Jordan noticed that Lucy was unusually withdrawn during the rest of the packing and on the drive home. He knew cleaning out her late father's office must have been a difficult task for her. After they finished carrying the packed boxes inside he offered to make Lucy some hot tea, which she gratefully accepted.
Lucy was just about to sit at the dining room table, when she heard the front door slam. She turned and heard Craig stomping through the entrance room, muttering and swearing to himself. She stood up from the table and went into the next room to see what the matter was.
"Craig?" she said as she walked into the living room. "What's going on?
"I just got back from having lunch with James," Craig said angrily, and Lucy waited for the catch. "That jerk is going to do our tour without me . . ."Craig raved on, cursing his partnership with James and cursing the cast on his arm that was keeping him from his music.
Lucy nodded sympathetically, but her mind was on her own problems, and at the moment they seemed bigger than what Craig was carrying on about. She decided that she really wasn't in the mood to hear his complaints at the moment, so she slipped outside. Craig was so wrapped up in his foul mood that he barely noticed that she had left.
Lucy sat outside on the back porch staring across the bay, trying to relax from her stressful afternoon. Her mind was still spinning from the papers she had found in her father's office. Records of her father's bad investments. Records of the money he had taken from his own company. How much of her life had been paid for with stolen money? How many other secrets had her father kept from her? At the moment she felt like her world had been tipped on its side.
When she heard the patio door open behind her, Lucy jumped.
"I'm sorry to disturb you, Miss Stuart," Jordan said. "But I was wondering if there was anything else you require of me tonight."
"Oh no," she replied. "Go home, Jordan, and enjoy your evening. And thank you so much for your help this afternoon. I really appreciate it," she thanked him warmly.
"I'm sorry, but what did you expect me to do?"
When Jordan walked into his apartment, he caught his sister in the middle of a phone conversation. He just hoped it wasn't long distance.
"That girl was psycho! And I'm not about to risk my safety for some job." She nodded a silent hello to her brother as he walked in, while she listened to the person on the other line speak. "Uh huh. Listen, I've got to go. We'll talk later, ok? Bye bye."
"Hi, Justin," Audrey greeted her brother once she hung up the phone. "How was your day?" When Jordan sighed, Audrey guessed, "Tough day?
"I'm just a little worried about Miss Stuart. I helped her clean out her father's office today. It was very upsetting for her. I hope she will be alright."
"I'm sure she will be," Audrey replied. "Is her boyfriend still staying at the house?"
"Yes," Justin replied with a frown. "Just before I left he came in complaining about his afternoon."
Audrey smiled slightly, "You're getting too involved. I know you're tired of me telling you this, but you really need to get a life of your own outside of work. I bet it's been years since you've been on a date. Hasn't it?"
"Don't be silly, Audrey."
"Who's being silly?" she asked. After glancing at the clock she added, "I wish I could stay and keep you company, but I have a date for the movies. I'll see you later." She gave him a kiss on the cheek goodbye before heading out and leaving Justin alone in the empty apartment for the rest of the evening.
Lucy had decided to turn in early, but found herself unable to sleep, instead she crossed the room and started looking through her father's papers again. Why would he keep a record of money that he had taken, unless he was planning to pay it back? Lucy tried to comfort herself with that thought.
When she heard a soft rap on the door, she quickly hid the papers away and said, "Come in."
"Hi," Craig said softly. "I was hoping you were still up."
"I couldn't sleep," Lucy replied.
"I didn't even try," Craig said as he walked into the room.
"I didn't want to go to sleep without talking to you first. I'm sorry for how I acted when I came in this evening. I'm mad at James, but I didn't mean to put it all on you."
"It's alright, Craig. I've had other things on my mind tonight."
"How are you doing?" he asked.
"I'm alright," she smiled weakly. "How about you?"
"Good," he said wrapping his arms around her in a romantic embrace. "I was just realizing there is a positive side to having some time off from work."
"Oh yeah?" Lucy teased.
"Yeah," Craig replied as he pulled Lucy closer and kissed her.
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