Page 45 of Risk

I really don’t want to leave a message for him to come see me at my apartment because I’ll drive myself nuts there, waiting, and if he doesn’t show, then I’ll be annoyed. I know if I don’t leave a message and just go home, I might chicken out and never come back.

“Um…” I glance around and see some comfy-looking seats in the corner by the window. “Would it be okay if I waited for him to come back?”

He gives me another cordial smile. “Of course. Would you like anything while you wait? Water? Coffee?”

“No, I’m fine, thank you.”

I go over and take a seat, get my cell and a cracker from my bag. I look up pregnancy books on Amazon and nervously nibble on my cracker while I wait for Kaden to show up.

SEVENTEEN

I’ve been here for an hour and a half. My ass is starting to go numb, and I’m beginning to think waiting for him was one of my stupider ideas.

And I’ve had plenty of those lately.

And then Kaden walks through the main door.

And I want to make myself invisible. Disappear into this chair.

Anything so I don’t have to have this conversation with him.

You know, the whole reason why I’ve been sitting here, and now, I’m absolutely shitting myself because he’s here and I actually have to do this.

He spots me immediately. A myriad of expressions crosses his face. Surprise, confusion, unease, and concern.

His long legs eat up the space between us as I stand on my shaky legs, shouldering my bag.

“Hey,” he says.

“Hey.”

“Everything okay?”

“Um, yeah.” I tuck some stray strands of my hair behind my ear. “Can we, um…talk? I was hoping we could talk.”

“Sure.”

He stands there, like he’s expecting me to just start talking right now.

Yeah, not a conversation for here, buddy.

“In private,” I add.

“Oh. Yeah, of course. We can go up to my apartment, if that works?”

“It works.”

I follow him to the elevator. He presses the button, and one opens up immediately. I walk inside and watch as he pulls a key card from his pocket. Slots it into the elevator panel, then presses the button for the penthouse.

Fancy.

We ride the elevator in silence.

My stomach is rioting with nerves, and I’m afraid I’m gonna be sick at any moment.

“Have you been waiting long?” he asks, breaking the quiet tension between us.

“An hour or so.”

---