Shattered: A Salvation Society Novel by Bella Emy (pdf to ebook reader .TXT) 📕

“Listen, Erin… I’ve gotta go. My boss is calling me, and I have to answer it.”

“Dammit, okay… but call me as soon as you and Kalen reunite. I can’t wait to hear all about it.”

I chuckle, but I don’t find any of this comical. “Later, girl.”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Like I said, liar. It’s after five in the evening, meaning it’s time to go home, and guess what? No Kalen.

Can’t really say I’m surprised. The guy lies like I told Erin he does. Except now he lied to her, too. What a jerk.

And speaking of Erin, she had to have called me about fifty times today, wondering why I haven’t called her to give her details on my reunion with Kalen. I just told her there hadn’t been a reunion because the dick hadn’t shown up yet.

Dick.

I hate him.

Okay, yeah. Maybe that’s too strong of a word, but now I really don’t like him even more for getting my hopes up. Not like I really was expecting to see him, but whatever.

Each time I told Erin there was still no sight of Kalen, she’d tell me she would be texting him, but then she wouldn’t get a response from him.

Surprise, surprise.

I exit the building and walk through the parking lot, looking for my car. I find it exactly where I had left it this morning and reach to unlock the door.

“Night, Lexi. I’ll see you in the morning.”

I look over my shoulder and see Joanna walking toward me. I spin around. “Have a good night, Jo.”

“Any plans for this evening?” she asks. I thought she was about to take off, but I guess now she wants to chat. Unfortunately, I don’t have any good things to tell her. My evening is going to be boring, eating leftovers from the previous night out of a white paper container and then passing out in front of the TV.

I shrug. “Well, if you consider Chinese food from takeout containers and reruns of The Office a date, then I’ll be on a hot one tonight.”

She chuckles, finding my lame sense of humor funny. It’s one of the many reasons why I love her so much and we get along so well. “Oh yeah, girl. Watching Jim on the screen while eating lo mein with chopsticks… yum, that’s hot!”

We’re quiet for only a moment before she speaks again. “So, what’s up with Mark? I caught a little vibe from him this morning.”

“Vibe? What kind of vibe?” Thoughts from that night at the bar come darting to the front of my mind. I shiver. I never got a chance to tell Joanna about what happened after she left the bar. I’ve seriously been trying not to think about it.

She leans against my car and then tucks a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, I ran into him when I went to grab a cup of coffee from the kitchen. I said hello and asked him if he knew if you were in yet, and he acted really weird… just the way he looked at me like he’d seen a ghost threw me off. Like what was up with that?”

I look away and stand next to her against my car. “Well, I may know what that has to do with…”

She pushes away from the car and stands in front of me. Then grabbing me by the arms of my jacket, she says, “What?! What are you talking about? You’d better fill me in!”

I chuckle, but the memory of what had happened with him is anything but funny. “After you left that night at the bar, I ran into him. He got too touchy-feely for my liking, so I told him that if he didn’t keep his hands to himself, I’d report him to HR.”

She lets out a gasp. “Shut up!”

I nod. “Seriously. I didn’t appreciate his hands landing on me.”

“Yuck, I wouldn’t either.”

A couple of minutes go by before she adjusts her handbag’s strap on her left shoulder and says, “All right. I’d better get going. I’ve got a date.” Her lips pull into a smile.

“You’re kidding! Seriously?”

She nods. “Yeah. I decided it’s time to think about me.”

“Definitely.” Thank God she’s not letting her douchebag ex-husband bring her down.

“Well, go on then, and have a great night.”

She lifts a hand and waves. “I hope so. I’ll see you in the morning. Night, Lex.”

“Night, Joanna.”

After she gets into her car and drives away, I’m about to do the same. It’s already a quarter to six, and it would be a damn shame to keep Jim Halpert waiting on me.

“Lexi!”

I freeze right as I grab the door to my car. That voice. I’d recognize it anywhere. I want to spin around, but it’s as if I’m stuck, immobilized right where I am.

“Alexa Tracy Alderidge…” The voice is closer now, literally about ten feet behind me. My heart races. My breath catches in my throat, and I’m not finding the words I want to express.

But somehow, I manage to slowly turn around. Somehow I manage to bring my gaze up to meet him. I’ve always been a sucker for his beautiful emerald green eyes. “Kalen.”

He moves closer to me, now just mere inches away. I get the feeling he wants to take my hands in his, but he doesn’t.

“Lexi, I’ve been trying to get here all day… I’m sorry it’s taken me forever.”

At his words, I don’t know what to say. What does he expect me to say anyway?

I smirk.

“Hey, you’ve got to believe me when I say I’ve been fighting so hard to get to you.”

Oh, do I now? And who are you, Mr. Starling, to tell me what I have to do? I fold my arms in front of my chest and raise an eyebrow. “Really? Because Erin said you texted her when you touched down… that was at like nine o’clock this morning…”

He chuckles, but it’s void of humor. “Yes, I did touch down at nine-ish, but that was in Chicago… there were no last-minute direct flights.