Page 3 of The Impossible

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” Dean asked.

“Um no, not at all. How are you?” I asked, stepping back and allowing him to enter.

“Good, I just came back from a check in with Ellie and she seems to be doing well.”

“That’s good. I assume the medication from Cromwell worked.” I walked over to my desk and began packing my things to leave for the weekend. I got one full weekend a month off by request and this was that weekend. Though I was extremely dedicated to the animals and the work I did here, I knew I needed to properly care for myself in order to fully care for them.

“It did. Inflammation is going down and she’s taking in more fluids.”

“Good. I’m glad she’s on the mend.” I continued to get my stuff packed up as he grew silent. “Was that all or di—” I started, when there was yet another knock at my door.

This time the door was open, so all I had to do was look up and see who it was. Hondo Carter stood in my doorway, eyes intently on Dean while Dean looked from me to Hondo.

“You ready to go, Nic. Or do you need a minute?” Hondo asked, entering my office with no intention of leaving.

“No, I was ju—” I started, but Dean’s voice interrupted mine.

“I was just headed out. I’ll shoot you a text. Have a good weekend, Patience.” Then he walked out of my office, leaving me and Hondo.

Hondo chuckled. “Hmph.”

“What’s funny?” I asked, looking at him once I had everything I needed packed for the weekend.

“Nothing, c’mon.”

I shook my head. “Hondo.”

He chuckled. “You talk to everybody you work with on your personal line?”

I grinned. “Why?”

“Because I asked.”

“Doesn’t really matter to you, does it? This is just dinner, right?”

He shook his head. “You're right, but not in the way you’re thinking. Now c’mon, let’s go before it gets cold.”

I closed my eyes. “Wait, what gets cold? Why would it be cold if we’re going to a restaurant?”

“Who said anything about a restaurant, Nic?”

“Well, I assumed we were going to one.” I shrugged, throwing my tote on my shoulder and cutting the light out in my office.

He didn’t respond at first. He stepped outside my office, waiting for me to close and lock the door. I dropped my keys into my purse with the intention to follow him but was immediately taken aback when he grabbed my hand.

“Didn’t wanna go to a restaurant because I don’t like all of the fucking cameras and mics in my face.”

I nodded silently, stuck on the fact that he was holding my hand. It wasn’t hand to hand either. This nigga had our hands interlocked like we were seconds from swinging them. This was strange, strange enough to have me questioning what was going on the entire walk to the black-on-black SUVs right outside of the front doors of the zoo. It was literally a motorcade outside and I didn’t know what to say. I was completely thrown off and convinced I was dreaming. This was random, completely off kilter. I went from seeing him on TV to him bullying me out to dinner. What the hell?

“Where are we?” I asked, knowing where we were, but not really. We had just pulled into the gates of a massive home outside of Briar. We were in the Bluffs, on the other side of the river from my family’s estate.

“Home.”

The way he said home at first threw me.

“Do you like living in the city?” he asked as the truck came to a complete stop seconds later.

I shrugged. “Some days I do.”