Page 36 of Finding a Melody
“Ah, yes, how can I help you?” I frowned at my phone, wondering why they were calling.
“Mr. Laurens would like to meet with you today.”
“Today? We’re scheduled to meet next week.”
“He needs to travel next week and won’t be able to make it. He doesn’t want to wait until he comes back. Do you have time now?”
“Isn’t this too soon?”
“And he’s very apologetic about it. If it wasn’t an emergency, he wouldn’t be asking. This would be doing him a huge favor, and I know he’d greatly appreciate it.”
I gritted my teeth, not prepared to deal with him. “Very well. But he needs to understand that the work we had planned to have completed won’t be done.”
“He does. Again, he really appreciates this. He’ll be waiting for you when you get here.” Then she hung up.
I grumbled all the way home, running inside long enough to use the bathroom and then get everything I needed for the meeting. Then I was back out the door again, trying to rehearse my update for him. It was really hard not to feel frazzled at the sudden meeting. I didn’t have everything I planned to have done. I hated sharing unpolished work like this.
Halfway to his office, I realized I had to let the others know that I couldn’t meet with them at Seth’s house. Quickly hitting some buttons on my phone, I called Seth, the ringing sound coming through my car’s speakers.
“On your way?” Seth asked in lieu of a greeting. I could hear everyone laughing in the background and wanted to hit something so hard right then. Being with them was much more preferred than dealing with Laurens. The man was a grade-A creep.
“Sorry,” I said, unable to hide the frustration in my voice. “One of my clients needs to meet with me right now.”
“Is everything okay?” he asked. The loud happy background noise quieted down. His question was full of so much concern that my chest tightened. No doubt, the others were watching Seth, waiting for whatever news I had.
“Yeah, no problems,” I said.
“I’m calling bullshit on you,” he said. “Something’s wrong.”
I smiled. “Is that something you do? Call bullshit?”
“Yes. It’s a thing and I’m calling you out on it. You can’t bullshit a bullshitter.”
I laughed. “You aren’t a bullshitter.”
“Hun, I’m one of the best.”
“Sure.”
“Seriously, Cadence. What’s wrong?”
“Nothing.” I sighed. “I’m just not a fan of this client.” I should have bit off my tongue. I shouldn’t have said that, but things I never really wanted to say seemed to always slip out when I talked with Seth.
Seth was quiet for a long moment. “Did... did he try something with you?”
I forced a laugh and shook my head, knowing he wasn’t going to see that. “No, he really is fine. Nothing I can’t handle.” I didn’t want to mention that the man needed to learn personal space. He really hadn’t done anything to me that could get him in trouble. Being too touchy-feely wasn’t a crime, and if I tried to report that, with the position he held, I’d be the one getting into trouble instead.
“I can meet you there if you want.”
“No,” I said, smiling. Seth’s worry warmed me to the core. I liked having it aimed at me, made me feel like I existed. “I need to go. I’m almost there.”
“Fine. But if he does anything, I’m kicking his ass.”
“And so are we!” Toby’s distant voice came through the speaker, making me laugh.
“I’ll hold him down for you,” I said. Sounded like a really nice plan.
“Call when you’re on your way back to my house.”