Page 81 of Free to Dream
“I think I need bleach,” Keene mutters.
“I think you need to shut the hell up,” Caleb retorts when he lets me go. “Keep my woman relaxed for the next hour.” As he turns and walks away, I watch blatantly because the back side in one of his custom-made suits is just as gorgeous as the front.
When the boardroom door closes, I turn to Keene. “Where to?” Keene doesn’t say anything, merely gives me one of those penetrating stares and gestures to the open door behind me.
I turn and walk in, and immediately stop in my tracks, sucking in a deep breath. He doesn’t say anything as he makes his way around the desk as I silently walk over to the windows and stare out over to the Manhattan skyline. “I don’t know how you get any work done in this office. This is breathtaking.”
And for the first time, I’m on the receiving end of a full Keene Marshall smile. I smile in return before turning my gaze back to the city below. We’re silent for a few minutes, lost in the cityscape.
“It was tough for the first month,” he admits, turning his chair to face the view. He doesn’t move closer, which I appreciate. “We were waiting for additional security protocols to be installed so we could take on the kind of work we wanted to.” I glance over at him and he answers generically, “The government stuff.”
I nod.
“And we would stand in our offices and get lost in the view because the desert is nothing like this.” He’s silent for a few moments. “Needless to say, it took us a long time to adjust.” He swivels his chair around, trying to end the conversation.
Not quite yet.
“Caleb told me you got shot saving him,” I say quietly. “That your tattoo I was so facetious about the first night we met covers it.” Keene stills. I turn to face him, leaning a shoulder against the windows. “I’m sorry for that. I was trying to protect myself and I didn’t understand why you wouldn’t give someone a chance. I struck out unfairly. I hope we can move past that.” I pause, taking a deep breath before admitting, “I love him, Keene. I hope to be in his life a long time.”
Keene unconsciously rubs his leg. “He’s actually saved my life more times than he knows, just by being there. I should have given you a chance.”
I nod, knowing this is the closest thing I’ll receive to an actual apology.
“But Cassidy, there are things he hasn’t told you yet. Things you need to know.”
I face Keene head-on. “Will they change how I feel about him?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know.”
“Do you think these things will come out over time? Are they critical for me to know right now? Like, was he already married? Is he dying?” My heart cracks open a bit, praying the answers are no.
His frustration is palpable. “No, nothing like that. But it’s important.”
I settle a bit. “Then let us figure it out, Keene. Sometimes, blasting information in someone’s face isn’t the best way to handle something. After all, I just learned that with you, didn’t I?”
Keene growls and grabs the cinnamon roll, taking a bite. With a mouthful of food, he gestures to a couch along the wall. “You might as well get comfortable. We have a few.”
I start to walk to the couch when I gasp. “Oh! I didn’t know it was an actual piece of art.” I drift over to the art hanging over the couch.
I hear Keene swallow. “Art?”
“It’s going to seem silly, but I must have seen this painting before and I can’t remember where. I’ve dreamt about it for years though. Only in my dream, it comes to life with a beautiful woman with long dark hair tying the balloon to the girl’s wrist. Silly, isn’t it?” I turn to face Keene, but his face is still, no emotion. Crap. I must have offended him by not knowing a famous piece of art. Personally, I’m just grateful I can tell Caleb it wasn’t a memory at all. “Never mind. Let me just sit here and review the information I need for my lunch meeting. They should be wrapping up next door soon enough.”
Sitting under the picture from my dreams, the one I described to Caleb, I pull out my cell phone and planner so I can review the lists, never missing the glances I keep receiving from across the room.
32
Keene
When Caleb comes to get Cassidy from my office, I stand in front of the painting. Moving it on its hinge away from the wall, I tap in the code on the safe behind it. Pulling out the thick file inside, I close the safe as well as the painting hiding it. The tab reads RILEY.
Rifling through the pages, I find the photo I had the painting commissioned from.
I close my eyes and remember the day as if it were yesterday.
Keene, sit here and hold your sister! All Mommy wants this year for Mother’s Day is a nice photo of you and Riley for her bedside table.
But Mommy, Riley won’t sit still!
