Chapter 71

So when Yvonne breezed into his office in designer jeans and a softball cap, the words I’m not interestedwere on the tip of his tongue. She must have seen his intentions, because she held up a hand, forestalling his protest.

“I talked to Julie today, and she said you haven’t left your office since yesterday at lunch.”

Ashley frowned. “That’s not true. I…” His frown deepened and he searched his memory for the pertinent information. He distinctly recalled sleeping at his place the night before, but he was wearing the same clothes. The same rumpled, wrinkled clothes. “Well, I lost track of time.”

Yvonne sighed. “Ash, you’re going to work yourself into an early grave.” She perched on the edge of his desk. “What’s got you locked away?”

He gestured to his desk, covered in leaning stacks of documents. “The shit has hit the fan. Everywhere. It was like everything that could go wrong, didgo wrong, at precisely nine o’clock on Monday morning.”