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"I was going to fly Andrew in, but he insisted on bringing you back. I think the flight's at ten, but I'll have Sally Ann send him all the necessary information."
We talked a little longer, then I went into the kitchen to see Blake staring into the refrigerator.
"I think we do need to go out to eat if you want to have some sort of celebratory dinner," he grumbled.
I put my hand on his shoulder, but he didn't look at me. "Blake."
"Maybe we should order in? Or go to Giovanni's in Castle Brook. Something fancier for our last dinner out." His voice got tight on those last words.
I shook my head. "Who said it's our last dinner out? You're going to have plenty of opportunities to wine and dine me, mister."
Blake looked at me then, skeptically. "I really am happy that you're no longer in danger, Callie. But that's the only thing I'm happy about."
I took his face in my hands and kissed him. "I'm relieved it's over but not that I'll be leaving. I'm going to miss being here with you. But Blake, this isn't ending. I have no intentions of letting you go just because I'm going back to Austin."
He gripped my waist. "You’ll go back to your dancing and your life – like you should, Callie – and you'll forget about me soon enough. That's how it was always supposed to happen."
He brushed my hair away from my forehead. "But I'm never going to forget you."
I gave him a gentle shake. "Stop talking like that! I'm not going to forget anything. I don't want tostopanything."
He kissed my forehead and turned away, like I was some young, naive child who just didn't understand how the world worked.
I wrapped my arms around him from behind. "Please don't do that. Don't shut me out this way."
He hesitated for a few moments, then he turned and pulled me into a tight embrace. "I'm sorry. I'm just... I'm afraid of losing you. I don't want this to end either, Callie."
I glanced up at him, tears in my eyes. "We can make it work, you'll see. Nothing has to change much, except I'll miss your grumpy, scrunched-up face in the mornings before you have your coffee."
Blake sat on a stool and hauled me into his lap. "I'm not going to miss the wet towels on the floor. But I'll miss the way the bathroom smells after you shower. What's that–"
"Lilac Showers bodywash. I'll keep a bottle here."
"Okay," he said, embracing me again.
We sat there, holding each other for a long time. I wanted to go back to Austin, but I also didn't want to go. I hadn't expected to feel that way when the time came, but at least I knew he was willing to try to make it work without me giving up my dreams.
32
BLAKE
"Boss?"
"Yeah." I glanced up from my laptop to find Cathy squinting at me.
"I can almost hear you typing from the front door. You want to go easy on that thing? They don't come cheap, you know."
I was what Cathy called a 'tense typer' who pounded the keys harder when I was under stress. I guessed she was right.
"Yeah, I'll watch it."
She started to say something else, but one glare had her thinking better of it. Instead, she tipped her and backed out of my office.
I wasn't officially working that morning, but I had a couple of loose ends to take care of on some recent cases before I drove to Austin.
I hadn't seen Callie in six days. Hadn't gotten to kiss her pouty lips or feel her body under my hands for almost an entire week. It had been hell. I hated it. So I was going to spend the rest of Saturday and Sunday with her before coming home Sunday night.
We'd talked on the phone and texted every day, but nothing compared to having her next to me. I had my doubts about our two-city relationship before it started. After a week of it, I was more convinced than ever that she'd meet someone, someone her age, and it wouldn't be long before I was just a memory.
