Rush

I turn the phone back so I can stare at the picture. “He looks happy, doesn’t he?”

“I don’t know him, but that is the face of a very content man.” Leaning her elbows on the table, she lowers her voice. “You slept with him, didn’t you?”

Even though I only met Bella recently, I feel close to her.

There’s something about her that is disarming. I know I can trust her.

“Last night.”

The corners of her lips curve up. “You look happy too.”

Shaking my head, I let out a sigh. “It was the best. I mean, by far, the absolute best I’ve ever had.”

“It’s incredible when that happens, isn’t it?” She lowers her chin. “My first time with Barrett blew my mind. I couldn’t think straight. I could barely walk straight.”

My knees trembled after I came in the shower this morning, so Case carried me back to the bed. He toweled me dry before he crawled between my legs and ate me to an orgasm.

After he dressed in a navy blue suit and a white button-down shirt, he watched me choose a pair of jeans and a red blouse. I felt nothing but happiness as he helped me dress, kissing the skin between my breasts before he buttoned my blouse.

This morning couldn’t have been any more perfect than it was.

“I’m glad you went for it.” She glances at Marti as she approaches. “My grandma always says that you can’t win if you don’t take the chance.”

They’re wise words, but I can’t win.

Soon, I’ll board a plane and head back to Seattle with only the memories of last night.

“What can I get for you beautiful girls?” Marti slides a hand over Bella’s hair.

“I could go for the avocado pesto linguine.” Bella looks at me. “How about you, Emma?”

“That sounds delicious.”

“You’ll both have the lamb ragu.” Marti starts toward the kitchen. “I made it myself.”

Watching her walk away, I laugh. “Did she just veto your order?”

“Our order,” Bella corrects me with a wink. “Consider yourself an honorary Calvetti. You know you’re part of the family when my grandma feeds you what she thinks you need, instead of what you want.”

***

I wait to approach Elias until he ends the call he’s on.

He’s not the same assistant that my brother had last year, but I like him. I know he’s been helpful to Drake and that matters to me.

“Emma.” He pushes back from his desk, adjusting the collar of the striped blue button-down shirt he’s wearing. “It’s good to see you again.”

“You too.” I glance past his shoulder to the open door of Drake’s office. “Is Case busy?”

Nodding, he shoves his hand into the front pocket of his gray pants. “He’s in a meeting with Human Resources. Give him another twenty minutes and he’ll be back.”

I can wait. I want to wait.

“You’re welcome to take a seat in your brother’s office.” Elias gestures to the open office door. “I’ll grab you something to drink. There’s coffee or tea in the break room. I can get a soda from the machine down the hall if you want.”

“Thank you, but I’m good.”

Breezing past him, I walk into Drake’s office. I should sit in one of the chairs facing his desk, but I plop myself into the chair behind the desk so I can see Case as he approaches.

Dropping my purse on the floor, I lean back and take in the office.

It’s expansive. The furniture is modern and sleek.

There’s no way that Drake chose any of this. This looks like it was plucked out of Sandy’s brain. My best friend has the magic touch when it comes to interior design. The things she could do with an apartment in New York would blow my mind.

An apartment in New York where I’d build a life with Case.

I chase that thought away with a sigh. That can never be. He lives in California. I belong in Seattle.

Or I did once.

I’m not sure where home is anymore.

Chapter 51

Case

I could get used to seeing this.

I watch Emma as she sits behind her brother’s desk. She’s twirling a pen between her fingers as she hums a tune that sounds like pure heaven to me.

It also sounds a hell of a lot like the theme music to Gem Stars.

I only know that because Drake played it over and over for me before he finally approved it.

I join in, humming a few beats.

Her head pops up. The smile that blooms on her lips grips my heart. “Hey, you.”

“Hey, you,” I repeat back in a soft tone. “I didn’t expect to see you for a couple of hours.”

Her gaze drops back to the desk and the open file folder in front of her.

It’s the blue folder that contains some of the most brilliant ideas her brother has ever come up with. I was skimming through it again before I was called to HR.