Burn (Breathless #3)(25)

Jace’s face crinkled in sympathy. “So what are you going to do?”

“Well, I have plans tonight with Brittany, and you and Bethany if you can make it, but tomorrow I’m employing a full-court press. I’m done sitting back and being patient. If she’s going to tell me no, I at least want to hear it from her lips instead of enduring this prolonged silence.”

“Good luck man. I hope it works out for you. And at the risk of being a total hypocrite since I got in your face for checking up on Bethany, have you checked Josie out?”

Ash nodded. “Yeah, I did. After our first meeting in the park. No skeletons in her closet that I uncovered anyway.”

“Okay, well, if there’s anything I can do, you know you only have to ask. If you get her to agree, we’ll have to hook up, and when Gabe and Mia get back from their honeymoon, we can all get together. You can introduce Josie to Mia and Bethany. They have a good group of girlfriends, and I’ll tell you from experience, when they have their girls’ nights out?” He broke off and a shit-eating grin attacked his face.

Ash held up his hand with a groan. “I know, I know. You’ve already regaled me with the details of drunk, sexy women in f**k-me shoes wanting to be f**ked in those f**k-me shoes. No need to torture me further.”

Jace laughed and then rose. “Let me go call Bethany. I’ll let you know about tonight. Where we eating and what time? I just need to give her a heads-up so she can be ready.”

“How about the Bryant Park Grill right after work?”

Jace nodded. “Sounds good. We’ll see you there.”

Chapter nine

Brittany was noticeably nervous at dinner, though Bethany was a complete doll, easing the awkwardness and treating Brittany like a long-lost friend.

The Bryant Park Grill was hopping, as it was every day right after work hours. It was filled with suits, businessmen and women enjoying cocktails after a day at work. It was a popular after-work haunt, but that wasn’t why Ash chose it.

He’d chosen it because he thought he might see Josie there. But according to the man Ash had assigned to keep tabs on Josie, she hadn’t been out of her apartment at all for several days.

Maybe she was working furiously to finish a new piece of art for the gallery. Maybe she wasn’t giving his proposition a moment’s thought. He’d told Jace he’d give her until tomorrow, but he was only half paying attention to the dinner conversation because he was tempted to go to Josie’s apartment unannounced.

Patience. Jace had said to have patience. Ash nearly snorted over the hypocrisy of that statement, even if Jace had admitted it.

Their food was served, and Brittany had finally relaxed, even smiling in Ash’s direction. At one point she leaned toward him so only he would hear and said, “Thank you, Ash. You can’t know what this means to me. You’re the only family I have now. The others have cut all ties. They treat me like I’m some sort of traitor for wanting to have my own life. You understood what I wanted and needed and you didn’t judge me for it.”

Ash smiled. “Join the outcast club. It’s not so bad really. The longer you remain away from them, the more perspective you’ll gain and you’ll realize that this is something you would have been happier doing a lot sooner. But you’ve done it, and that’s all that counts. It’ll get easier. I promise.”

“Does it bother you?” she asked in an earnest voice. “I mean does it bother you that they treat you like an outsider? That they have such disdain for you and your success?”

Ash shrugged. “It did in the beginning I suppose. I haven’t given it much thought over the last few years. I have good friends and they’re my family. And now you.”

Her face lit up, the shadows chased from her eyes in a flash. “I’m glad we can be family, Ash. I really mean that. I’m not going to let you down. I know I didn’t get the job on my own, but I’m not going to make you regret giving it to me.”

They were interrupted by the ringing of Ash’s cell phone. He reached automatically for it, holding his breath without realizing at first that he was doing so. It could be Josie. He’d waited a damn week for something, anything from her.

But when he looked at the incoming name, he frowned. It wasn’t Josie. It was the man assigned to Josie.

“Excuse me, I have to take this,” Ash said as he rose, already pushing the button to accept the call.

He walked away from the table to a quieter area near the restrooms.

“Ash,” he said shortly.

“Mr. McIntyre, I know my reports have been much the same all week. Miss Carlysle hasn’t left her apartment until now and I knew you’d want to know what I saw.”

“What?” Ash demanded.

“She’s sporting one hell of a black eye. Split lip. Looks like someone took a shot at her. I could be wrong. It could have been an accident, but I doubt it. And it could be why she hasn’t left her apartment.”

Ash swore. “Where is she headed now? Are you on her?”

“Yeah, I’m following her now. Looks like she’s headed to the gallery. She had several canvases when she got into a cab. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Do that,” Ash murmured as he hung up.

He stood for a moment, his mind filled with rage at the idea that someone had abused Josie in some way. And then he cursed the fact that he hadn’t asked his man if Josie had been anywhere or if she’d had visitors. Surely he would have reported it if she had. But then he hadn’t had her shadow back on the job until two days after their dinner. He’d thought she would have contacted him by then and when she hadn’t, he’d put his man back on her to monitor her activities.