Effortless (Thoughtless, #2)(101)

Denny nodded, not looking up at me. “Yeah, they’re expanding, opening branches in the U.S., in Seattle.” He shrugged. “Since I know the area and have a lot of contacts here, they gave me the assignment.” He looked back up at me. “I’ll be running the office here.” A ghost of a smile formed on his lips as my mouth fell open. He was so young, still a few years from thirty, and he was going to be in charge?

I always knew he was brilliant, but…wow. “Oh my God, Denny, that’s…incredible. Congratulations.”

His smile widened. “Thank you.”

Shaking my head, still amazed, I murmured, “Abby must be so proud of you. Is she here?” I looked around like she was suddenly going to appear beside one of the tables.





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Denny sighed softly and I looked back at him. Sadly peering into his cup, he shook his head. “No…she’s still in Australia.” Recognizing the loss in his face, I put a hand on his arm. Even though I didn’t want there to be, I felt something in that brief connection. Something warm and familiar, something that reminded me of being held, being comforted, being loved. I dropped my fingers when he snapped his eyes up to mine, his reflecting the same remembrance that I was feeling. In a whisper I told him, “I’m sorry the two of you didn’t work out.” He bunched his brows and shook his head. “No, we’re still together.

She just…she couldn’t make it up yet.” He frowned and looked back at the doors. “We work for the same company and they wouldn’t let her out of her current assignment. She has to finish up with the client before she can fly out here. It’s a long job…it may be months before she can make it.”

He looked back at me. “Why would you assume we broke up?” I froze, not exactly sure how to answer that. Mainly, I’d just assumed he’d been forced to choose between a girl and his dream job. I assumed that, once again, he’d taken the job. Studying my face, his mouth dropped a little. “Because I took the Tucson job, right?” I shrugged, still not wanting to say it. He sighed and reached across the table to grab my hand. “You know I’m sorry for that, Kiera. I think…I think that’s really the only thing I regret with you.” I looked up from our joined skin to lock eyes with him. He smiled a little. “Well, that and…” He nodded at my head and I cringed, not wanting to remember that either. Sighing, he shook his head. “But Tucson…I should have called you. I should have talked to you first, before I just…took it.” I bit my lip, not wanting to start crying. I’d cried enough over Denny and I. His thumb idly stroked mine as he searched my face, his deep eyes looking soulfully apologetic. Knowing that I had way more to apologize to him for than his one mistake with me, I smiled reassuringly.

“Everything is okay now, Denny. You don’t need to feel bad about that anymore.”





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He nodded, but didn’t seem any less sorry. Searching his eyes, I again marveled at the oddity of seeing him here, in my city, practically on my doorstep. Shaking my head, I again asked, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

Denny looked away, not answering. Seeing his jaw tighten under the thicker hairline, I surmised what he didn’t want to say. “You were hoping you wouldn’t see me. You were hoping the city would be large enough that we’d never cross paths.” He looked back to me and sighed. I shook my head. “I’m right, aren’t I?”

Shrugging, he looked down at our hands. Somewhere in my questions, I’d laced them together and we were now holding each other across the table. I didn’t pull away. He didn’t either. Instead, he shook his head and whispered, “Talking with you on the phone is one thing, but I wasn’t…I didn’t know if I could handle seeing you.” He looked up at me, his eyes glossy. “You’re so…” He sighed, his eyes drifting over my face, and didn’t finish his thought.

Swallowing, he looked back at our hands. “I was just hoping that I could come back secretly and then we’d still have the long distance friendship thing. I wanted to avoid this…confusion.” He sighed again and I finally released his hand. Patting the top of it, I pushed it back towards him. “There isn’t any confusion, Denny.” He looked up at me and I smiled at him. “You’re with Abby and you’re happy with her, right?” Smiling softly, Denny nodded. I nodded too, ignoring the ever-so-slight pang I felt. “And I’m happy with Kellan.” His face flinched just fractionally, so swiftly that I would have missed it if I hadn’t been looking for it. Not allowing myself to dwell on the guilt building, I smiled and shook my head. “So, if we’re both happy, then there’s no reason to fear a face-to-face friendship.” Tilting my head, I sighed, my eyes stinging. “And I’ve missed that friendship…so much.” His eyes even glossier, he returned his hand to mine. “I have too, Kiera.”

Pulling back his hand, he laughed a little and ran it through his hair. I laughed a little as well, the emotion releasing from me. We’d been 284



friends for far too long to let this awkwardness permanently alter our relationship. If he was going to be here for a while, we’d find a way to move past it.

Smiling, I picked up my coffee and took a long sip. He did as well, his eyes flashing to the ring on my finger. He didn’t react to seeing it, though, so I wasn’t sure if he understood what it meant. Lots of people wore rings on their right hands. It wasn’t always symbolic. I didn’t intend to tell him what it meant either. He’d probably find it morbidly funny that Kellan had given us a physical reminder to be faithful to one another. Looking at the gift through Denny’s eyes, the tender exchange between us seemed a little…sad.