Lyssa slammed the box of brochures on the counter in front of Melanie, wishing Kirk’s fingers were in the way. She’d like to crush them, crush him. “What am I going to do with all these? It took a week to get in line for a print run. There’s no time for a do-over.” To say nothing of zero time to find new sponsors.
Melanie glanced at the windowed wall between Noah’s office and the reception area.
Empty. Lucky guy had escaped before Kirk’s phone call. He’d have been in for an earful from Lyssa. Maybe seen some tears. They still burned in her eyes.
“He can’t just cancel like that.” The receptionist’s voice held indecision.
Lyssa gritted her teeth. She needed advice, a plan, maybe a Java Chiller over at the bistro. Melanie wasn’t going to be any help. She only drank decaf. Black.
Lyssa’s cell-phone ring pierced the air, and she glanced at the display. Kirk’s number. She stuffed it back in her pocket, still ringing.
“Not going to get that?”
Lyssa shook her head and talked louder. “So, you don’t have any advice for me, then? When will Noah be back?”
Melanie turned to the “Gone Fishing” clock on the office wall. “Not until after lunch.”
The cell beeped. Great, Kirk was leaving a message. How much more could he say than he already had? Still, Lyssa’s hand tightened around the phone and waited for the signal he was done. She held up one finger to silence Melanie and clicked to hear his voice, turning away so her face couldn’t reveal her emotions any further.
“Lyssa? Sorry I didn’t catch you. I talked to Dale some more, and we’re working things out. Can I pick up some of those brochures? I’ll swing by the church in just a few minutes. And, um, I want to talk to you.”
How dare he put her through all this if it wasn’t a big deal after all? She’d been scrambling through her contact list, trying to think who might upgrade their sponsorship. She’d been panicking about getting another slot at the printer. She’d been …
And now she was supposed to just smile and say, “Whew, glad it’s all good”? She didn’t think so. He couldn’t get here fast enough to get a piece of her mind. The nerve of him.
“Lyssa, are you okay?”
Melanie. Lyssa turned to the counter and smacked the box of brochures. “I’m fine. Forget everything I said. Mr. Hot-Shot Professor has smoothed everything over, and the show will go on.”
“That’s wonderful! What an answer to prayer.”
“Yes.” Lyssa sucked in a deep breath. “Yes, it sure is.”
Perspective. The heat she’d felt a moment before started to fade. No, she couldn’t face Kirk like this. Not while her anger flared. “Listen, Melanie, I need to run a few errands. Kirk said he’d be by to pick up some of these brochures. Mind if I leave them right here? He can help himself to however many he wants. Oh, and there’s a poster he can have for the window, too.” If his bossy brother would let him put it up. “Yes, that’s fine.”
“Okay.” Lyssa jingled Kermit’s keys and glanced at the clock. “Not sure what time I’ll be back.” Only when she was sure Kirk had truly gone. That Java Chiller was sounding better and better.
Kirk sped toward Osage Beach Community Church. Lyssa must have been in a meeting or something, but she’d be waiting for him. She’d be as relieved as he was that Dale had given in. Maybe they’d go for coffee then hunt a cache later.
He turned the corner into the parking lot, but Lyssa’s bright-green car wasn’t there. Maybe she’d walked to the church this morning. He didn’t even know if she lived close enough. So many things needed clarifying, but the summer was young. They’d have plenty of time to get to know each other before the school year threatened to separate them.
Kirk swung out of his car and strode up the church walkway then in through the glass doors. He stopped at the reception desk. “Is Lyssa in?”
The woman eyed him speculatively. “No, she stepped out for a bit. You’re Professor Kennedy?”
The sunshine streaming across the foyer floor seemed duller than a moment ago. He nodded. “She’s not here? But I talked to her only half an hour ago.” Of course that had been by cell, so she could have been anywhere. He frowned. Hadn’t she said she was at her desk?
“She was here, but she’s gone now.” Sympathy shone from the receptionist’s eyes.
Doubts flickered through Kirk’s brain. “When will she be back?” He needed to know she’d gotten his message. Maybe she was already out trying to find a new sponsor, despite her comments that it was too late.
“She wasn’t sure.”
It took an effort to keep his shoulders back as he nodded at the woman. “Okay. Thanks for telling me. I’ll catch up with her later.” Where or when, he didn’t know, if she didn’t answer his calls.
“She did say you could help yourself to as many of the brochures as you needed.”
Kirk jerked his head up. “Brochures?”
It wasn’t his imagination. The woman knew something was up. She had to. She pushed the box on the counter closer to him. “Here.”
He picked up a bundle of paper. This was crazy. Lyssa had obviously gotten his message. That had only been ten minutes ago, tops. She hadn’t taken his call, and then she’d left.
So much for his daydreams.