gate code is 90831.
What the hell? Could he see me? I peered up at the top of the building at an apartment with floor to ceiling windows. Was he standing up there looking down? Something about that made me shiver.
I drove slowly to the gate, lowered my window and keyed in the code. It opened, and I drove through, quickly finding a free parking spot. I was relieved that it was dark and there were no other residents around. I imagined I’d receive a few snooty looks during the light of day from Jonathan’s neighbours, especially given the age of my car and the fact it was packed with my possessions.
Opening the boot, I grabbed a bag with enough for an overnight stay, deciding I’d wait until tomorrow to bring everything else up. After five nights of questionable sleep, I didn’t have the energy to carry more than one item.
As I approached the entrance lobby, I startled. Jonathan was already standing by the door, watching me. He opened it and motioned me through.
“Miss Rose, good evening. Please come in.”