Anything You Can Do(50)
It certainly did, and Bailey would have seen it immediately if her mind hadn't been so muddled with thoughts of Austin and lust. "Innocent until proven guilty," she hedged, trying to defend her indefensible oversight.
Paula shrugged, leaning back. "Whatever you think, but you better hope Austin doesn't get wind of it. He'd have that detective back on her in a New York minute. "
And Bailey had just admitted to him that she'd gone running in Springcreek Park, the location of the accident. That tidbit would probably be enough to set off his suspicious mind. He had seemed awfully interested in the details.
"I think I'd better check it out," Bailey admitted, rubbing her neck, which had suddenly begun to ache. "But unofficially." No need for everyone to know she'd temporarily lost her reasoning abilities, especially not with a partnership on the horizon and Austin poised for a checkmate should she make a wrong move.
*~*~*
Austin drove aimlessly around the city for half an hour, waiting for his hormones to subside and his brain to kick back into gear. Maybe it was just as well that Paula had interrupted because he'd definitely been out of control. His glands seemed to take off on their own when he was around Bailey. His glands, his temper, his common sense—his whole system went haywire in her presence.
A red light appeared out of nowhere, and he slammed on his brakes, cursing Bailey and Paula and himself for his lack of attention. He'd blown the evening. He hadn't goaded her into revealing any information about the merger, hadn't influenced her vote in his favor, and certainly hadn't made any headway in smoothing out their strange relationship.
A horn sounded behind him, and Austin realized the light had been green for an indeterminate amount of time. With a wave of apology to the driver behind, he accelerated on down the street.
The only time Bailey had shown any loss of control was when he asked about her run, an odd thing to get upset about. And why had she gone all the way over to Springcreek Park? The whole thing sounded awfully suspicious. It was too dark tonight, but tomorrow evening immediately after work, he'd be at Springcreek Park. He'd find out what Bailey had gone to see.
*~*~*
If Bailey's life was splintering out of control in all directions, she could at least try to help her best friends get their lives straightened out. Just before lunch the next day, she marched determinedly down to Gordon's office. He was sitting, staring blankly into space, when she burst into the room.
"You look terrible!" she exclaimed.
"I wish you'd learn to be more direct, stop sugarcoating the facts," he drawled.
"I've come to drag you to lunch, and I don't want any flack about it."
"Drag away." Gordon extended his hands. "I'm not sure I can walk."
"Come on," Bailey ordered, starting out the door but turning back to be sure he was following. "Are you sick? With those bloodshot eyes and dark circles, you look like you've been on a week-long binge."
"I have. A work binge." He followed her down the hall.
Bailey shook her head. "I work hard but I don't look like that. What are you really up to?" The poor man obviously needed her help getting straightened out in more ways than one.
"You've been working hard since you came here, long enough to develop work immunities." Gordon punched the button to call a down elevator. "I've got a lot of catching up to do. This is only temporary, until I get my desk cleared off. "
"That'll never happen. Not a feasible goal." They entered the half-full elevator.
"I have a reason." Gordon admitted, and Bailey nodded in satisfaction. He was just about ready to confess, if she could only keep him awake through lunch.
At the deli Gordon scarfed down his sandwich and launched into his potato salad. Not only had the man not been sleeping, it would appear he hadn't been eating either.
"All right, out with it," Bailey ordered when he swallowed the last bite.
"I'm trying to straighten up my life. Is that so terrible? Are you going to eat your slaw?"
She'd planned on it. "No. Do you want it?" She shoved the plastic dish across the table. "You always seemed perfectly happy with your life."
"Things change. And you needn't play innocent with me, Ms. Russell. It didn't escape my attention that you were invited to join the big boys yesterday."
"Oh." She shouldn't have been surprised. The office grapevine was very efficient.