Closer To You (Suits in Pursuit) (13 page)

Axel slid into the booth across from his friend, his stubbly face twisted into a frown. “Hey.” He groaned half-wittedly.

“God! What happened to you man?” Rob’s forehead wrinkled. “Let me guess. Woman trouble.”

“Hmm.” Axel groaned. “That obvious?” He missed Kerrigan desperately. He missed her smell, the way she smiled, her laugh, her touch, her feel.

“I haven’t seen you in weeks. Are you still pining after that hot little thing at the office?” Rob flipped through the menu, and then glanced up at Axel. “Kerrigan.”

Just hearing her name made Axel’s stomach twist. “Yes, Kerrigan. There have been quite a few developments since you and I last talked.” He couldn’t eat. Nothing on the menu was appealing. “We’re dating. She’s my girlfriend, or at least she was.” Imagining his life without her was painful.

Rob’s brows shot up. “Just dating? Judging from your appearance, I think you’re more than just dating. Looks serious to me.”

“I guess I’m an open book. Our relationship is pretty serious.” He pushed the menu away and gazed around the busy restaurant. “I’m only getting coffee—not really hungry.”

The waiter came and took their orders and then they continued talking.

“Man, I’ve never seen you like this. What happened?”

“We love each other.” She hadn’t
said the words, but he knew she was in love with him. “I want more, and she’s insecure about herself and our relationship. She doesn’t trust me. She threw out some bullshit excuse about me wanting to experiment.” Axel rubbed his temple. “I was supposed to propose to her this weekend.” Rob stared at his friend, listening, and then he took a sip of coffee. “She said some very hurtful things to me, and I stormed out on her.” She had hurt him, and he had to teach her a lesson. If there would be a future between them, Axel didn’t want Kerrigan doubting his love.

Shoveling a fork full of food into his mouth, Rob mumbled, “I’m sorry man. Do you think you can save your relationship?”

Axel’s lips pressed into a tight line. “I hope so. I’m going out of town for a few days. The time apart might be good for us both.” He wanted her to trust him, to have faith in him. He wanted to remain optimistic, thinking that somehow they could work out their issues.

Later t
hat night, Axel crawled into his lonely bed, lost and confused. The realization that their relationship might not survive took a toll on him. His eyes heavy and tired, a lone tear dipped down his cheek onto his pillow, and then the outpouring—for the first time, he cried.

Monday, October 29

Monday hit like a brick thrown against hard pavement. Axel didn’t want to get out of bed. He was exhausted, but he had too much work to do. When he had been on good terms with Kerrigan, he ran on pure adrenaline.

Peeling the duvet back, he dragged one heavy leg at a time over the edge of the bed. Forcing his muscles into motion, he stood and wandered into the bathroom, to get ready for the day.

Bittersweet memories of their last time together still lingered. He remembered holding her close. When they made love, their souls were joined. He had never experienced a connection so carnal, spiritual and emotional all at once. He had to have her back. He decided to make things right between them. They had both suffered long enough. He began to put plans into motion.

As soon as
he sat down behind his desk, he called Brenda into his office.

Clunky steps hammered against the floor as Brenda made her way toward the large black desk. “Good morning. What can I do for you sir?” She asked.

He met her patient eyes. “Morning Brenda.” He growled. “Please ask Kerrigan to come to my office the minute she arrives.”

“Okay. I’ll leave a message for her now. You realize you have back-to-back meetings all day.”

“Please interrupt any of my meetings when she gets here. That’s all for now. Thank you Brenda.” He hadn’t eaten much in the last two days and even with the hunger pains gnawing at his empty stomach, he couldn’t bring himself to think about food.

Brenda strolled out of his office, her instructions to contact Kerrigan clear.

The clock on his computer read five thirty in the afternoon. Axel called Brenda back into his office. “Brenda, did you ever get in touch with Kerrigan? Where is she?”

Standing in front of his desk, Brenda fidgeted with her hands. “No sir. She hasn’t returned any of my messages—voicemails, nor emails. Nothing! No one has heard from her all day, including Marie.”

This was going to be harder than he thought. He was leaving that evening and would be out of town until the next week. There was little he could do besides leaving messages.

Friday, November 2

Axel walked through the main entrance doors to the executive suite.

Brenda gasped and brought her hand to her chest as she sucked in a hard breath. “Sir, I thought you were returning next week. Is everything okay?”

He shuffled passed her desk heading to his office, his arms overloaded with a laptop bag and duffle bag, and a small suitcase trailing behind him. “I cut my trip short. Have you heard from Kerrigan?” He yelled over his shoulder.

Hurrying from around her desk, Brenda scrambled into his office. “No sir. Not a peep. Is everything all right?” Grabbing the handle, she retrieved the small suitcase from him.

“No. Everything isn’t all right. I don’t know where Kerrigan is.” He was losing patience, and he was beyond worry. She wasn’t taking calls from him, and she wouldn’t return his messages.

“Mr. Christensen,
Kerrigan called out sick on Monday, but that was the last time Marie heard from her. Would you like for me to email her again?”

“No, Brenda. Call her at home again and put her through to me at once.” He barked.

She sighed heavily.
“Okay. I’ll try her at home, again.” She wheeled the suitcase next to the red leather sofa, and then exited.

Two hours later, Brenda strutted
into Axel’s office for a second time and stood in front of his desk. “Sir, I left another message.”

He pounded his fist on the desk.
“Damn! Where in the hell is she? Do you have her cell phone number?”

“No sir. I’ll ask Marie for
the number.”

“
No. No. I’ll call her myself and leave another message. Please close my door. I don’t want to be disturbed. Brenda, thank you.”

Reaching for his cell phone,
he dialed her mobile number. After, ringing several times, the call went to voicemail. Axel was beside himself now. He had only meant to jar her. She was taking their argument harder than was rational, and than he had intended. Feeling helpless, he did the only thing he could think to do. He picked up the phone and dialed the extension.

“Good afternoon, A.C. Advertising. This is Ashley
Turner.”

“Ashley, this is Axel Christensen.
Can you come to my office now?”

She paused.
“Uh, yes, yes sir. I’ll be right there.” She stammered.

Axel slammed
down the phone and rambled his way to the door. “Brenda, Ashley Turner is on her way up. Please escort her in as soon as she arrives.”

In less than five minutes, Axel
swiveled around in his chair facing Ashley whose face was scrunched, her eyes narrow, and forehead wrinkled with grooves and creases. He knew Ashley would see the look of distress and anguish on his face. Bags and dark shadows settled underneath his eyes had made their semi-permanent residence.

“Brenda,
please close my door. We’re not to be disturbed unless Kerrigan Mulls calls or shows up.”

“Yes sir,” she replied.
Brenda excused herself and closed the doors.

He
grimaced at Ashley. His arms waving aimlessly, “Have a seat,” he said, pointing to the chairs across from his desk in one of the guest seats.

“Mr. Christensen, what’s this about? How can I help you?” Ashley asked
with a puzzled expression. She didn’t know why she’d been summoned to meet with him.

“Ashley, please call me Axel. I
need to ask you some questions. Do you mind?”

“
I guess not.” She paused. “What’s going on?”

He leaned in closer, elbows firmly planted on top of
the desk, splattered with a sea of disheveled papers. “You’re friends with Kerrigan Mulls, aren’t you?”

“Yes. She’s my best friend. I’ve known her since
college.” Her rickety voice rang out.

“Then you know exactly what this is about, don’t you?”

“I know that the two of you are involved, but no, I have no idea why you called me here today.”

His hands clenched into tightly balled fists.
“Ashley, I need to know that she’s okay. Have you talked to her recently?”

“She ha
sn’t returned my calls in over a week, but that’s not unusual, especially since you entered the picture.” Her accusatory tone didn’t surprise him, and he wouldn’t make any apologies.

He ran restless fingers through his dark thick mane. “
I’ve tried calling her for the past several days and can’t reach her. She called out sick on Monday, and no one has heard from her since.” He muttered.

“Well,
I got worried when I couldn’t reach her by phone for a few days. I went to see her last Saturday afternoon. She didn’t look good. She was upset and told me that the two of you had a fight, and you broke up with her. She blamed herself and defended you. I expected to see her this week, but I haven’t seen her or heard from her. I only get her voicemail when I call.”

He
closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. “Shit! I’m sorry to bring you into this, but I’m worried. I didn’t know what else to do.”

He
studied Ashley for a moment, and then covered his face with his hands and leaned back in his chair, groaning loudly.

“I love her so much. I didn’t
mean for our argument to go this far. I planned to see her Monday to work through our issues. I’ll go by her place again tonight. I’m very worried. Please, if you hear from her, ask her to call me immediately.”

“
Mr. Christensen may I say something? What I have to say might be out of place, but she’s my best friend.” Her voice was confident and filled with determination.

“Go on.”

“Kerrigan loves you too. She may not know how to tell you, but she does. I think you pushed too hard. You’re her first relationship, and she was terrified that you’d break her heart. When you do talk to her, you need to slow things down. She needs time. You may be my boss, and I know you can fire my ass at any time, but if you hurt my friend again…”

Axel
shook his head. He liked to be challenged, and he liked that Kerrigan had a good friend in Ashley. Interrupting her lecture, he filled in the blanks before she could finish. For the first time in days, a faint tease of a smile touched his arid lips. “Yes ma’am. I plan to make this right. I’m glad Kerrigan has a friend like you.”

“If I hear from her, I
’ll ask her to call you. You’re a good man. I’m glad the two of you found each other. Just fix this,” Ashley quipped and stood to leave.

At that precise moment,
the large oversized doors of his office flew open, slamming against the wall with a raucous bang. Brenda barreled through the doors and entered his office in a tizzy.