Wrapped In Shadows by Lisa Eugene Page A

me that I so readily crawled into bed with someone else, and a perfect stranger at that. I knew I’d been distraught and despite my bravado with Michelle, not really thinking rationally. But did that excuse what I’d done?
    Vicki, one of the girls in my office, saw me struggling to get through the door and came over.
    “Ooh, let me give you a hand!” Vicki smiled broadly, grabbing the bag of donuts and digging in.
    “Thanks!” I laughed with mock sarcasm, following her into the large open space. There were about ten desks scattered across the room, each burdened with computers and piled high with paperwork. I waved to the girls as I walked by, stopping to talk to Marion about her daughter, who’d been sick with the flu since last week.
    “She’s doing much better, thanks. Went back to school today.” Marion smiled, peering into the cardboard box. “Are those hats?”
    I grinned smugly as Marion and Vicki reached in and fingered the fine knitted wool.
    “These are great,” Marion said.
    “And warm,” Vicki noted.
    I had been badgering the clothing store down the street for weeks to donate their surplus to the foundation. My staff and I had gotten a list of items needed for the women’s shelter a few blocks away, and we’d collected almost everything—except hats.
    “These will be great, especially now that it’s gotten colder. We can take them down to the shelter this afternoon and distribute them,” I said to Vicki.
    Vicki beamed at me. The Pavilion Shelter had been her home for two years. She’d had a tough battle with drug addiction and ended up losing everything. I had met her there and heard her story of abuse and addiction. I’d hired her immediately, and it’d taken Vicki only a short while to get back on her feet and find an apartment. Every woman at the foundation had a similar story. I knew they just needed a break, someone to give them a chance and believe in them. They helped me organize and plan all the foundation’s charity events. They handled the donations coming in and assisted me with hands-on work in the community. I’d grown to think of all the women as family.
    “I just need to catch up on a few things, then we can head out,” I threw over my shoulder as I headed to my office. My feet stopped abruptly when my eyes took in the scene in front of me. There were several large vases filled with multi-colored roses on the floor outside my office, and as I looked around the room I now noticed a few more bouquets adorning some of the desks.
    “They’ve been coming every day,” Vicki said from behind. “We couldn’t fit them all in your office.”
    I turned around, brows raised, my throat suddenly dry.
    “We figured you were very good, or Josh was very bad,” Marion drawled.
    I let the speculation float in the air and was glad my employees didn’t press me. With a tentative smile, I walked into my office. My nose immediately wrinkled at the heavy perfume of roses, the pungent scent a thick cloud in the room. Almost every flat surface was covered with a bouquet. I was still refusing to take Josh’s calls or answer his texts. Talking to my parents had made this bad situation even worse. The pressure to not cancel the wedding was becoming a living, breathing thing that threatened to smother me.
    My mother called yesterday to talk of more planned events—the rehearsal dinner, wedding breakfast, and of all the people who were looking forward to attending. Important people who had been making plans for months and rearranging their busy schedules. Despite my protests, Diana had droned on and on. Eventually I had hung up the phone and burst into tears, feeling suffocated and emotionally taxed. I wasn’t ready to talk to Josh. I needed to let my staff know if he called the main line to not to put him through. Expelling a weary breath, I turned and stepped from my office.
    And crashed into a tall solid body.
    “ Josh! ”
    “I see you got my flowers.”
    I stared. Just stared, tongue