Page 54 of Kiss the Dawn
I was done asking myself how long it would take to fall in love. It was time to relax and enjoy the process. I had time.
We had time.
Chapter 20
Kaster had left by the time I woke. I’d gone to bed knowing he’d be leaving before dawn, but it still felt like I’d been abandoned.
He’d gone all out in stocking my apartment. Not only with food but toiletries and even some clothes and a bathrobe that was so fluffy and soft I never wanted to take it off.
We’d chatted for an hour after coming up to the apartment, about general things—safe topics. I hated that the person I’d felt the closest to the past month was slipping away from me.
I didn’t give myself time to dwell and got my ass to the office, picking up donuts on the way.
The team would be so shocked to see me back so soon, and I couldn’t wait to lose myself in working the missing persons case. We had a lead, after all.
It would be all hands on deck.
But as soon as I stepped into the office, I knew something was off. Then I saw Padma’s puffy eyes and swollen nose.
A face that had spent too long crying.
My happy buzz died. “What’s happened?” I looked from Merry to Holly to Padma to… “Where’s Edwin?”
Padma’s face crumpled, and she burst into tears.
“You should sit down,” Holly said. “I’ll make coffee.”
I closedthe office for the day. The case wasn’t going anywhere, and the symbol would still be a mystery tomorrow. Besides, Crush and his friends were also on the case, so there were enough eyes on this one, and one day off wouldn’t hurt.
Edwin was gone, and so was Haiden, and all we could do was hope they’d both return, but in the meantime, Padma was in no state to work.
And honestly, after my near-death experience on the Isle, neither was I.
I’d filled the team in on that, trying to keep it light and brief, but my rapid blinking must have given me away, and then the hugs had freed my stupid tears.
So here we stood, outside the building, emotional and free for the day.
“I don’t want to go back to the chapter house justyet,” Padma said. “It feels awful without Edwin and Haiden.”
“Yeah, it doesn’t feel like home without them,” Merry said.
I was glad I didn’t have to go back there. “You can come stay at mine.”
“No,” Padma said. “It’s okay for the odd sleepover but not as a regular thing. We have to get used to the chapter house as it is now.”
But maybe they didn’t…An idea formed in my mind spawned from something someone had said once. One of the team, I couldn’t recall who.
“Orina? You want to come watch a movie with us?” Merry asked.
Dammit, I’d missed part of the conversation. “Sure. What movie?”
“The new Roman Star film?”
Roman Star was the heartthrob of the moment and easy on the eye. Rumor had it that he was seeing Tempest Storm, the lead inGhost Charmers.
“No romance,” Padma said.
“It’s a thriller,” Merry replied.
