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The way he rolled his eyes had Cate giggling despite her anxious mood. Fortunately, the couple were the next to be called back.
By the time Harry finally reappeared, Cate had been sitting in her uncomfortable chair for almost two hours.
“Sorry,” Harry said after he handed over his co-pay and waited for Cate to stand. “The doc got held up in surgery this morning, and it’s thrown everything behind.”
“I’m fine,” she said.
Once they were in the car, she started the engine and turned the AC on high. “Well...what was the verdict?”
Harry leaned back and sighed. “He poked and prodded, and now the knee hurts like hell. I was fine when I went in there.”
His aggrieved expression was humorous, but Cate didn’t laugh. She maintained a serious, sympathetic expression. “And the prognosis?”
“He said I could use crutches or not use them, my choice. Suggested wrapping the knee as much as I can tolerate. But no running for a month. If I’m not completely better by my follow-up appointment, he’ll do an MRI, but it probably won’t come to that. He said since it’s only been three days, I’m healing nicely.”
“You always were an overachiever.”
“Drive the car, woman. Don’t give me any grief. I’m injured and grumpy.”
“What else is new?” she muttered. Then she tried one more time. “Why don’t I drop you at your apartment? I really don’t mind going to Jason’s on my own. You could get some work done.” She threw that out as a carrot.
But Harry wouldn’t be dissuaded. “I’m going with you,” he said. “We’re wasting time.”
“Do you have your key? I gave mine back when I moved home before the wedding.”
“I do.”
Jason’s apartment was in a trendy building near Midtown. The rent was astronomical, which was why he and Cate had decided to buy a house sooner than later.
Unlike Harry’s place, Jason’s did not have assigned parking. Cate had to find a spot on the street. Luckily, she snagged one close to the entrance. The apartment was on the fourth floor.
When Harry unlocked the front door and stood back for Cate to enter, stale air rushed out to meet them.
“We should run the AC,” Cate said. “Don’t you think?”
“I’ll take care of that. Are there boxes here you’re going to use?”
She shrugged. “I decided not to bother with boxes. I’ve got two dozen ultraheavy trash bags in my tote. They’ll take up less room in the car. I’ll carry most of them to my parents’ house later this evening. It’s a long time until cold weather. Who knows where I’ll be living by then?”
Harry’s brow furrowed. “I told you to stay as long as you needed.”
“Sure. And I appreciate it. But I’m not a permanent resident. I’ll have to find housing of my own.”
She could tell from his expression that her response displeased him. Didn’t matter. She couldn’t live with Prescott Harrington indefinitely. Especially if they indulged in a frothy affair.
Inwardly, she snickered.Frothywas the last word she should ever use to describe Harry. If theydidsleep together—and that was still a big if—there would be nothing frothy about it. Sex with Harry would be intense. At least that was how she imagined it.
Thinking about it made her nervous. She shoved the possibility to the back of her mind and got to business.
Her winter stuff was in the spare bedroom closet. She started there. Unfortunately, cold-weather gear—mostly used for skiing out west and in the North Carolina mountains—was bulky. Like the proverbial nursery rhyme, it took her three bags full to clean out that closet.
Harry made himself scarce, thank goodness, perhaps giving her privacy. Maybe he was in Jason’s small office. Cate put the first three bags in the foyer and sucked in a deep breath.
The dining room and kitchen were perplexing. There was glassware and cookware she had picked out, placemats, decorative Italian tiles she and Jason used for hot pads. Cate’s influence was everywhere, but all the items weresharedpieces. She had no wish to take them, even if Jason wanted them gone. All of it reminded her of a woman who didn’t exist anymore.
It occurred to her in one stunning, odd revelation, that among all the happy times she remembered in this apartment, the ones that stood out most were the large gatherings of friends. There had been many times when she and Jason were alone. Of course, there were.
But had she been in love with the idea of being a couple more than she loved Jason? How had she not seen that before now?
