She shrugged and was about to return her attention to her laptop when it rang again.
This time without thinking, she accepted the call.
She cleared her throat softly as the call connected, then quickly adopted a groggy tone with one hand running through her damp curls to complete the illusion.
"Hello?" she rasped, as if she'd just been roused from deep sleep. "Mr Domango?"
There was a pause on the other end. Then a single word, "Shantel," sounded from the other end. His was rich, and slightly rough around the edges, like velvet torn at the corners.
Just hearing it sent a wave of calm rolling through her chest, momentarily dulling the edges of her spiraling thoughts.
He hesitated then asked. "Did I wake you?"
Perfect. She could work with that. "Well… what do you think?" she replied in a voice tight with mild irritation and just the right amount of sleep-slur. "It's after four, Mr Domango ."
