A Cosmic Kind of Love(57)

I still wasn’t sure what he wanted from me, and studying Darcy made me wonder if I really was imagining the sexual chemistry between us. She was just so my opposite in every way someone could be, and yet Chris had dated her.

My own insecurities were to blame for my reaction to her. I knew that. But I still couldn’t help but feel relieved when the lunch was over so I could get out of her space and hopefully out of the shitty headspace being around her put me into. I had enough messy thoughts about my parents cluttering up my mind. The first few weeks after the toilet-paper incident, no one called me. Then my mom called me last weekend, but I was working, so I didn’t answer. Then Dad tried, and Mom called again. Finally Dad left that voice mail this morning about how disappointed he was in me. While I felt vindicated in my choice to recuse myself from their craziness, I also felt guilty for not talking to them. However, I was afraid I’d start apologizing and doing anything to calm the storm, when what I really wanted to do was tell them how I truly felt about their treatment of me.

So for now, I was taking Chris’s advice and ignoring their calls.

As I strode into our offices, Althea popped up from her desk and marched over to me. “How was lunch?”

“Productive. How was yours?”

“Boring. You know who isn’t boring?” She followed me into my office.

“Ooh, let me guess. Derek?”

She gaped at me. “I haven’t mentioned him that much.”

I raised an eyebrow as I shrugged out of my jacket. “Just every day.”

Her hands flew to her slender hips. “Well, he saw another picture of you this weekend, and he said again how he thinks you’re hot. I didn’t even have to prompt him this time.”

“He did not say that. And how did he see my picture? Again.”

She shrugged. “I was scrolling casually through the photo gallery on my phone, and he’s nosy.”

“Althea.”

“Okay, so I might have shown him another picture. Or five. But I couldn’t not show him the photo of us at last Christmas’s office party.”

Now it was my turn to gape. “I was dressed as an elf.”

“A sexy-as-hell elf.”

“Althea.” I slumped into my chair. “Please stop trying to matchmake me with Michelle’s brother. I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“What is with the reluctance?” My friend sat down on my desk with a suspicious gaze. “Is it perhaps because you’re crushing on a client?”

What the . . . ?

“Yeah, don’t think I haven’t noticed all these extracurricular activities with the hot astronaut these past few weeks.”

I sniffed haughtily. “He’s no longer a client. He canceled the retirement party.”

“Oh. Shit. I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t help my stupid little grin. “Don’t be. I’m going to his apartment tonight. He’s making me dinner.”

Althea’s mouth dropped open. “Girl, nice! And no conflict of interest. I like it. Well, enjoy.” She sighed dramatically. “I can’t say I’m not disappointed about Derek, but if you have to throw him over for someone, you bet your ass it better be a sexy astronaut.”

I shrugged. “I don’t know if it means anything with Chris other than friendship. He hasn’t made a move.”

“He sounds like a stand-up guy, so he was probably waiting to cancel the party. Asking you over for dinner tonight . . . straight-up move.”

“You think?” Hope swelled dramatically inside me.

“Oh yeah.” Her eyes wandered over my face. “Look at you, grinning like a Cheshire cat.”

I slapped my hands over my burning cheeks. “I know. I can’t help it. I like him. A lot.”

Her expression softened at my confession. “I’ve never seen you like this. This is good. You deserve to feel excited about someone.”

“I am sorry about Derek, but I’m sure you have plenty of other choices for him.”

“None quite like my Hallie.”

Emotion clogged in my throat. “What did I do to deserve you?”

“Michelle asks me that same question every day. All I can say is you’re damn lucky.” She winked at me before standing up to strut out of my office.

I was lucky.

I’d never felt that way before, but finally I had people in my life who cared for me.



* * *





There was something about Chris’s apartment that spoke to me. It was spacious, with a tremendous amount of light spilling in from the huge corner window that made up much of two walls in the living space.

Yet there was an easiness to it, a lack of pretension. While the furnishings were stylish, they were also comfortable and welcoming. The leather corner sofa looked expensive but also worn in, like you just wanted to curl up on it with a blanket and watch a movie. Or with a naked Chris. Now and then I’d get flashbacks to that moment of voyeurism and watching Chris’s muscular ass walk across his bedroom. It would get me so hot and bothered I’d force myself to remember tripping over Bandit and spraining my wrist during the whole thing. Embarrassment killed my lady boner.

At least my wrist had healed nicely.

Shaking those thoughts away, I took in the incredible apartment and remembered this was Chris’s last night in it. I felt terrible for him.