“How much you wanna bet she’s in the cafeteria telling Debby that you’re in my office?” I ask him.
“You’d win that bet.”
We’re in the elevator before I release the breath I held while we made our escape. On the walk to the parking lot, I send an email to Mona, letting her know I’ve left for the day because I’m not feeling well.
“It’s the only time I’ll ever ask you to lie for me,” Jason says, tuning in to my discomfort.
“This is what happens when I get in bed with the devil. I do time in jail, lie and play hooky.”
“You know what rhymes with hooky?”
I lose it laughing and elbow him in the gut. “Shut up.”
“Admit it. Life is more interesting with me around.”
“I’ll admit no such thing so as not to encourage you to lead me even further astray.”
“Oh, baby, the places I want to lead you.” He takes my hand and walks toward Priscilla. Before I can ask about my car, he says, “I’ll bring you back in the morning.”
With an entire afternoon and evening to spend with him, work is the last thing I care about. When we’re in the car, I text my mother to tell her that Jason is back in Miami and angling for a job at Miami-Dade because he wants to be wherever I am. I send that text and smile at the thought of the news ripping through my family.
They’ll be as thrilled as I am, which makes me even happier than I already am.
“What’re you doing over there?” he asks when we’re stopped at a light.
“Telling my family you’re back so they’ll leave me alone.”
“Good thinking, because we’re not going to want to be disturbed for a couple of days.”
“A couple of days? I have to work tomorrow!”
“You’re very sick. You need rest and fluids. Lots of fluids.”
I snort with laughter. “That is so disgusting!”
“Nothing disgusting about it, baby.”
He gets us back to my place as fast as he possibly can and parks in my space. Then he looks over at me. “You haven’t had anyone else parking in my visitor spot while I was gone, have you?”
I roll my eyes. “Please. It took me five years to find you. It would’ve taken me longer than a week to replace you.”
“You’re never replacing me.”
As we get out of the car and go upstairs, we manage to keep our hands to ourselves. But once that door clicks shut behind us, all bets are off. We pull at clothes and yank on buttons and zippers and swear like sailors with frustration when the clothes fight back against our clumsy attack.
I laugh when my head and right arm get stuck inside my blouse.
“It’s not funny!” he says. “Do something!”
“You’re the surgeon. Figure it out.”
He gets me free of the fabric and makes love to me the first time right there in the foyer, with me pressed against the wall still wearing my bra and with his pants around his ankles.
“Oh God, Carmen.” He releases a deep breath. “I’ve been a fucking mess thinking I blew it with you.”
“I’m still here, and I love you. I love you, Jason.”
Now that I can tell him that, I want to say it so many times he won’t ever forget it.
The second time we make it to my bed. We’re napping after the third time when Jason hears his cell phone is ringing in the other room. He disentangles from me and runs naked from the bedroom as I laugh at him from the bed.
He brings the phone back to bed. “Three-oh-five area code.”
My heart stops.
He puts the call on speaker. “Dr. Northrup.”
“I’m so glad I caught you. This is Roy Augustino.”
Jason sits on the bed and takes hold of my hand. “Hi, Mr. Augustino.”
I grip his hand, close my eyes and hope for the best.
“The board has asked me to extend an offer of employment. I’ve emailed a formal offer that I hope will meet with your approval. I consulted with the board in New York. We agree that we need to keep you in our family, and you should be able to decide where it is you want to work.”
I open my eyes to look into his, which are glowing with happiness.
“Thank you. I’ll take a look and let you know.”
“Outstanding. Assuming the offer is sufficient, we set your official start date as a week from Monday, to give you time to work out housing.”