Free Icing on the Cake by RaeLynn Blue Page B

cops are on the way!”
    “Damn you!” she screamed and kicked out at him. He blocked it and watched her run for the door. Before he could do anything about it, she pushed through it and into the morning.
    Leaving him furious and feeling like he’d failed.
    Again.
     

     
    Aerial’s heart nearly drowned out the police car’s sirens. She bounced on the balls of her feet outside C.A.K.E’s entrance doors. Tawana stood beside her with her arms folded. Greensboro police officers kept her and most of the workers outside. Only Stephen Silver had been allowed to enter. When Tawana called this morning, and told her something had happened to Brice, Aerial’s stomach dropped to her feet. All she could think as she drove to the office building was no, no, please no.
    Now stuck in the parking lot, Aerial tried to not rush the police or shriek for Brice to come out to show her he was okay. No ambulance, so she figured he was physically fine, but what had happened?
     “I got the call around seven. Middleton gets the worm.” Kaiden grinned at Tawana, looking as unflappable as ever.
    Her sister’s eyes narrowed, but remained locked on the office door. “Yes, he did.”
    Aerial didn’t like the sound of that. “What does that mean?”
    Kaiden only shrugged. “Only that because of his dedication to his job, he had intercepted a base, wiggly creature.”
    Aerial shook her head.
    “A thief,” Tawana translated.
    When Mr. Silver walked out with two police officers a series of whispers and mutterings rose among the crowd. The cops got into their cruisers and pulled off. Silence fell and no one moved. Aerial wrung her hands, but she didn’t break out into a run either.
    Once gone, Mr. Silver waved the others in. Funneling into the office, employees talked furiously, speculating about what had occurred. Aerial joined the throng. Breaking away from Tawana, she tried to get to Brice’s cubicle. Her lips twitched as his white-blond hair came into view. He stood beside the door to Tawana’s office.
    “You’re okay?” Aerial asked. She put her hands in her pockets to keep from touching him.
    Brice looked pissed beyond all levels. His lips were a flat line of anger. His tanned cheeks were flushed so red, she thought someone had applied blush to them. With his arms crossed over his chest, he didn’t answer her.
    Looking by her, he said to Tawana, “Mr. Silver wants to see us in his office.”
    Tawana paused in mid step. She turned to Kaiden. “Hu, Silver wants us in his office.”
    Aerial’s throat tightened. She’d been worried sick. What happened?
    “Brice,” Tawana called. “Wait a minute. My phone is buzzing…”
    Her sister hurried to her office and unlocked the door. After a few minutes, she stepped back out of her office and looked at him and then Aerial.
    With a softer tone, Tawana said, “Mr. Silver says for you to go home, Brice. Take the day off. He wants to see you first thing in the morning.”
    “Yes, ma’am,” Brice replied.
    She nodded at Aerial. “Buck up, munchkin. He’s fine.”
    Tawana and Kaiden started toward the front, where the path veered to the right and directly to the center staircase.
    As soon as both sales managers disappeared, Brice turned those honey hazel eyes to Aerial. “Sorry.”
    “Are you okay?”
    “Yes, I’m okay.”
    Aerial could tell he wasn’t. “Are you hurt?”
    She inched closer to him, and he didn’t move away. Still something stood between them again. She reached for him, and he stiffened. Something had happened and it seemed to reset him to the emotionally distant place he resided before. Swallowing her nervousness and burning fear, she met his gaze.
    “I understand, and I’m here for you. Whatever happened this morning, you don’t have to go through it alone.”
    “I’m sorry, Aerial.” He took her hand and brushed her knuckles with his thumbs. “I didn’t mean to be rude. I’m just…”
    She kissed his lips lightly. “You don’t have to