Unbreakable (City Lights, #2)(80)

“Is that so?”

“You can’t see it, but I’m winking conspiratorially at you.”

I laughed. “Thanks, Abed. I’ll take it under consideration.”

I hung up and waited for the old familiar thrill to race through me. The shark-smelling-blood-thrill Don Knight was always accusing me of chasing. Then Callie bounded up to me, her smile as bright as her golden hair.

“Nurse Pauline gave me a whole book of Hello Kitty stickers!”

“She did? You must have been a great helper!” I said.

“Oh yes. I always try to do my best.” She held out her hand to me.

“What? I…”

“Aren’t you coming back in?”

“Oh, right.” I dropped my cell phone into my bag so that I could put my hand in hers. “Yes. Yes, I am.”

#

We visited with Cory’s father for another hour, until he became too tired and needed a nap. Callie pecked her grandfather on the cheek and wrapped her little arms around his neck.

“Okay, okay,” he said. “Do good in school. Mind your mother.”

“I don’t mind her!” Callie laughed and skipped out to say goodbye to the nurses.

“Take care, Pops,” Cory said, patting his father on the shoulder. “See you next week.”

“We’ll see,” Walter grumbled. “Where’s Georgia? Skipped out again? I knew it. She always seemed like she had one foot out the door. Always.”

“Jesus, Pops…” Cory rubbed his face.

I slipped between them and clasped Walter’s hand. “It was a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Bishop.”

He blinked up at me. “Eh? Who…? Oh, it’s you. You’re still here at least.” He pulled me close, so that only I could hear. “Take care of my boy, Alexandra. He’ll fight it, but do it anyway. Okay?”

“Okay,” I said, and before I could stop myself, I kissed his bristly cheek. “I promise.”

“What was that all about?” Cory asked as we headed toward the elevators.

“That,” I said, with a smile, “is between me and Walter.”

“Oh, really?”

“Yep. None of your business, bub.”

He stopped and took my arm, and my smile slipped at the intense look that came over him, a look that was both warm and sweet, but hungry too. “What…?”

“I know I’m not supposed to say this, but I’ve never wanted to kiss you so badly in my life,” he breathed. He cupped my cheeks and I felt myself melting against him. “Sometimes, Alex, I wish…”

“What?” I whispered, my eyes searching his. “What do you wish?”

He swallowed. “That we were still in the bank.”

Callie called from the elevators, and he released me abruptly and looked away. Then the barest flicker of a smile touched his lips and he took my hand. “Come on. Time to go.”

#

Callie asked a million questions about the bungalow she’d be living at when it was Cory’s weekends to have her. “It’s by the beach? Really? How close? Can we walk or do we have to drive? Driving a car sucks because parking usually sucks. Is there really a hot tub? But not a pool, right? That’s okay. A hot tub sounds fun. Can I go in it? Tonight?”

“I haven’t fixed it yet, baby,” Cory said. “I wasn’t expecting to have you tonight.”

Callie pouted, but only until she thought of the next round of questions. Cory answered—and sometimes I did too, laughing. Her enthusiasm was infectious, and helped to dispel the thick tension between Cory and me.

Then Callie said, “Mommy says we only get to live at your beach house for a little bit. Is that true?”

Cory’s expression immediately darkened, like clouds passing over the sun. “Well, Callie…”

Callie barreled on. “Are you going to live with us, Alex?”

I avoided Cory’s eye. “Only until next Friday. Then you and your dad will have it all to yourselves.”

“Oh.” Callie frowned. “Why are you letting us live there? Don’t you like your house?”

“I do,” I said slowly. “But I have another one I’m going to live in.”

“That’s nice of you.” A silence, then, “Daddy doesn’t like people doing stuff for him.”

Cory laughed. “I’m right here, you know.”

“It’s girl talk, Daddy, don’t listen.” Callie turned to face me. “Mom thinks people only do nice things to get something back.”

“She’s right,” I said. “Sometimes. But other times, people do something nice because they want to give something back. Even if the recipient is a stubborn, proud lug-head who won’t let anyone thank them.”

She giggled. “She’s talking about you, Daddy.”

Cory smirked. “I gathered.”

Callie patted my hand. “I don’t mind if you live with us longer. If you want. We won’t mind, would we Daddy?”

“Well, I—”

“You smell nice, Alex,” Callie said abruptly. “Like…when you walk into one of those big stores at the mall. What’s it…? Macy’s! You smell like Macy’s.” She elbowed Cory. “Don’t you think she smells nice, Daddy?”