phones. See you tomorrow?” She gave him a smile so radiant he damn near choked on his own heart.
“Sure. Tomorrow.”
Adrian watched her walk away from him, knowing full well she wouldn’t escape him that easily. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight, even if he had to follow her around like a deranged stalker.
Somehow, the thought wasn’t as unpleasant as it should’ve been. In fact, the darkest, most forbidden part of him looked forward to the task.
Chapter Eleven
Adrian arrived at Reach bright and early the next morning, eager to get started. He knew Angie would be there because he’d spent the night crouching in the shadows, watching her. He still hadn’t heard back from Marcus, but thankfully Kyros had yet to make an appearance.
Maybe his uncle was losing his touch. The longer it took for the Kleptopsych to track Angie down, the greater the probability the trail would grow cold.
Patricia sat behind the massive reception desk, waiting to greet him with a welcoming smile. “I didn’t expect you in so early.”
“I’m anxious to learn everything I can about the program.”
“Good. If you’re going to do this, you’ll need a truckload of enthusiasm and motivation. This isn’t an easy job. I’ve seen it take its toll on a lot of well-meaning people. Sadly, not everyone’s cut out for this.”
Adrian nodded. “I get that. But I can handle it. I don’t succumb to emotion easily.”
Patricia scrutinized him for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then, deciding he was up to the task, she nodded. “I’ll get Lydia to show you around. She’s the one who trains the new volunteers—”
Angie. He dropped the suggestion into the receptionist’s mind the way one drops a survey card into a box.
Patricia’s eyes instantly clouded, a crease forming between her brows. “Actually, I think I’ll get Angie to do the honors this time. No one knows their way around the place better. She’s scheduled to conduct a counseling session in about an hour. Maybe you can sit in.”
He hitched his shoulder, gave her an innocent grin. “Sounds great.”
Within seconds, Patricia had Angie on the line. “Could you come down to reception? I’ve got a new volunteer I’d like you to train.”
Angie shuffled into the reception area, trying not to let her bewilderment or nervousness show. She’d never trained anyone before. Why Patricia was asking her to do so now, with Lydia only a door away, was another one of life’s great mysteries.
When she saw the man she’d met yesterday standing at the heart of the room, looking relaxed and too damn handsome for his own good, the butterflies in her stomach multiplied.
No, not him. Anyone but him.
She wasn’t sure why his presence unsettled her so, why she had the nagging feeling that they’d met before. The sight of him brought back all the disturbing images she’d seen in her dream the other night and made her lips hum with the memory of an illicit kiss.
Biting her lower lip to quell the odd sensation, she approached him warily. “You came back.” Her voice sounded foreign to her, husky and a touch winded.
“I told you I would.”
“You two know each other?” Patricia asked, surprised.
“We met yesterday,” Angie explained. “I gave him an application to fill out.” Tamping down all her ridiculous jitters, she turned to Adrian. “Are you ready to get started?”
“You bet. The sooner the better.” He gave her a lopsided grin, and the butterflies went wild. She hadn’t noticed yesterday, but when he smiled his left cheek dimpled in the most appealing manner.
“Good. Follow me.” She guided him down the corridor, stopping briefly to explain things to him along the way. “This is Lydia’s office.” She indicated the door on their left. “She has a degree in psychology, so she’s the most qualified person here. If there’s anything you need to know, Lydia’s the person to ask.”
The hotline room was located at the end of the
“Sure. Tomorrow.”
Adrian watched her walk away from him, knowing full well she wouldn’t escape him that easily. He had no intention of letting her out of his sight, even if he had to follow her around like a deranged stalker.
Somehow, the thought wasn’t as unpleasant as it should’ve been. In fact, the darkest, most forbidden part of him looked forward to the task.
Chapter Eleven
Adrian arrived at Reach bright and early the next morning, eager to get started. He knew Angie would be there because he’d spent the night crouching in the shadows, watching her. He still hadn’t heard back from Marcus, but thankfully Kyros had yet to make an appearance.
Maybe his uncle was losing his touch. The longer it took for the Kleptopsych to track Angie down, the greater the probability the trail would grow cold.
Patricia sat behind the massive reception desk, waiting to greet him with a welcoming smile. “I didn’t expect you in so early.”
“I’m anxious to learn everything I can about the program.”
“Good. If you’re going to do this, you’ll need a truckload of enthusiasm and motivation. This isn’t an easy job. I’ve seen it take its toll on a lot of well-meaning people. Sadly, not everyone’s cut out for this.”
Adrian nodded. “I get that. But I can handle it. I don’t succumb to emotion easily.”
Patricia scrutinized him for a long, uncomfortable moment. Then, deciding he was up to the task, she nodded. “I’ll get Lydia to show you around. She’s the one who trains the new volunteers—”
Angie. He dropped the suggestion into the receptionist’s mind the way one drops a survey card into a box.
Patricia’s eyes instantly clouded, a crease forming between her brows. “Actually, I think I’ll get Angie to do the honors this time. No one knows their way around the place better. She’s scheduled to conduct a counseling session in about an hour. Maybe you can sit in.”
He hitched his shoulder, gave her an innocent grin. “Sounds great.”
Within seconds, Patricia had Angie on the line. “Could you come down to reception? I’ve got a new volunteer I’d like you to train.”
Angie shuffled into the reception area, trying not to let her bewilderment or nervousness show. She’d never trained anyone before. Why Patricia was asking her to do so now, with Lydia only a door away, was another one of life’s great mysteries.
When she saw the man she’d met yesterday standing at the heart of the room, looking relaxed and too damn handsome for his own good, the butterflies in her stomach multiplied.
No, not him. Anyone but him.
She wasn’t sure why his presence unsettled her so, why she had the nagging feeling that they’d met before. The sight of him brought back all the disturbing images she’d seen in her dream the other night and made her lips hum with the memory of an illicit kiss.
Biting her lower lip to quell the odd sensation, she approached him warily. “You came back.” Her voice sounded foreign to her, husky and a touch winded.
“I told you I would.”
“You two know each other?” Patricia asked, surprised.
“We met yesterday,” Angie explained. “I gave him an application to fill out.” Tamping down all her ridiculous jitters, she turned to Adrian. “Are you ready to get started?”
“You bet. The sooner the better.” He gave her a lopsided grin, and the butterflies went wild. She hadn’t noticed yesterday, but when he smiled his left cheek dimpled in the most appealing manner.
“Good. Follow me.” She guided him down the corridor, stopping briefly to explain things to him along the way. “This is Lydia’s office.” She indicated the door on their left. “She has a degree in psychology, so she’s the most qualified person here. If there’s anything you need to know, Lydia’s the person to ask.”
The hotline room was located at the end of the
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