Free Flash Flood by DiAnn Mills Page B

notepad. He jotted down a reminder to call Mom and Dad.
    Lord, is this break into my sleep about Alina? Is she having a tougher time than I think with this transition?
Of course, the whole buyout had to be overwhelming: losing her job and all the insecurities surrounding a possible career change and relocation. To top it off, she had to work with him. Back in college, she’d exhibited extraordinary strength except when it came to dealing with her mother. Perhaps her mother was ill and Alina needed to take care of her, too. He took a deep breath and weighed the merits of calling her—to check on her. She most likely wouldn’t appreciate being wakened, but if something was wrong, he could offer help.
    The urge to phone Alina refused to let up. His gaze rested on his cell phone by his computer. Even his toes tingled. Finally he crawled from the bed and looked for her number in his Flash contacts. A part of him figured he was asking for trouble—possibly the harassment suit that often entered his mind. He cringed; a lawsuit would take care of any promotions. Yet … what if someone was trying to break into her home, or she’d received devastating news? Ryan ignored the reservations and punched in her number on his cell. She answered on the first ring.
    “Alina, this is Ryan. Are you all right?”
    “Ryan?” She yawned. “Yes, I’m fine. Why?”
    “I had this weird feeling you might need help.”
    “Not at all. For some reason I woke up and haven’t been able to go back to sleep.”
    He smiled and leaned back on the bed. “Me, too. I—I feel really stupid about this call. And you’re fine?”
    “Yes, unless you have a cure for insomnia.”
    “I usually pray.”
    “Yeah, I remember what your mother used to say.”
    She hasn’t forgotten
. “So were you praying for me?”
    “Do you fancy yourself at the top of my list?” He loved the teasing in her voice.
    “Sorry. A guy can hope.” Silence. The wrong thing to say. “Did you have a good weekend?”
    “As a matter of fact, I did. I took Anna outside on Saturday afternoon, and we had a picnic of sorts. A little chilly, but I wrapped her up good. Then today, Marta, Fred’s wife, and I rode horses on their property. I guess that was yesterday. What about you?”
    Lonesome and thinking about the past
echoed through his mind, but he shoved it aside. “Saturday I drove into Kentucky and enjoyed a bit of early spring. Sunday I attended a church here in Radisen, grabbed a to-go lunch, jogged a few miles, and read a great novel. Oh, and I took a nap. Old age must be settling in.” He hesitated. “Do you know why you woke up so early?”
    “Not a clue.”
    So I could call?
“Guess I should let you try to sleep again.” She yawned again. “It’s nearly four thirty, and we have to work today.”
    “See you in a few hours, and thanks for understanding about my early morning call. It’s—it’s been good talking to you.” Ryan disconnected the call and set his cell phone on the nightstand. Wide awake, he headed for his laptop to get a head start on the day. He hoped the rest of the day made more sense than these last few minutes.

    Vulnerable
best described how Alina felt. She should have exploded at Ryan for calling at such a horrible hour. Instead, she chatted away like the time or their business relationship meant nothing—like a giddy teenager. Why, she nearly flirted with him. How utterly disgusting.
    If only she hadn’t been awake to begin with—and thinking about him. And yes, she’d been talking to God about the mess in her life, and she’d shed buckets of tears in the process. In a peculiar way, it seemed perfectly logical that Ryan should call a little after four in the morning. After all, he’d occupied her thoughts since before three.
    If she didn’t watch her every step, Ryan would discover her feelings for him. How would she handle that catastrophe? Alina groaned and punched her pillow. The thought of him learning about the love buried in