Strictly Business

Strictly Business: Chapter 17

Elizabeth sat by the window, staring out into the gardens. The flowerbeds were a riot of colour with bees and butterflies fluttering daintily among them. The morning sun streamed through the windows and somewhere a bird chripped. But this lovely scene was lost on Elizabeth, her mind was far far away.

"Anyone here up for some sinfully good double chocolate chip cookies?"

Jolted out of her reverie, Elizabeth looked up to see Joanne walking into the room with an enormous packet of cookies.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Joanne dropped the cookies on the table and gave her a big hug. Tears threatened to flood her eyes again.

"Shane thought you might need some girl talk and chocolate so he asked me to come over. I bought the biggest bag I could find."

Elizabeth gave her a watery smile as Simmons came in with a tea service.

"Thanks Simmons," Joanne said as she drew up another chair.

"How are you feeling?" Joanne asked, studying her.

"I don't know," Elizabeth replied, biting her lower lip. "How is one supposed to feel after nearly being raped? Technically nothing happened to me, not that I'm not grateful for it, but I'm like stuck in this ambiguous limbo. I'm neither here nor there. I think I just need a good distraction. I'll think I'll get back to work tomorrow. It'll help take my mind off things." She reached for a cookie and broke off a piece.

"Yeah, that's a good idea. Nothing like work to take your mind off things. But take it easy, don't overwork again." Joanne bit into a cookie.

"I will. But gosh, I dread to see the state of my table after all these days of sick leave. It'll be a disaster zone. Makes me feel like not going back but there's still too much to do before the deadline." she laughed.

"Oh you'll never know. Maybe little elves came in while you're gone and cleared everything up for you," Joanne gave her an enigmatic smile.

Elizabeth scoffed. "Are your cookies 'magic cookies'?"

Joanne only smiled.
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Joanne was bringing in the tea service to the kitchen when Mason strolled in.

"What are you doing here? Shane's not in," she asked, surprised.

"He asked me to hang out here, to have a guy around. He's just a little paranoid right now," Mason replied.

"Not that we need the protection over here but it feels nice to have a man in the house." Joanne set the tray near the sink. "Can I get you some coffee?"

"Sure."

"How's Shane?" Joanne asked as she started the coffee machine.

"I'm worried about him. He hardly slept since we rescued Elizabeth, what with all the drama that night and him staying by her bedside after her migraine attack. He's been working such long hours at work too. What's worse is he's still plagued by guilt. He's going to break down soon if he doesn't go easy on himself." Mason rubbed his face wearily as he sat down at the island counter.

"He has to learn to forgive himself. Elizabeth doesn't blame him at all for all this. If anyone should be punished, it should be that jerk Nicholas. I could castrate him for what he did to her," Joanne looked murderous.

Mason looked at her amused. "Pretty violent thoughts for a lady. But I feel the same myself. I wish there's some way we can nail him. I want to see justice being served good and proper."