But she never got the chance to say it aloud. He’d slipped away with a group of reporters and returned in the wee hours of the night. She knew it was later than two a.m., because that’s how long she waited in for him on the hard wooden bench outside the elevator. Saturday morning he didn’t show up for breakfast and sent a text that he had been called away to a lunch meeting. And now it was time for her to get dressed for the evening, and they hadn’t had a single moment to talk.
Laurie had a lot to say, and it was building by the second. When she saw him she’d probably explode. She pictured him in his tuxedo splattered head to toe with bits of green word-goo.
“What’s so funny?” asked Francisco, a bright, temporary hire who’d become her right-hand man over the course of the week.
She blew a stray piece of hair off her face. “Nothing. I’m just ready to get this over with.”
“Not me,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “This is the best part. I thrive on it.”
“I can tell,” she said. “You’re a hard worker. I think you’ll go a long way.”
“Not me. I’m nobody. Just a college dropout. This is about the best I can do.”
She put her hands on his shoulders and looked him square in the eye. “You listen to me. There is nothing you can’t do if you put your mind to it. Now, I’m going to be back in a year, and I expect to hire you again.”
“Sounds good.” He shrugged.
“And… I expect you to tell me how many college hours you’ve completed during that year.”
His eyes got big. “I can’t afford it. I’ve got a family to feed.”
She pulled one of her business cards out of her back pocket. “And I happen to know someone who funds scholarships for people just like you.”
Guess it’s a good thing I’m going to be talking to Dad again. Hope his scholarship program is still going.
He grinned. “You mean it?”
“Absolutely, I do.”
In his excitement, he threw his arms around her neck. “Thank you so much. I won’t let you down.”
In the next breath he jerked backwards and stumbled against the wall, pinned in place by Finn, who had him by the collar. “Don’t touch her.”
“Finn, what are you doing?” She pushed her way between them. “Francisco, go take care of the auction items.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She watched as he scurried across the room and out of sight. Then she turned to face Finn, but he was already walking away.
“Oh no, you don’t.” She trotted after him, catching him as he reached the elevator. “Where have you been? We have a lot to talk about.”
“I don’t have time. I need to do my treatment and get ready for the fundraiser.” He punched the elevator button five times in rapid succession.
“Then we’ll talk on the way upstairs,” she said, as the elevator dinged its arrival.
The doors opened, and Finn stepped inside, with Laurie on his heels. He puffed out a breath, like an angry bull and stomped off the elevator before the doors could close.
“Where are you going?” Laurie asked, following him down the hallway.
“I’m going up the stairs,” he announced, throwing open the door and taking the first flight, two steps at a time.
Laurie started after him. “You’re walking up twenty flights of stairs,” she called, “just to avoid talking to me?”
“No.” His voice echoed from above, along with his rapid footsteps. “I’m running up twenty flights.”
Determined, she trudged upward, but stopped at the top of the third flight, completely winded, his footsteps growing quieter as he gained ground. That’s what I get for not working out.
“You can’t avoid me all night, Finn Anderson,” she huffed, bending over to catch her breath. As if he could hear her threat, she ranted on. “Now that I know you’re jealous, I’m going to hit you with everything I’ve got. Do you hear me? That’s right… be afraid. Be very afraid.”
She reached for the exit door, but stopped with her hand on the handle, listening to the faint footsteps sounding from far above.
“And when I’m finished, you’re not going to tell me I’m throwing my life away,” she called. “You’re going to tell me we should never spend another minute apart.”
With fresh resolve, she pulled out her cell phone and searched through her contact list. Locating the number she sought, she pressed send, crossing her fingers.
“Laurie?” a male voice answered. “Is that you?”
By the time Finn reached the top, he was gasping for air and coughing. He fumed that his cardio fitness had regressed so far since his hospitalization. In his room, he started his nightly CF treatment, adjusting his schedule around the banquet. For a moment, he let himself imagine his life if he and Laurie were married… his life if he were a selfish man who cared more for himself than Laurie’s happiness.
Perhaps she would tell him stories about her day as he went through his monotonous routine. Maybe, with her understanding of CF, she wouldn’t be turned off by his deep, hoarse cough. She might even don a skimpy outfit as added incentive for him to finish.
Dream on, buddy.
Because he loved her, it could never be more than that—only a dream. He refused to discuss it with her, because he knew what she would say. She was a romantic… an idealist. He was a realist. He could be mature and rational about the whole matter. Somewhere out there was another man who could make her happy for the rest of her life. Finn’s job was to keep her safe until she found that man. But he had to be disciplined. That kiss—that amazing, incredible kiss that made his brain stop functioning—that kiss could never happen again.
Meanwhile, he needed to warn her about men. She was too trusting—that much was obvious. What if Finn hadn’t come along in time to save her from that overzealous worker? And hadn’t he overheard her talking to Steph about missing her ex-boyfriend—the very one who must’ve been abusing her in some form or fashion?
