Bait: The Wake Series, Book One(47)

“I didn't think she'd call you back. And I kind of thought that if she did we'd be...you know,” she admitted, catching my gaze in the reflection. I shook my head at her, and gave her a friendly smile. If I wanted to get the real truth out of her, she needed to feel like she could talk. I wasn't about to show her my real feelings. I wasn't about to throw my glass at the wall and scream, because that is what I wanted to do with all my might.

“She said you were just friends and that you could pick who your friends were.”

Atta girl. She didn't take any shit.

“What else?” I quirked a serious eyebrow at her refection.

“Nothing else. I told her to leave you alone.” My mind screamed, She's already leaving me alone! I was angry, I wanted to argue with her, but again, there wasn't anything to argue for.

Then, my fury was doused with relief, I had no claim to Blake, but hopefully, Aly was the reason she didn’t call. Maybe she wasn't with Grant doing things that my mind envisioned for those long hours that I couldn't sleep the night before.

My fingers itched to grab my phone and send her something, but I had to wait. It wasn't the right time.

At that moment, I needed to have a come-to-Jesus meeting with the girl hammering back Vodka martinis.

“Aly, don't do that again,” I told her. “We're friends. We're co-workers. Hell, we're kind of partners. You're smart. You're beautiful.” I turned in my seat, choosing to look at her for real, instead of in the mirror. I wanted to make sure she got the final point. “We're not going to be together like we were ever again. Find a nice guy and be happy, if that's what you want. But don't ever call her again.” Her eyes looked red and she bit her lip. I prayed she'd got the message. I continued, “We don't need to talk about this anymore. Do you want another drink? We have about an hour before the cab comes.” And that's where I left it. That was all I needed to say about it.

“I'm sorry, Casey,” she said, and I let her pay for the next round.



The air felt a lot clearer in the car on the way to the airport. Aly seemed to understand what I'd been trying to tell her. At least I'd hoped she did. We talked about the sale and she was genuinely happy about the deal. She was a little more than buzzed, so she whooped and hollered, even asking the driver for a high-five.

She was feeling no pain for our flight back. I had to make sure they’d let her on the plane first. We'd be making a coffee stop before we went through security. Our cab pulled up to the curb behind a black town car. There was a guy leaning against it wearing a nice suit.

I hopped out of the cab and rounded the back as it popped open to get our luggage out. As I was closing the trunk, I saw a flash of the most perfect color of brown and I looked up.

It was her. It was Blake. I forced the lid down until it latched and moved our bags to the sidewalk. The whole time looking at her as she bounded up to this man. She threw her arms around him and he rocked her side-to-side, embracing her back.

Surely my mind was playing tricks. What would she be doing in Chicago? Who in the f*ck was that guy? Was it him? Wasn't she with him last night? I opened the door of my car, glancing back and forth between my drunk-ish travel companion and what was happening no more than twenty feet away.

I took Aly's hand to get her out of the taxi, then I leaned into the window to pay the driver and Aly slipped on the curb falling into my side.

“Sorry, Casey.” She laughed with her hand over her mouth.

I righted her and pulled her to the sidewalk next to our bags. I was still holding her hand when I glanced over to see if my brain really had short-circuited or if it really was Blake, as people passed by on the walkway.

When my gaze fell back on them, they were closer. She stared at Aly and me. I saw realization coat her face and then what looked like disappointment.

I was there with Aly. I knew what she was thinking.

“Hi,” I said.

Aly pulled on my arm. “Come on, I need coffee,” She tugged at me not realizing what else was going on around her. She grabbed her bag with her free hand and pulled me again toward the door.

“Hey,” I said to Blake again, trying to get her to speak. She only looked at me, then to Aly and back. Stone faced.

“Aly, hold on!” I barked.

My shout caused Blake to jump. The man next to her wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulders and she walked backward toward their car.

“Wait,” I said. “Just a second.”