to gain a toehold. He had continued to come to the cafeteria, but his easygoing nature had struck her as being blunted somehow. Or maybe more subdued? His handsome smile sometimes seemed forced, as if he knew he should find whatever sparked it amusing, so he made the requisite motions. And he laughed less. His shoulders often looked tight and knotted with tension… or perhaps poised for action. His languid stroll had grown stiffer, as though he believed that controlling every infinitesimal motion of his limbs would enable him to control whatever was going on inside his head. And his eyes had begun to flicker with amber light.
She wasn’t sure if they did that in reaction to something unpleasant his amazing hearing carried to his ears or something transpiring in his head, and she didn’t ask. The luminescence rarely lasted more than a second or two before he brought it under control, so she didn’t want to draw attention to it.
Since no one watched Cliff as closely as she did, most probably hadn’t noticed it. But it had worried her.
Now, however, Cliff’s lips turned up in genuine smiles once more. His deep brown eyes sparkled with mirth as he razzed Todd. He laughed and talked more.
He seemed happy again. Or as happy as a man in his position could be.
Today his gaze strayed to her more often. And his smile seemed to bear some hidden meaning she couldn’t discern, as if he knew a secret and couldn’t wait to share it with her.
Sitting across from him, Emma found herself mesmerized. Her own lips lifted in a smile that pretty much remained in place the entire time she, Cliff, Cynthia, Todd, Miles, and a few others ate lunch together.
Cliff’s boot nudged her running shoe.
When she reciprocated, his smile broadened into a grin even though he directed his attention at Todd.
“We’d better go,” he told the guard. “I can hear the other guys’ stomachs growling, and they’re starting to get cranky.”
Todd shoved the last bite of his sandwich into his mouth, then kissed Cynthia and rose.
After tossing the table a goodbye, the two men bused their trays and left.
“I’m going to head back to my office,” Emma told Cynthia.
“Okay.” Smiling, her friend tapped her phone to wake it up and opened an e-book. “You want to come over tonight? Todd and I are going to binge-watch Game of Thrones for the dozenth time.”
Emma laughed. “No, thanks. It’s been a long week, so I’m just going to curl up with a good book.” After turning in her tray, she headed down the hallway and opted to duck into the restroom to check her hair and wash her hands.
Sadie exited one of the stalls as Emma entered. “Hi, darlin’.”
“Hi, Sadie.”
The elderly woman crossed to the row of motion-activated sinks and washed her hands. Today she wore a casual dress with a long skirt that ended just above thick-soled sneakers. Emma smiled, pleased to see her moving with more confidence now. She was still reed thin but didn’t seem as heartbreakingly frail as she headed for the hand dryer. Those training sessions must be paying off.
Turning back to the mirror, Emma patted her hair.
Sadie shook her head and gave her a wry smile as the dryer shut off. “What I wouldn’t give to have hair like yours.”
Emma grinned, imagining her with a big snow-white Afro.
“My hair’s so thin now I barely have enough to pull back into a bun,” she grumbled good-naturedly.
“You have beautiful hair,” Emma protested.
The woman harrumphed. “So how’s my hero today? I missed lunch because my torture session ran late.” Torture session being her term for her physical therapy/weight training session.
Emma glanced at the stalls behind them.
“Don’t worry. They’re empty.”
She smiled. “He’s good. He seemed to be in high spirits.”
Sadie winked. “Because you were there.” Sadie had been the one to arrange things so Emma could sit beside Cliff that first time. The sweet woman had baked cookies she knew would lure more people to the table, then plunked herself down next to Emma. And as soon as Cliff had entered the cafeteria, she’d abandoned her spot for him.
Unexpectedly, sadness filled Emma because she knew the other woman’s matchmaking efforts would never garner the results she wished. “Sadie…”
Her smile softening, Sadie patted Emma’s cheek. “I know. I’m sorry, sweetie. I can’t help it. It’s just that I see in you two what Henry and I had for so long.” She headed for the door but paused before opening it and turned back.