“You lost me. Why are you angry at her?”
Elizabeth takes a deep breath, raking her hair back as she starts to explain what she found out about Janet. At the end of her story, she sighs, “And here I just thought you were competitive!”
On an ironic laugh I shove my hands in my pockets to admit, “I am.”
“She knew that. She fed into it on purpose. Kept you scrambling so that you couldn’t maintain your equilibrium, Caden! Here I thought… remember when I found out Dev hadn’t invited her to that baseball thing? I thought she was being bullied!”
“She wanted you to think it.”
“And it was the other way around. She’s a cunning girl. But Janet knows I’m not fooled anymore. I told her what I thought of her.”
Curious for several reasons, I step closer. “What’d you say?”
Elizabeth notices the diminished distance and her gaze flicks to my lips. “That you don’t have to hurt people to get ahead.”
“And?”
Her voice goes breathy. “Be a more valuable member of the team and you’ll never have to worry about your job.”
“Did you come here to see me?”
Lips parted, she says nothing.
“You nervous?”
She nods.
“I liked it better when you were ordering me around.”
Her breath hitches. “Then fucking kiss me sometime this century, would you?!”
I pull her warm, sweet-smelling body against mine. “God, it’s so good to see you!”
Her arms slip around my neck as she ventures a smile, the weight of everything in her eyes as we stare at each other, lips poised. I close the distance and feel her soft mouth yield under my rough and hungry kiss. My zipper is shrinking—her soft moans make it unbearably tight.
I’ve been hanging by a thread, work and calls to family the only thing that kept me going. Even the trip home for Christmas didn’t fill the void Elizabeth left. I tried to ignore how much I want her in my life, and now I don’t have to.
Pulling her head back I deepen the kiss and grab her thigh, forgetting where I am.
Applause breaks out, and we look over to a patio of strangers, all college kids, many standing up to clap and holler.
Under the racket I thickly ask her, “Where are you staying? With your friend?”
Her eyelashes are heavy as she answers, “Hotel.”
I take Elizabeth’s hand and walk her to the door, holding it open and calling to our audience. I jog my chin to the loudest among them. “That guy’s our manager! Pay him for tickets to our show.”
Laughter floats around smiling faces as he holds his hands out to them. “Pay up! Plant it right here! They just taught you how fighting is done! You see that kiss? Ah, come on, it’s worth more than a two dollar bill!”
CHAPTER 38
ELIZABETH
He leads me to his friends. They seem to be nice people, curious about me, with open expressions.
“Hey guys, sorry I abandoned you. I see you made use of my food.”
The couple plates on the bar are emptied—bits of lettuce, crumbs, and overcooked fries, all that’s left.
They simultaneously take the blame for eating his food, and they’re quite proud of themselves.
Except Arya who’s shyly watching him like she missed out on a good thing—my arrival snuffing out her chance.
Sorry, pretty.
I’m glad I arrived when I did though. She might have won in the end.
Caden grabs a stray fry and announces, “We’re taking off.” He surprises me by putting it in my mouth and saying an intimate, “We’ll order room service.”
The guy without the girlfriend whistles, which makes me smile more.
Frankly, I’m floating on puffy clouds of happiness. This went far better than I’d dreamed. The months of missing him are finally over.
I can breathe again.
“Since you ate my meal and drank my beer, you’re buying it,” Caden smirks as he leads me away and calls over his shoulder, “See you back in scrubs!”
They say goodbye and quickly return to talk with each other, probably about us.
“Are you close with them?”
“First time I’ve hung out with those guys socially.”
As we’re weaving through the crowd I ask, “So they brought you here to see me?”
He frowns, “No. What?”
“Gwen said you were going to be here.”
Caden’s head bounces back on his neck. “I was invited after we clocked out tonight. Nobody mentioned you.” Almond eyes narrow as he focuses on Gwen.
She spots us walking up, eyebrows lifting on a smile at our clasped hands. “That went well.”
Caden and I have come to the same conclusion, but he beats me to voicing it. “Dr. Partridge—”
“—Gwen,” she corrects him.
“Dr. Partridge, did you set this up?”
“Why, whatever do you mean?” She lifts her hands, palms ups, eyes huge.
He smirks. “Well played. What if I’d said no to the invite?”
“Rivera was prepared to bribe you with a free meal and if that didn’t work, Cubs tickets. We happen to know someone with seats behind home base.”
“Gwen! You told me he knew I’d be here!”
“And you told me that he hadn’t answered your messages. And Cocker, you made it very clear that you weren’t interested. I couldn’t risk your ego getting in the way. And Liz, I didn’t want you more nervous than you were!”
David groans with a hint of pride, “My wife, the matchmaker. You guys want to order?” He points to their food which just arrived.
Caden and I look at each other, eyes glittering as he says, “We’re taking off. As punishment for your butting in, Partridge, I’m stealing your friend. You’ll have to see her later.”
“How dare you!” Gwen cries out, mocking fury. Waving her hand on a smile she changes her tune. “Get out of here. And give me credit for every orga—”
David kisses her, editing in real time. She smiles through the kiss, fingers floating up to touch his cheek, wedding ring winking at us.
As Caden and I head off, I look back and mouth, I’ll call you.
She’s twisted around to watch us go, lips curved with a satisfied smile, fingers wiggling goodbye.
CHAPTER 39
ELIZABETH
“T he card won’t seem
