Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Caroline

C alvin rides in the cab with me back to the Dakota. He's been telling me about his incredible trip. I'm both exhausted and exhilarated. It's good to be back in Calvin's company. My earlier angst is gone and without any added alcohol.

We enter the lobby, the warmth a welcome respite. I see Larry, manning his oak console, busy watching the security feed, though I know he's fully tuned into my presence.

I can't decide if I should ask Calvin upstairs. We've had enough weirdness tonight. I take a seat on one of the velvet sofas. A large electric menorah with two lit bulbs rests on a tinseled table nearby, dwarfed by the enormous Christmas tree.

Calvin sits at the other end of the sofa, seemingly content with chatting where we are.

The curiosity is killing me. "Okay, I need to know. What's with the teeth necklace?"

He laughs heartily, pulling the strand out from beneath his coat. "Well, the mission did a stint at an orphanage. The kids were making interesting jewelry for a local sale. And, voila."

"It's not real, is it?" I ask, carefully reaching for the sharp end of a tooth.

"I sure hope not. Poaching is against the law in most African countries. And probably so is letting kids near lions."

Right. Stupid question.

"I'm sorry," he says. "I've been monopolizing the conversation. You never had a chance to tell me what you've been up to these last few weeks."

"Nothing quite as exciting as your trip to Africa. Well, not the same sort of excitement."

He lifts a curious brow. "I'm intrigued."

I don't know what possesses me but I blurt out, "Want to come upstairs?"

So much for avoiding any more weirdness.

Though Calvin has been in my apartment many times, this invitation feels different. My leg is fully healed. Any pretense of a medical check-up won't fit. Now we're just friends. I think.

He doesn't hesitate. "Sure. I could use a strong coffee before heading to the hospital."

"You're still going in tonight?"

He nods. "Yep. I'll grab a cat nap when I can in the doctors' lounge."

We head for the elevators, and I nod to Larry. Heaven knows the drama he's witnessed right here in the lavish lobby. I push the up button. When the elevator arrives, I hit my floor and face Calvin. "Bernard's kids are suing me for the inheritance their dad left me. According to my lawyer, I need to make a decision about next steps as soon as possible. I can barely think straight."

The words tumble out of me. Apparently, my filter is completely gone.

Calvin's eyes fill with concern. "I'm so sorry. Sounds like a messy situation."

I unlock my door but don't flick on the lights.

Calvin stays put in the foyer, staring out the curtainless windows. "Wow. This view never gets old."

My apartment faces east, overlooking Central Park, with street lamps glowing and the lights from Fifth Avenue twinkling in the distance. It's stunning.

We walk in the semi-darkness until I reach the kitchen where I turn on the lights, illuminating the fourteen-foot-high ceilings. Shadows angle across the walls. It's not creepy. It's home.

The apartment has six large bedrooms and a butler's pantry. Certainly not the largest in the 140-year-old edifice but its charm and character are undeniable.

I start up the Lavazza and get the milk from the fridge to froth. I know he takes only one teaspoon of sugar.

"Fire?" Calvin asks.

"Sure."

Calvin crosses the living room to the hearth, opens the flue and kindles the wood already there. He knows his way around my place.

I walk past the large, framed photo of me and Bernard at our wedding, sitting on the carved mahogany mantel and hand Calvin the mug. "One sugar. Two shots espresso."

He smiles. "Thanks. Tell me more about this situation. If you want, that is."

I pour myself a chamomile tea and toss in a slice of lemon. Today wins for most varied beverages. Mojitos, bourbon, cappuccino, and now tea—at this point, I might as well start a support group for indecisive drinkers.

We bring our drinks to the fireside. I yawn loudly, embarrassed. "Sorry. It's been, for lack of a better term, an excruciating week."

"Sounds like it. You look almost as tired as I feel."

"I need a vacation, badly."

I know I sound entitled. Poor little rich girl. But it's actually true. I've been dealing with one major hurdle after the next. Now I have to manage the lawsuit and the possibility that I'll soon be facing a drastic change in my financial circumstances. Plus, there's the annual Shining Stars fundraiser that I've neglected. I promised to resume Bernard's signature charitable event after skipping it last year.

"You never did get that time away with your friend in Yosemite," Calvin says.

He's referring to the trip I was meant to take with Evie before I broke my leg. It seems like light years ago.

"That's okay. I met you."

Sheesh. I hope that didn't come off wrong. I don't want to send him mixed signals. For good measure, I add, "My newest friend."

Subtle, right? Because nothing says 'just friends' quite like a clumsy disclaimer.

His face brightens. "I agree." He raises his mug. "Here's to broken bones and enduring friendships."

We clink and drink.

He's sipping from his mug when I see his eyes widen.

"Everything all right?"

"Yep. Had a thought but it probably makes no sense."

"What doesn't?"

"Nothing, all good." He looks at his watch and stands. "Thanks for the coffee. I hope everything works out for you. Truly."

I'm not ready for him to leave. But he has an important job.

I stand and escort him to the door, feeling a bit off. I want to ask when I'll see him again but don't. It will only send the wrong message.

"Have a good night, Calvin."

"You too. Thanks for listening."

"Same."

He leans in and kisses my cheek. The sensation of his lips brushing my skin sends an unexpected jolt of warmth through me, like a spark igniting a hidden fire. I'm momentarily frozen, caught off guard. I'm fully aware that my calibration is way off. My emotions are all over the place. It's just a kiss on the cheek and Calvin just happens to be here at a moment of weakness. But tell that to my heart. It's racing as if he's just lit a fuse I didn't even know was there.

As he walks toward the elevator, I keep my voice rock steady. "That's what friends are for."