“That’s an understatement.”
He chuckled and started tracing small circles on the back of my hand.
“I’m sorry I was... selfish,” I managed.
Jake shook his head. “You weren’t. You were doing what was right by you, and I admire that.” He took a tiny step closer, his silver eyes falling to my lips.
Giant butterflies flapped inside my stomach as I remembered I was wearing nothing under my aprons.
He leaned closer, reminding me of that moment in his grandfather’s wine cellar.
I cleared my throat. “Jake, why did you kiss me last night?”
That seemed to make him realize he was about to kiss me again, and he took a step back and let go of my hand.
I huffed. “So that’s how it’s gonna be?” I lifted my chin and swallowed the lump that climbed into my throat. I opened my mouth to say something else, something I would’ve regretted, but luckily, Rosalina pulled up in her box car, salsa music playing on the radio totally at odds with my mood. I glanced back at my friend, who narrowed her eyes at my state.
Resentment heavy on my heart, I backed away from Jake. “My ride’s here.”
He leaned forward and seemed on the verge of saying something, but in the end, he bit down on his lower lip and gave me a small wave.
Whirling, I climbed into the car and glanced over at Rosalina. “Let’s go.”
She pressed her lips into a tight line as she assessed my outfit. To her credit, she said nothing about it and simply drove us home.
Chapter 38
The next day was an awesome spring day, sunny, and a perfect seventy-two degrees. I strolled into Barnes-Jewish Hospital, holding two large bouquets—one for Tom and one for Stephen. Both men were doing well, close to being released, which was a relief.
Yesterday, after my naked debacle, I’d been busy retrieving my purse from behind that dumpster. Fun, fun. At least it had still been there, and only one roach had crawled inside. The repair shop across the street had looked like a nuclear disaster zone in the daylight, but I didn’t linger. I was in and out through the back of the alley before anyone noticed me. Also, I’d spent no small amount of time explaining to Rosalina that I didn’t know how I’d ended up in my birthday suit on top of our office, and now she was as worried as me about that lovely piece of mystery.
I held my chin high, trying to draw optimism from the beautiful day and my friends’ wellbeing. I had two appointments with two potential clients later today, and I needed all the confidence I could get. None of the people I’d talked to after Celina Morelli’s debacle had panned out, and I had started to get worried. First thing this morning, I’d gone over our budget, trying to figure out how long we had before we defaulted on our loan. We had a couple of months max if we tightened our belts. In fact, after this visit, I would have to call my realtor to tell her the Compton Heights condo was a no go. Shit, it felt like my life was crumbling to pieces.
Clearing my thoughts, I took the elevator to the second floor and got a smile from an old lady riding with me.
“Beautiful flowers,” she said.
“Aren’t they?”
The elevator dinged, and the doors slid open. I decided I should see Stephen first. I always liked getting the hardest tasks done first. It would be awkward seeing him again, but it had to be done. Besides, Jake had said Stephen wanted to see me and thank me for my help in his rescue.
“Can I set these flowers here while I visit my first patient?” I asked a gray-headed nurse at the front station.
“Sure, honey.”
“Thank you.”
I left one bouquet behind, then walked to room 2366 and knocked on the door.
“Come in,” a familiar voice called from within.
I pushed the door open and was taken aback when Ulfen Erickson greeted me with a tight smile. My surprise was stupid since it was only natural for a father to visit his son after an awful ordeal like the one Stephen had been through—no matter how estranged they had been.
“Oh, I can come back later.” My eyes met Stephen’s across the length of the room.
He seemed surprised for a moment, then a smile spread across his lips, erasing the somber expression he’d been wearing.
“Toni!” he exclaimed from his bed, pushing to his elbow. “Please, come in.”
I glanced toward Ulfen, unsure.
“Come on in, Ms. Sunder.” Ulfen waved a hand. “I was about to leave.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.” Ulfen nodded, graciously inclining his head. He wore a gray suit with a silver tie, his red hair and beard perfectly trimmed. Towering over the bed, all six feet of him, he shook his son’s hand in goodbye. I frowned, bothered by the businesslike quality in his demeanor. “I’ll be by tomorrow to pick you up,” he said, turning toward the door.
I stepped aside to let him through, standing awkwardly with my flowers and peering over the dense petals. They smelled wonderful, and I had been enjoying their sweet scent ever since I picked them up at the florist. Now, I was enjoying the way they defended me from the mean werewolf.
Ulfen stopped at the threshold and glanced sideways at me. “I’ve been told you were instrumental in finding my son.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that.”
He ignored my weak protest and added, “I would like to thank you.” His blue eyes were serious, unkind despite his words of thanks, like he hated owing me something.
I inclined my head slightly and smiled. I hadn’t done it for him. In fact, I hadn’t even done it for Stephen. If Ulfen wanted to thank someone, it should be Jake. I wondered if he had
