Page 11 of The Fall

His frown deepens. “That’s a bad idea.”

I ignore my flare of aggravation. “Why is that?”

“Because if it doesn’t work out, and it probably won’t, your best friend and his girl will be mad at you.”

“Why do you think it probably won’t work out?”

He scoffs. “How many women have you been out with?”

“I mean...ever?”

“The number doesn’t matter. Point is, none of them worked out, did they?”

I open my mouth, then close it again.

“Cancel the date. Your best friend is more important.”

Why does he assume I’m a douchebag who’s going to screw Cam over and piss Dom off? I don’t let on how aggravated I am.

“I don’t have to choose between the two.”

Arthur shrugs. “Okay. I won’t say I told you so.”

“You’re overthinking it.”

He drops the subject, making his next move in our chess game.

“Check.”

I move my king out of check and Arthur counters by putting him in check with another piece. A nurse stands off to the side as we both play in silence, concentrating.

“That’s it. Checkmate,” Arthur says.

“Well done,” the nurse, Sara, says. “And now it’s time for your medication.”

I look at my watch and then back at her. “He doesn’t usually take medication in the afternoon.”

“The doc put me on a new one,” Arthur says. “Supposed to help with the shakes.”

Sara passes him a pill and some water and he takes it. As soon as she’s out of earshot, he gives me a wry look. “Don’t ever get old, kid. It’s no damn fun.”

“Beats the alternative, though.”

A corner of his lips quirks up in a smile. “I suppose.”

“You want to play some more chess?”

“If you’re not tired of losing yet.”

“One of these games, I’m gonna sneak up on you and win.”

His laugh is hearty, so thorough he has to wipe his eyes when he’s done laughing. I like making him laugh like that. Even if I have to lose a hundred and forty-four chess games in a row.

CHAPTER FIVE

Cam

As the onewho brewed the fresh midmorning pot of coffee at the downtown Denver law office where I work, I’m entitled to pour the first cup. But when Tom Caldera, one of the associate attorneys, walks into the employee break room, I immediately grab a mug and fill it to the brim before passing it to him.

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