consternation flicker across her face, because she rushed to reassure her. “Not because he doesn’t think you’re capable, but because he’s so enthusiastic about the work Hannah’s Hope is doing. In fact, when I saw him this morning he—”
“Wait a second,” Ana interrupted her. “You saw Ward this morning?”
“He was here early this morning and then left just before you arrived.”
“I see,” she muttered. Except she really didn’t. Her first meeting at CMF had been scheduled at nine. He’d have had to have come in at seven or seven-thirty to get in a meeting and leave before she even got there. “Is that normal for him? Scheduling meetings that early?”
“Thank goodness, no.” Stacy stifled a yawn. “Normally, he comes into the office about nine.”
“He must have had a busy day scheduled to make you come in so early.”
But Stacy shook her head. “No, that’s the weird thing. Jess always sends his schedule on to me when he’s in town. He didn’t have anything to do today. Normally, when he’s in town, he’s here at the office for twelve-hour days. I don’t know what’s up with this visit that he’s staying away. I mean—”
But then Stacy broke off abruptly, giving Ana an odd look. She tilted her head to the side as if Ana were an object of extreme curiosity.
“What?” Ana asked.
Stacy’s cheeks flushed red and she averted her gaze. “Nothing,” she insisted with sudden cheer. She clapped her hands together. “So, what sounds good for dinner? There’s a new Asian fusion restaurant that’s been getting great reviews. Or if you want something less formal, there’s a great burger joint just down the road. Or—”
“You know, I think I’ll skip it tonight.” Ana yawned, thankful she didn’t have to fake her exhaustion. “It’s been a busy few days. I think I’ll just head back to the hotel and make an early night of it.”
Stacy studied her, her keen gaze assessing. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, I’ve got to be here first thing in the morning. I want to squeeze in a little more work before the flight out tomorrow afternoon.”
Stacy looked doubtful. Like she’d had very strict orders tokeep an eye on Ana and was afraid that letting her eat alone would offend the powers that be.
“And you’ve had a long day yourself,” Ana added persuasively. “You deserve the evening off. I’ll be fine on my own. I’ll stay out of trouble. I promise.”
She smiled gamely, trying to inject her face with just enough fatigue to make her claims of exhaustion believable.
Stacy nodded, despite still looking doubtful. “Sure. Fine. Do you need directions back to the hotel or anything?”
“Nope. The rental came with GPS. I can get wherever I need to go.”
Which was useful, because she wasn’t actually heading back to the hotel. Nope, she was going to track down Ward Miller. It was time they had a nice long talk. Apparently, during those conversations they’d had about whether she had a problem with him, she should have been asking a few questions of her own.
Five
A few minutes later, she steered her car out of CMF’s parking lot, aware of Stacy’s car not far behind her. But as soon as Stacy’s car turned to get on the highway, Ana steered her own car into the parking lot of a nearby strip mall. Once she killed the engine, she pulled out her cell phone. She tried Ward’s number first, then left a message when it rolled over to voice mail. Since she didn’t hold out high hopes that he would call her back, next she dialed Emma’s number.
“Okay,” she grumbled, after they got the normal greetings out of the way. “What’s the deal with Ward?”
Emma let out a bark of laughter. “What do you mean?”
“I know he’s supposed to be one of Chase’s best friends, but I’ve got to say he’s being very difficult to work with.”
“What’s he doing? I mean, I know he has that artistic temperament argument to fall back on, but Chase swears he’s
“Wait a second,” Ana interrupted her. “You saw Ward this morning?”
“He was here early this morning and then left just before you arrived.”
“I see,” she muttered. Except she really didn’t. Her first meeting at CMF had been scheduled at nine. He’d have had to have come in at seven or seven-thirty to get in a meeting and leave before she even got there. “Is that normal for him? Scheduling meetings that early?”
“Thank goodness, no.” Stacy stifled a yawn. “Normally, he comes into the office about nine.”
“He must have had a busy day scheduled to make you come in so early.”
But Stacy shook her head. “No, that’s the weird thing. Jess always sends his schedule on to me when he’s in town. He didn’t have anything to do today. Normally, when he’s in town, he’s here at the office for twelve-hour days. I don’t know what’s up with this visit that he’s staying away. I mean—”
But then Stacy broke off abruptly, giving Ana an odd look. She tilted her head to the side as if Ana were an object of extreme curiosity.
“What?” Ana asked.
Stacy’s cheeks flushed red and she averted her gaze. “Nothing,” she insisted with sudden cheer. She clapped her hands together. “So, what sounds good for dinner? There’s a new Asian fusion restaurant that’s been getting great reviews. Or if you want something less formal, there’s a great burger joint just down the road. Or—”
“You know, I think I’ll skip it tonight.” Ana yawned, thankful she didn’t have to fake her exhaustion. “It’s been a busy few days. I think I’ll just head back to the hotel and make an early night of it.”
Stacy studied her, her keen gaze assessing. “Are you sure?”
“Positive. Besides, I’ve got to be here first thing in the morning. I want to squeeze in a little more work before the flight out tomorrow afternoon.”
Stacy looked doubtful. Like she’d had very strict orders tokeep an eye on Ana and was afraid that letting her eat alone would offend the powers that be.
“And you’ve had a long day yourself,” Ana added persuasively. “You deserve the evening off. I’ll be fine on my own. I’ll stay out of trouble. I promise.”
She smiled gamely, trying to inject her face with just enough fatigue to make her claims of exhaustion believable.
Stacy nodded, despite still looking doubtful. “Sure. Fine. Do you need directions back to the hotel or anything?”
“Nope. The rental came with GPS. I can get wherever I need to go.”
Which was useful, because she wasn’t actually heading back to the hotel. Nope, she was going to track down Ward Miller. It was time they had a nice long talk. Apparently, during those conversations they’d had about whether she had a problem with him, she should have been asking a few questions of her own.
Five
A few minutes later, she steered her car out of CMF’s parking lot, aware of Stacy’s car not far behind her. But as soon as Stacy’s car turned to get on the highway, Ana steered her own car into the parking lot of a nearby strip mall. Once she killed the engine, she pulled out her cell phone. She tried Ward’s number first, then left a message when it rolled over to voice mail. Since she didn’t hold out high hopes that he would call her back, next she dialed Emma’s number.
“Okay,” she grumbled, after they got the normal greetings out of the way. “What’s the deal with Ward?”
Emma let out a bark of laughter. “What do you mean?”
“I know he’s supposed to be one of Chase’s best friends, but I’ve got to say he’s being very difficult to work with.”
“What’s he doing? I mean, I know he has that artistic temperament argument to fall back on, but Chase swears he’s
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