Page 80 of Free to Dream
I’m trying to give him the benefit of the doubt because both he and I are going to be in Caleb’s lives for a long time.
Walking around Rockefeller Center to kill time, I stop at Dean & DeLuca to grab bagels, pastries, and coffee. I figure if Keene and I can’t get along for more than a few minutes, I can shut him up by shoving something in his condescending mouth. Within a few minutes, my cherished morning cappuccino and ammunition were in my hands as I made my way over to the building holding Hudson Investigative Services.
Huh, funny. When Caleb told me where his office was, I had never put two and two together. I realized it was the same location of our former investigator, Thomas Laskey. Checking the address, I get a little chill. Same office too. I suppose it makes sense. The setup would be ideal to just buy and not require a lot of modification. I tense for a moment, wondering if Laskey’s client list transferred, but then relax. Truthfully, it’s not like there’s anything left to hide. I told Caleb the worst there was about me on our first freaking date, for Christ’s sake. He stuck around. What hasn’t been told is details which can be shared over time.
Lost in my thoughts, I don’t notice the man who steps on the elevator with me until he speaks in a familiar growl. “Well, beautiful. You’ve always been a sight for these sore eyes.”
My head flies up. “Charlie! Oh my god! I was so caught up in my own thoughts. How are you?” I swiftly push past two disgruntled people to stand next to Charlie Henderson, my former investigator when we used Thomas Laskey to investigate our backgrounds.
When we decided to change over our identities, we didn’t want anyone from the past to find us. Charlie quickly became an advocate for our decision and soon became someone we openly trusted.
“I work here, beautiful.” He taps the discrete brass plaque displaying merely the name Hudson on it. “New boss picked me up as I was getting ready to chuck a paperweight at the old one on the way out the door. Even had my shit packed up and everything. I’d already written a big ol’ fuck you resignation letter to Laskey. Wanted to shit on his desk on the way out, but figured the old Missus woulda frowned on that.”
I let loose with an ear-splitting grin, taking note of the “old Missus” comment. He hasn’t changed one bit. Tolerating Charlie takes a special kind of gift. He’s freaking brilliant, but it takes a certain kind of person to call him a friend. Or an employee. Or longevity in marriage, apparently.
“I can see that. So, how did the new boss make it worth your while to stay?”
“Took me into a conference room and let me point out everything wrong with Laskey’s place. He didn’t necessarily agree with me on some things, but on the stuff he did, he had my back one-hundred percent.” His hair, snow white and sporting a style popular with early 80s by a news anchor, keeps flopping over his glasses. “Offered me a promotion to head a new division—Missing Persons and Protective Services.”
I shake my head, a huge smile still on my face. It’s so like Caleb to recognize talent within cantankerous personalities. First Keene, then Charlie. I lean forward, press a kiss to his weathered cheek and say, “Couldn’t have been a more perfect job created for you. You do so much good for people, Charlie.”
His pale cheeks get all rosy as we land on the Hudson executive floor. Both of us step out, and Caleb’s waiting in the main executive area with Keene. Both stiffen upon seeing me with Charlie, then relax when they realize we’re arm in arm.
Charlie leans down to not so quietly ask, “Which one of these bozos are you here for, beautiful? Mind you, neither one is good enough for the likes of you.”
I laugh boldly at the outrage on both Caleb and Keene’s faces. Both send withering stares Charlie’s way.
“I’m visiting for a short while with Keene while Caleb’s in a meeting. Then Caleb and I are meeting Ryan and Jared for a final scheduled walk-through for the wedding for the rest of the afternoon.” I pinch Charlie’s arm. “I saw a Mr. and Mrs. Charles Henderson on the guest list. Does that mean you’ll be all dapper in a tux?” I tease.
He sighs, beleaguered. I lift my arm holding the Dean & DeLuca bag to my mouth to stifle my laughter. “Yes, and let me tell you, the wife is going all out. Hair, nails, the works. This shindig is costing me a fortune.” He turns his bright blue gaze on his bosses. “Don’t I have to see you two people enough? Now I have to share Thanksgiving weekend with you? I don’t suppose there’ll be a room with football on?”
I’m outright laughing at this point. This conversation is pure Charlie. I lean up to whisper in his ear, “No, but if you behave, I’ll put you at a table near my family and put a bottle of Dewar's underneath it for you as a gift.” Dewar's is Charlie’s favorite Scotch Whisky, and while it wasn’t going to be on the bar menu, it would make him a happy man.
“Oh!” He straightens up and pats my hand. “You’re a good girl, Cassidy Freeman. Remember what I told you, even if they brew up, storms don’t last forever.” Kissing my cheek, he turns to Caleb. “Are we meeting?”
Caleb jerks his head toward the open conference room door. “I’ll be just a moment. I want to greet my woman properly.”
Keene lets out a loud sigh. “Here we go.” He turns his back and I debate pulling out a croissant to shove in his sanctimonious mouth.
Caleb gives him the finger as he reaches for me, and I hear Charlie chortle as he makes his way to the conference room.
Caleb pushes my hair off my face. “Hello, my love. You made it back relatively unscathed, and you managed to go shopping.” The humor in his voice isn’t hidden.
I give him a quick kiss and open the top box to show him the contents. “Oh, these are for you, Keene, and anyone else who wants some. Nothing big, just bagels, pastries and whatnot. I figured you had coffee here.”
“And yet, you needed to buy your own,” Caleb comments dryly.
“Shut it, love. I was dragging this morning.” He smiles broadly at that, knowing exactly why I was.
“Keene, do you want to peruse these boxes before I take them in? You know once I do, they’re gone.”
“Is it safe?” Keene comments with his back still to us. Unthinking, I reach into the bag, grab a small muffin and toss it at Keene’s head with unerring accuracy. He stills, turns, and shoots me an incredulous look.
“Yes, I just did that. If we could keep the snarky comments to a minimum for the next hour, we might survive, okay?” I snip at him.
“Wow, you really are on fire today, Cassidy.” Keene moves closer to peer inside the boxes Caleb had taken from me and opened on the counter. Grabbing a few tissues from the reception area, he chooses a chocolate croissant and a cinnamon roll. “Ready?”
I turn to Caleb. “Let me know if anything needs to be altered due to security measures. I don’t care how much of a hit we take on the profit. Safety is much more important than anything else.” He stares deeply into my eyes before giving me a thorough kiss.
