Justice Falling (Falling #3)(19)

My mouth dropped open, and I jumped to grab my things. Rosie was back from lunch and would catch the phones and visitors. I really had no reason not go with them. “Really?” I asked.

Aspen smiled and held open the door for us. “Not really. Maybe a thousand or two…” her voice trailed off as we walked onto her personal elevator. Perk of owning a building. You had your own elevator that opened only to specific persons. I’d only seen Aspen, Hank, Oliver, and Dean, Oliver’s significant other, use it. The lift was very high tech. She pressed her finger on the display and said “One” into the quiet of the space. The doors shut, and it went down.

“Since we don’t have to go to that healthy, green-seaweed, tree-hugging restaurant to please your caveman, what does my baby girl want?” He patted Aspen’s belly. She rolled her eyes and shoved his hand away.

“You and Hank are ridiculous. I would like to have Thai food at that greasy place around the corner. Tasty Thai.” She looked at me, and I nodded. I could go Thai any time, and I wasn’t picky. “And I don’t want to hear one damn word about it! And if you tell Hank, I’ll tell Dean about that fireman’s calendar you’re googley-eyed over. I bet he’d wonder why you keep the page on October even though it’s March!”

Oliver visibly shivered and leaned into me as we exited the elevator. “She’s really hormonal lately. Hank has been trying to force feed her all this healthy crap when all she wants to eat is a burger.” He snickered and Aspen stopped on a dime.

“Stuff it! Come on Cami. Let’s go.” She grabbed my arm and locked hers within mine. “All right. Get my mind off this giant bowling ball pressing heavily on my bladder. Who were the flowers from?”

I chuckled. Aspen was the first woman besides Jin who ever initiated “girl talk” with me.

“Hey, don’t leave me out. I’m not the shitty pickle on the side of the plate that no one wants to eat.” Oliver hooked onto my other arm. I sighed, realizing there was absolutely no way of getting out of this.

“It’s really not a big deal.” I shook my head. “Nathaniel Walker sent them to me.”

Both of them stopped while I propelled forward, which yanked me back. It was like a game of slingshot with me as the rubber band. “Sexy-assed Brit? Has the face of my candy man, David Gandy?” Oliver confirmed.

I shrugged. “I don’t know who that is.”

Oliver looked stricken and pulled out his electronic whatever thingy and frantically typed “I’m hungry come on. Talk while we walk,” Aspen pulled us along to the Thai place.

“He came to the office for a meeting with Mr. Jensen the other night.”

Aspen nodded.

“Then he just told me he was having lunch with me. I didn’t think he was really serious, but the next day he showed up right on time. We went to The Place and had lunch.”

“Really? And then today he sent you flowers?”

“Yes.”

“Interesting.” Her lips twisted and she bit her bottom one. “He likes you. A lot.”

Oliver nodded then leaned over to show me a picture of what he called “Gandy Candy.” It was an image of a stunningly beautiful, half-dressed male model walking a runway in his boxers. My cheeks felt hot, and I looked away nodding at the similarities between my Nate and Oliver’s model crush. My Nate?

“Girl, he has you in his sights. Did he ask you out again?” Oliver asked.

That’s the part I didn’t really want to get into. They would want to know why I said no. I couldn’t tell them.

“He did but I haven’t decided yet if I’m going.” I chose the noncommittal route to leave me with less to explain.

“Was he a shitty kisser? It’s okay, you can tell me.” Oliver frowned.

“No! He was an amazing kiss…”

Oliver’s eyes went wide, and his smile grew even wider.

Aspen laughed, and covered her smile with her hand.

And now they knew we’d kissed. Dammit!

“So, you’ve already kissed.” I shook my head trying to make him stop. “Oh no, honey, you’re spilling your guts. There’s no going back. And you said it was amazing. Right Aspen?”

She nodded.

My shoulders sagged as Aspen led us into the restaurant and out to the street side where wrought iron bistro-looking tables sat.

“Look, can we talk about something else?” I pleaded with my eyes.

Oliver rolled his. “Fine. Whatever, let’s order, eat a little, and then we’ll continue with the third degree.” He reached over to Aspen’s belly and rubbed it again.

She had to be tired of all the touching. This time she allowed it, placed a hand over Oliver’s and smiled at him.

“Let’s talk about my baby!” Oliver offered and Aspen scowled then pushed his hand off her belly again.



***



Ask and ye shall receive. I believe that’s the quote. Who gives a blimey f*ck. The woman who had destroyed all my thoughts, controlled every speck of time in my brain, was sitting at a bistro table not far from where I stood. I gestured to my colleague and best mate.

“I’m in the mood for Thai, and I see a couple mates of mine.”

Ty flicked his glasses down and scanned the view across the street. “The blonde and brunette with the suit?”