“More like a whiner,” Cass said self-deprecatingly. “Neo would never have gotten me out of my house and those workmen in if he hadn’t dragged me himself.”
She didn’t mention his form of persuasion had included a kiss that had about melted her brain.
“You are not a whiner.” Neo had come to stand by Zephyr and his expression was more than a little stern. “You have agoraphobic issues that have to be addressed with the seriousness and caution they deserve.”
“That sounds like something you’d read in a textbook on the subject,” she said. And then realization dawned. “You’ve researched my condition.”
“I had one of my top people do it for me.”
“Wow. You take being my student way more seriously than anyone else has in the past.”
Neo shrugged, but Zephyr appeared anything but nonchalant at the admission. He was once again staring at his business partner with blatant incredulity.
Then his expression morphed and he turned a look of almost pity on Cass. “Watch out. When he gets the bit between his teeth, Neo has a tendency to take over.”
“You think I haven’t noticed this trait?” she asked with no little amusement.
Neo crossed his arms and frowned at Zephyr. “I think you’ve got better things to do than stand around gossiping, partner.”
“Are you going to try and deny you’ve already got a recovery plan in the works for Miss Baker and her agoraphobia?” he asked instead of taking the hint.
“My research has not reached that point yet.”
Cass’s heart pounded in her chest. That “yet” was ominous. “Just because you talked me into upgrading the security on my home, do not for one minute think you are going to convince me to go through one of those antiphobia seminars. It’s not going to happen.”
She’d been there, done that and had the scars to prove it.
“You’ve tried such a thing?” Neo asked perceptively.
She nodded shortly.
“And it did not go well?” he added.
“I still refuse to answer the door to strangers, don’t I?”
“That’s just intelligent caution,” Zephyr said approvingly.
She smiled gratefully at him. Very few people had ever tried to make her feel more normal. The people in her life were mostly vested in getting her back on the stage and that meant making sure she understood just how different she was. Different being one of the kindest terms they used. Broken, foolish, weak, and irresponsible were some others.
“I’ll want details from the attempts you have made to overcome this challenge in the past.”
“You’re kidding.”
“I assure you, I am not.”
“Neo doesn’t have much of a sense of humor.” Zephyr shook his head like he pitied the other man.
Which she noticed made Neo’s jaw clench and he turned a less-than-pleased look on his friend.
Zephyr put his hands out in the universal What, me? gesture. “I’m only speaking the truth.”
Neo did not appear mollified. “I’m going to show you just how little a sense of humor I have in a minute.”
Zephyr pushed away from the table and headed to the door. “Ah, reduced to threats. My job here is done.” He looked back at Cass. “Nice to meet you, Miss Baker.”
“Cass, please.”
He grinned. “Nice to meet you, Cass.”
“It was a pleasure to meet you, too.”
“Have fun on your day off.” Zephyr winked at Neo.
Neo flipped him a rude hand gesture.
Cass gasped and started laughing as the conference room door closed behind the departing tycoon.
“I apologize. I shouldn’t have done that in front of you.”
Cass was still smiling when she shook her head at Neo. “If you can’t tell, I’m amused, not offended. I liked watching the interplay between you.”
“Why?”
“It shows a side to you I don’t think you exhibit elsewhere.”
“What if it does?”
“Tit for tat. You want to know and have already made efforts to discover stuff about me I don’t usually share with strangers, or anyone for that matter.”
“So, you think you should know similarly personal things about me?”
“Exactly.”
“You drive a hard bargain, Cassandra.”
“I must. I got you to take time off work, even if that wasn’t my intention.”
“Yes. And speaking of, the rest of my morning is clear.”
“You plan to entertain me?”
“I do.”
“That’s not necessary. I do have my MP3 player and a pad to take notes on,” she admitted with some shame for her crankiness with him earlier. “And this room is nice and quiet, no distractions … well, except your business partner.”
“He bought me my first CD of your music. In fact, he bought all of them for me over time. I am embarrassed to admit I never checked for the artist so I could buy them myself, though I listen to your music daily.”
“That explains how you could be a fan without knowing it.”
“Yes.”
She shook her head. “I love music, as you know. I can’t imagine not trying to find out who created and played music I enjoy.”
He shrugged, but it was obvious he meant it when he said he was embarrassed by his oversight.
She reached out and squeezed his forearm. “Hey, I don’t have a clue who designed and built my house, but I bet you know.”
“It was part of the security consult report.”
“I skimmed that bit.”
“Are you trying to make me feel less idiotic?”
“Definitely, because you aren’t even sort of stupid. Is it working?”
“Yes.”
“So, you took the morning off.” That still boggled her mind, but she’d decided that morning he needed the break he was so determined she take.
She wasn’t going to backslide and let her fear of being in the way stop her from encouraging him to leave work behind for a little while.
He nodded. “I thought I might take advantage of your undivided attention and that we could go shopping for my piano? Since both are available.”
“I see.” She bit her lip, considering whether or not she could psyche herself into going shopping with the man.
If she wanted to get him out of the office, she’d have to. It didn’t promise to be a pleasant morning for her, but if they stayed out of crowded malls, she should be able to manage her anxiety levels.
And he made her feel safe, like being with him she could do things that normally were beyond her comfort zone.
“Online.”
“What?”
“We