“Did you drive your professors crazy?” she asked.
“All the time. I answered back. I always had a smart-ass comeback for them, which they hated so damn much. It was funny. I guess I was like the class clown to a lot of kids. You see, my professors didn’t realize that I’d been reading law books since I was thirteen years old. That’s how addicted I was to the law. It’s why I’ve got no interest in advancing my love to anything else. I love the law, and that’s where I want to stay. In my opinion there’s quite a few gaps that need fixing. I believe with the right dedication, and research, and proof, we can make the system equal and just.”
He loved seeing that smile on her face, and he’d gladly do anything to see it.
“Sounds like you’re an idealist as well.”
“Much to my parents’ disgust. They believe there’s a tier system, and there are those that are above the law. No matter how often they tried to get me to agree, I couldn’t do it.”
“You’ve surprised me, Daniel.”
He kissed her knuckles, winking at her. “Prepare to be surprised more often.”
Chapter Nine
“You want to spend Thanksgiving together?” Elizabeth asked.
“Yes. We can go to my apartment. I’ll buy the turkey. I’m thinking one breast seeing as it’s only going to be the two of us.”
She glanced around the coffee shop as Daniel tried to tempt her into spending the next holiday with him. Not that it was all that hard to do. She loved spending time with him, and in the past couple of weeks, not a day had gone by that she’d not seen him.
So much for keeping her distance, and attempting to have her heart intact. He seemed constantly determined to break down her walls, and she was finding it harder not to develop even more feelings for him.
“You’re not going away or to your parents’?”
“I want to spend my time away from the office with you. We can watch a few movies, play a few board games. All I know is I want to spend that time with you, no one else.”
Her parents hadn’t been big on celebrating anything, and she couldn’t recall sharing a meal. They tended to have meals they could stick in the microwave for a couple of minutes, and it wasn’t exactly a great experience.
“I’d like that.”
“We’ll cook together. Don’t worry. I won’t make you go naked or anything.”
She chuckled.
His cell phone went off, and he cursed. “I’ve got to head back to the office. It’s a date though, right?”
“It is.”
He got up, dropping her a kiss. “Don’t work ’til late.”
“I won’t.”
Before she could tell him any more plans, she watched him leave.
Instead of waiting until her shift started, she went out back, leaving her coat and jacket, to grab an apron. For the rest of the day, she didn’t really have time to think about Thanksgiving, or how close to falling in love with Daniel she was becoming.
She did her work, smiling at their customers, even Billy, who hadn’t stopped visiting the coffee shop with his friends. He no longer tried to get her to date, which she liked, and she pretty much ignored him when the time came for it.
By the end of her shift, she was tired, but the long trek to the hospital was needed. She never lived a life of luxury. She didn’t need fine things in life, so with the extra money that Daniel paid her, she’d saved enough to pay for her hospital expenses. She wanted to pay that one particular bill as she hated it hanging over her head.
Entering the main reception, she got the directions to the billing department, and waited as they got her final bill.
She held her bankcard ready to pay for it.
“Your bill is all settled, Miss Walker.”
“I’m sorry?”
“You have no outstanding funds on your account. The bill was settled back in October.”
She tapped her finger on the counter. “Who paid the outstanding amount?”
The woman clicked on the keyboard and smiled. “Mr. Clark. At the same time, he made a very sizeable donation as well.”
“I can’t pay the amount myself?” she asked.
“No. I’m afraid not.”
Seeing that there wasn’t anything she could do, Elizabeth left the hospital, confused. It was cold, and she pulled her cell phone out, calling him.
“Hello, baby, miss me already?”
“I need to see you. Can I stop by your penthouse, or the apartment?” She never referred to it as their place or our place, always the apartment, or his apartment.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah, it is. Can I see you?” No, it’s really not okay.
“I’m still at the office.” He gave her the address, and she promised to be there soon.
She didn’t bother to get a taxi, as she knew a couple of shortcuts through several parks that would get her to where she needed to be.