Only in Time (A Mystique Antiques Novella) by Kelli McCracken

inhaled the rich scent of her caramel latte. She needed the extra shot of caffeine if she wanted to make it through the rest of her Monday afternoon. Lord knows she’d zoned out enough this morning.
    As the elevator chimed for her floor, she released the breath she’d been holding. Her heels thumped against the carpet with each step she took. Just a few more hours and she could go home. Could open a bottle of wine and soak in the tub.
    She didn’t make it to her office before her assistant came rushing around her desk. “Thank God you’re finally back.”
    Ally met Heidi’s eyes, noting the way they widened. Fighting back the urge to growl, she hoped her assistant was overreacting. She didn’t need a crisis today. If anything, she’d like to leave early.
    Stealing a glance at her watch, the hands pointed to one o’clock. “I’ve only been out for thirty minutes, Heidi. What’s wrong?”
    “Thirty minutes?” Heidi’s face contorted with a frown. “Sweetie, you’ve been gone for two hours. It’s two-thirty.”
    Ally’s eyes moved past Heidi’s face to the large clock above her desk. She did a double take just to make sure her eyes weren’t playing tricks.
    Stupid watch. She’d forgotten to wind it this morning. Had been too busy moping over Jonah. Now it had cost her two hours of her life. Two hours she’d spent at the park, eyes glued to the water fountain as thoughts of him rolled through her mind.
    “I still don’t understand what’s wrong. I don’t have any clients this afternoon. Why do you look like you’re about to pull out your hair?”
    Heidi rolled her eyes, releasing a heavy breath. “Mr. Taylor’s client showed up a day early. Says he won’t be in town tomorrow and wants to see him, today. Problem is, Mr. Taylor went home early. Guess he’s sick. Mr. Goldman is at a business luncheon, which only leaves you to deal with the client. And he is pissed .”
    What a great way to end the day. Talking down an irate client. Not that she hadn’t succeeded before, but focusing was a challenge today. She’d need every ounce of her wit to work with this client.
    “Where is he?”
    “I put him in your office. Twenty minutes ago.”
    “Okay,” Ally sighed, gazing down at the file in Heidi’s hand. “Hold all my calls and get Mr. Taylor on the phone. See if there are any important details not included in this file.”
    “Right away,” Heidi said as she raced back to the other side of her desk.
    Once Ally rounded the corner, she stood outside her door, skimming the file for details on the investment. Damn Rich and his sloppy handwriting. She couldn’t make out any of the words stretching across the paper. Why hadn’t his assistant transcribed this information yet?
    Had Ally not known a client was in her office, she would never have seen him. The high-back leather chair hid most of his body. Except for his foot, which shook with force near the armrest. Dealing with this client would be as fun as jumping into an ocean full of sharks. Both would be out for blood.
    Quick steps brought her past the chair. “Good afternoon. I apologize for the wait, Mr.—”
    “McCabe.”
    Had his voice not sent a trail of ice down Ally’s back, his name would have. She gazed up in time to see Jonah staring back.
    “Wha—what are you doing here, Jonah?”
    “I’m supposed to be meeting with Rich Taylor about an investment. But I guess you already know that.” His eyes trailed down her body then back. “I didn’t realize you worked here.”
    Nor had she realized he had the initiative to invest.
    Pulling out her chair, she sat across from him, reopening the file as she placed it on her desk. “I apologize for Rich not being here. He’s out sick today, but I can help you with whatever you need.”
    He looked as though he wanted to refuse her help, but didn’t. Uncrossing his legs, he leaned closer to the desk, resting his elbows on his knees. “Fine. Whatever. At this point, I just want to get things