Beyond These Walls (The Walls Duet #2)(7)

He blew raspberries in response and banged his chubby fist down on the plastic tray, sending little round Cheerios flying in every direction.

“I’m going to pretend you didn’t do that,” I commented as I picked sticky cereal out of my hair.

He giggled, which sent the three adults at the table into a fit of laughter.

“He showed you,” Grace said, covering a dainty snort with her napkin.

“So selfish,” Jude interjected, shaking his head. “Unwilling to share food with a helpless poor child. Who am I marrying?”

He grinned mischievously as I glared up at him, carefully plotting my revenge.

With cunning stealth, I raised my hand, still full of half-nibbled Cheerios, and quickly dumped them on top of his head. Some instantly fell back to the table, but others made a new home within the tendrils of his sandy-blond locks.

Youthful laughter followed as Zander watched Jude shake the mess from his hair, sending a cascade of cheerios to the floor.

“Such a mess,” I said, mimicking Jude’s words. “What a lack of respect for the wait staff. Who am I marrying?”

I smiled smugly as I shoved another large bite of chocolate-chip pancakes into my mouth while he laughed.

“You two are crazy,” Grace said, dumping a new pile of finger foods out for Zander to munch on.

“It’s all those years of a lack of oxygen to her brain,” Jude replied dryly.

I turned to him, wide-mouthed. “She said we are crazy.” I laughed. “Not just me.”

“Yeah, I guess I’m a bit mad. But it’s your fault. I was totally normal before I met you.”

I rolled my eyes as I moved the last gooey piece of pancake around on my plate, trying to lap up every last drop of maple syrup. “Totally,” I said.

He chuckled as he sat back in his chair and slowly sipped on a cup of coffee while drawing small circles across my back. The sensation sent chills down my arms, yet the feel of his fingers brushing across the fabric of my shirt made me feel warmer rather than colder because he was touching me, loving me. I never wanted that feeling to end.

“I wish you didn’t have to go back so soon,” I lamented. I made a small pouty face in the direction of my best friend.

“I know, but I didn’t expect to see you at all until the wedding, so just think of this as an added bonus, thanks to your generous man over there.”

I turned, sending him a warm expression of gratitude.

“It was purely selfish on my part,” he confessed. “I knew I’d be in business meetings all day, and I didn’t want her to be alone.”

“The fact that you cared enough to fly me all the way across country just so your fiancée wouldn’t be alone all day shows just how unselfish you are, Jude.”

He shrugged, placing his empty cup of coffee on the table, while he continued to rub my back.

“How did the meetings go?” Grace asked.

“Good actually. Roman managed to pull his ass out of bed in the nick of time, and he threw his megawatt charm into high gear. I think we have a good shot of getting their support.”

“That’s great! I know you were hoping for this deal,” she said, a genuine smile spreading across her face.

“We were. It would strengthen our base, which is exactly what I have been trying to do since I returned. I’m trying to make sure Cavanaugh Investments is around for many more lifetimes and is able to withstand any financial earthquakes that might try to tear it down in the future.”

“You’re doing a fantastic job—both of you,” she added. “Lailah told me she made dean’s list last semester.”

“She actually told you that?” he asked, raising his eyebrows in surprise. “She hasn’t even told her mom.”

“You haven’t told Molly?” she nearly screeched, staring me down.

“It’s not a big deal.” I shrugged.

“It’s not a big deal to tell your mother, who happens to be a professor and covets education like most people covet chocolate or Louboutin heels? Yeah, I’m sure she wouldn’t care at all.”

“I just don’t want her to make a big fuss,” I said.

“Why?” Grace asked, tearing off pieces of her pancake and placing them on Zander’s tray.

“Because it’s not really that important in the grand scheme of things.”

Setting the remainder of the half-shredded pancake back on her plate, her eyes met mine. “Everything in your life is important, Lailah. Don’t you remember that? Have you become that desensitized already?”

“Desensitized?” I scoffed, looking over to Jude.

Folding his napkin, he placed it on his plate and silently observed the conversation.

“Do you remember that naive skinny girl who couldn’t wait to get out of the hospital and begin living a life she never had before?”

“Yes.”

“Don’t forget her,” she urged. “She would want you to celebrate everything, no matter how small or insignificant, Lailah. Seeing you grow into your own over the last two years has been amazing. The strength and courage you bring to this world make me proud to call you my friend. But don’t let the world change you. Change the world, Lailah.”

Her words hit home as I tried to recall the last time I’d pulled out my list of wishes that I’d created over the years while hiding away in that hospital room.