seat. I promised Wyatt, Gwen, and Jackson that this wouldn’t affect my working relationship with Caden, and I have a point to prove. So as much as I want to get the hell out of here, I grit my teeth and bear it.
Caden is across from me, going over the production schedule in his honeyed voice, and with every word, my chest grows heavier. He seems…fine.
A part of me knows that’s a lie, that it’s something I’m telling myself to ease the sadness, but he looks so much better than I feel. The cords of his arms flex as he moves from one page to the next, and I remember how his arms held me tight.
How safe it was, cocooned in his embrace.
My gaze drifts to his hands, the veins that line their backs like an intricate map. Strong and sure and capable. My stomach dips, and my skin heats as I remember what his long, talented fingers could do to me.
I jerk my attention away, only to catch his eyes.
He stumbles, his sentence trailing off.
He shakes his head. “Um…”
I look away, glancing at the clock. Before anyone can say anything, I scoot my chair back. “I have a tour I need to get ready for.”
It’s not a lie—I do. Only I have plenty of time. But I can’t sit here one more minute. I stand. “I don’t think you need me for the rest.”
Everyone is frowning and shifting in their seats, uncomfortable.
It’s suffocating. I need to get out. I grab my stuff and turn, calling out, “Have a good one.”
I scramble out of the conference room, slamming the door behind me with more force than necessary. I lean against the wall, close my eyes, and exhale.
Finally I can breathe.
It’s got to get better. It has to.
I just need to make it over the hump.
The door opens, and I start, springing from my position. I want to run, but I force myself into a slow walk. I can do this.
Don’t look back.
Don’t see if it’s him.
Keep walking.
I can do this.
It’s what I want.
If I wanted him gone, I could have made it happen, but that isn’t what I want. I want him to stay.
This is the consequence, but I’m not a victim.
I chose this. That’s what I have to remember.
“Cat.” Caden’s voice echoes through the hallway.
An unwelcome surge of hope and relief flood my system, but I ignore it and keep on walking.
Fast footsteps behind me, and then he’s grabbing my arm and swinging me around. “Wait, please.”
I yank my arm away, irrationally disheartened when he lets me go. In a clipped tone, I ask, “What?”
“Can we talk?” He reaches out like he means to touch me but drops his hand back to his side.
“About what?” I cross my arms. Why do I have to want him so bad?
He searches my expression. “Meredith is gone.”
“Okay.” All the things we could talk about, and he picks the worst subject. “Congratulations.”
I start walking again.
“Wait.”
I spin back around. “What, Caden? What do you want me to say?”
“I just…” His brow furrows. “Wanted you to know I took care of her.”
I snap, because he’s so dense. “Do you want some sort of a medal?”
“No.” He shoves his hands into his pockets. “I thought you should know I’m cleaning up the mess I made.”
I’m in no mood to be kind about it. “If you hadn’t run away, there’d be no mess to deal with. If you’d been honest with me, you would have no blindside to clean up.”
“I know that.” He rakes his fingers through his hair and blows out a hard breath. Like he deserves to be frustrated. Like I’m being unreasonable. “I can’t change the past. I can only do my best to fix the present.”
I shrug. “Fine. You got rid of her. It’s got nothing to do with me.”
“It’s because of you I’m trying to change.”
“Don’t bother. It’s not going to make any difference.”
“I’m going to get you back, Catarina.”
“We’re through.” I glare at him. “You’d best accept it and leave me alone.”
“No.”
My brows rise. “No?”
“No.” He points a finger at my chest. “I’m not going to prove you right.”
“Don’t talk to me unless it’s about work.” I turn my back on him and start walking. “Goodbye, Caden.”
Caden
That…did not go great.
Nothing with Cat ever goes the way I plan. In my fantasies she always stops to listen to me explain myself before throwing her arms around me and saying she forgives me.