Just one kiss (The Ashcrofts Book 1) by Anderson Poppy J

Author:Anderson, Poppy J. [Anderson, Poppy J.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-03-08T08:00:00+00:00

Chapter 2

Patrick stared at the desktop in front of him, which was covered in papers, and listened to the nervous breathing in the receiver, utterly dumbfounded.

He blinked away his confusion and swallowed against a lump in his throat.

Someone had to be playing a prank on him. That was the only viable explanation for the trembling female voice that had just given him a major shock. It was impossible that it was really Amy on the other end of the line waiting for him to say something. His tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth.

“Patrick?”

No. This couldn’t be Amy, calling him out of the blue after six years, as if nothing had happened. As if the past six years hadn’t existed, as if she hadn’t left him without a single word of explanation.

As if she hadn’t simply disappeared.

But the voice that whispered his name was all too real, and she sounded exactly like his wife.

His tie was suddenly far too tight around his neck. He pulled at it as he felt his stomach lurch. He ran his free hand through his hair and shook his head in disbelief. “Amy?”

“Patrick,” she repeated.

Apparently, he wasn’t the only one who didn’t know what to say.

“Where’s Mrs. McDough?”

He had no idea why she was mentioning his secretary, of all things, and he had countless questions for her, but he didn’t know how to proceed except to answer her question. “Retired. For about two years now.”

“Ah,” she said nervously. “You … You thought I was Barbara?”

Patrick felt tense as he slowly leaned back in his chair. “Barbara is Mrs. Ashcroft again. She and James divorced last year.”

He heard her gasp in shock. “Oh. I’m sorry to hear that.”

Again, they both fell silent. Sitting at his desk, Patrick couldn’t wrap his head around the idea that they were making small talk. Not after everything that had happened. Suddenly, he remembered the worry and anger he’d felt after Amy’s disappearance.

An angry knot tied up his vocal cords, and he pondered Amy’s nerve, to call him just like that, after he hadn’t heard from her in six long years. And yet here she was, talking about his secretary and sister in a tone reserved for discussing the weather.

He saw her clearly in his mind’s eye: young, pretty, charming, intelligent. But Patrick knew better than anyone else that she could also be completely different. Nobody else had ever managed to hurt him like Amy had.

“Patrick?”

And suddenly his anger superseded the puzzlement of her unexpected call. His voice was cold as he demanded, “What do you want? I need to go.”

“Wait, I need to talk to you. Please.”

“About what?”

“P-Patrick,” she stammered, sounding insecure. “It’s … It’s very … important.”

“Important?” He ground his teeth. “Then make an appointment with my lawyer!”

“No,” she cried, shocked. “I need to talk to you!”

“About what, goddammit?” He snorted, overwhelmed by her sheer nerve. “What on earth could we talk about after six years? There is nothing to talk about, Amy.”

“Please,” she whispered hoarsely. “I know you are angry, but—”

“Angry?” He uttered a mirthless, disdainful laugh.

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