Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(68)

“Are you really planning on going back to work on Monday?” I asked after the waiter had taken our order. “Seems awfully quick.”

Cory shrugged. “Don’t have much of a choice. Keeping Callie here is contingent on my having a job and my boss will only hold my spot until Monday.”

I arched a brow. “I’m going to hazard a guess that it’s completely against your hospital discharge instructions.”

“Like I said, don’t have much choice. Besides, what am I going to do? Sit around on my ass? I can’t skip a child support payment and I feel fine.” He sipped his beer and looked at me. “What about you? Why aren’t you working?”

I toyed with my glass. Bubbles spiraled up the amber liquid. “The powers that be have decided that a paid leave was in order. Ostensibly to give me time to recover from our terrible ordeal.”

“But that’s not true?”

“It’s partially true,” I said slowly. “I don’t think that case was very good for me but the time off isn’t exactly welcome. I have three other cases waiting in the wings. The backlog of work I’ll have when I return…” I shivered. “I don’t even want to think about it.”

“So in two weeks you’ll go back to work and then…uh, move back in with Drew?” Cory asked. “Business as usual?”

He said it lightly enough but I thought I detected something else behind his words. A twinge of disappointment maybe.

“That’s the plan,” I replied. “Our engagement party is two weeks from today. You, um…you’re welcome to come—”

“No, thanks,” Cory snapped with a stony finality.

“No, sorry, I…” I muttered something unintelligible even to me and sipped my beer.

There was a silence that felt full of static and then he said, “So you said they gave you time to off to recover. Are you? Recovered, I mean?”

“Not really. I don’t sleep and I’m in therapy—”

“You are?”

“Yes,” I said, more harshly than I intended. “Something wrong with that?”

“Not at all,” Cory said. “I just didn’t know how bad it was for you.”

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to snap at you. I’m just tired. I can’t close my eyes without a nightmare ripping apart my sleep.”

He nodded. “Yeah, same for me. Is that why you’re really off work?”

“No, no, that’s the public reason; to give me time to heal. The actual reason is I’m being punished. The case was a mistrial, costing the firm millions of dollars, and one of my two bosses is not happy with me.”

Cory’s expression darkened. “How can they possibly blame you for what happened?”

“The same way your landlord can evict you for not paying your rent even though you were locked in a bank for three days. Money.” I ran my finger along the lip of my glass. “Isn’t that always the bottom line?”

Cory smirked. “That’s been my experience, yes. So all this time off…Must be an alien concept for you, yeah?”

“Yeah.” I shifted in my seat. “I’m sorry for the inconvenience to you. My being…apart from Drew and then being home from work all the time. I promise to stay out of your way. You won’t even know I’m there.”

He looked at me askance. “Why would you think I’d mind having you there? It’s your house, after all,” he added quickly. “I’m not really in a position to make demands.”

“I just didn’t want you to feel…squashed. Because of that excessive amount of pride of yours.” I tucked some hair behind my ear. “I figured you’d be happier alone.”

“I’ve been alone a long time,” Cory said quietly. “I think I’d enjoy the company.”

I found myself falling into the dark pools of his eyes, like a pleasant vertigo, and I blinked rapidly. “Yes, that sounds…nice. Been awhile since I’ve had a roommate.”

“Yeah, roommates.” Cory cleared his throat. “But no more thanking me, no more apologizing for living in your own place, no more buying me things.” He leaned forward and for a moment I thought he was going to touch my hand or take it in his. “But if you want to talk about anything, I’m here.”

I struggled to find my voice. “Okay, thank you. And same goes for you…I mean, if it still haunts you.”

“Haunts me,” Cory said, leaning back. “Yeah, that sounds about right. The strongest memories aren’t whole events, but shadows. Flashes of pain. Or fear. Like when Frankie…” He shook his head. “Never mind.”

Now it was my turn to lean forward. “You can tell me.”

“No, I can’t.” A strange look came over his face then and he shook his head, smiling almost sadly. “I can’t. It’d just bring up ugly stuff for you and I don’t want to add to whatever you’re going through.”

Is he saying his worst memories are about what happened to me? I chided myself for being so self-centered. He got shot. I’m pretty sure that wins Worst Experience Ever.

“Anyway,” Cory said slowly, not quite meeting my eyes. “A nightmare’s a nightmare no matter the subject, I suppose. Right?”