And with that, I began to make my way to the train to take me back to Eric’s house.
Magda stoodat the counter in the kitchen finishing her lunch when I came through the side door. Her eyes opened wide, like she was surprised to see me.
“Where did you go, Maddie?”
Placing my purse on the center island, I smiled. “I had to run into the city for a few hours. I hope it wasn’t a problem.”
She didn’t return my smile, though, and instead turned to wash her plate in the sink. “Mr. Pierce is in his office. I think he’s waiting to speak to you.”
Eric shouldn’t have been home in the middle of the day. He hadn’t mentioned anything about taking the day off. And why would he be waiting to speak to me?
“Okay. I’ll go see him right now.”
“Maddie, wait. I want to say something to you.”
I stopped and turned to see her drying her hands on a dish cloth and frowning. What was wrong? Had something happened?
She walked toward me and stopped in front of me, taking my hands in hers. For the first time since I came into the house, she smiled.
“You’ve never really been a cook here, even though I loved those dishes you made and your sugar cookies are delicious, but I’ve never seen Mr. Pierce happier in all the years I’ve known him. I just wanted you to know that.”
I didn’t know what to say. Suddenly, I worried something bad had happened to Eric.
“Okay, thanks. I’m glad you liked the cookies. Is everything okay?”
She forced a smile but said nothing else, so I hurried to Eric’s office and hoped he hadn’t gotten hurt. I looked into the room and saw him sitting at his desk, his eyes closed, and he wore an expression like he’d lost his best friend.
Had something happened at the restaurant?
My mind whirled with ideas. Had there been a fire? Had his partner been hurt, or worse, killed?
I wanted to reach out and take him into my arms to make him feel better about whatever had happened.
Poking my head in, I quietly said, “Eric, I heard you wanted to speak to me.”
His head snapped around and he looked at me with surprise in his eyes. “Maddie? You’re here.”
“Of course, I’m here. I did go out for a little while, and no, I didn’t ask your driver to take me anywhere, but I’m back now. What’s wrong? You look like you’re having the worst day of your life.”
He stood from behind his desk and rushed over to take me in his arms. “I thought when he didn’t call back that you didn’t…”
His words trailed off, and he squeezed me to him. “What are you talking about? Who didn’t call back?”
“Nobody. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is you came back.”
I pulled away from him, unsure what had happened while I was out. Studying his face, I couldn’t make out why he thought I wouldn’t come back here.
“Eric, what’s going on? Why would you think I wouldn’t come back here today? Didn’t Mr. DeVille explain that I was leaving the agency, not you?”
“What are you talking about, Maddie?”
“I told him that I wasn’t going to be working as your cook anymore. I know I didn’t discuss it with you, but after you said you didn’t want me to work for you at all and that I could still stay here, I wanted to make it official. I know you never cared what anyone else thought, but I do. I don’t expect to just freeload off you or anything like that, so I hope you don’t think I’m being presumptuous.”
Eric stared at me for a moment and then shook his head. “I don’t care about any of that. I have more than enough for both of us, but if you want to get a job somewhere, that’s fine too. As long as you’re here with me and every night you’re in the bed beside me, I don’t care what happens.”
He seemed relieved by my explanation and didn’t even care that I had resigned from DeVille Staffing without telling him. I wasn’t sure why he thought I would leave him, but the happiness I saw in him now made me not want to push any further for details.
“Magda told me you wanted to speak to me. What’s up?”