Due to bad luck and dead cellphone batteries, I was sitting on my kitchen counter after having been fingered, watching him move around my kitchen with Caroline still staring in shock.
No, not how I saw the evening going at all. I was scrambling, wondering how to tell my best friend I’d been in a fucked-up relationship with my work partner, against company policy, before she exploded.
CHAPTER 19
The scene in the kitchen was stagnant, waiting to unfold when Caroline finally found her voice. She turned and gaped at me, her mouth popping open and closed, reminding me of a fish. The sight would have made me laugh if the situation hadn’t been so serious.
With a deep sigh, I jumped down from the counter and walked to stand in front of her.
“Nathan?” Her voice was almost shrill.
I nodded and turned to find him already cleaning the chicken for me, letting me deal with my friend’s initial outburst.
Caroline struggled to string her words together. “How… I mean… Really?”
Again, I nodded.
“But…it’s Nathan Thorne. You despise him.” She grabbed my arm and pulled me closer. “He’s your Christopher?”
“Yes,” I replied. “I wanted to tell you, I did…I wanted… ”
Caroline silenced me, placing her hand up between us as she stared at Nathan’s back. Her fist grabbed the front of my shirt and she dragged me into the living room. Her eyes were still glued on the kitchen when she stopped and pulled me closer, her face mere inches from mine.
“Let me get this straight. You are fucking Nathan-fucking-Thorne?” she hissed.
I swallowed hard before responding. “Yes. Caroline, I…”
“Shush.” She slapped her hand over my mouth. I stared at her in shock. “You are fucking Nathan Thorne?”
I rolled my eyes and nodded. How many times did I have to tell her?
“Holy. Fucking. Shit. You are fucking Nathan Thorne.” She smiled, beaming at me.
I grabbed her hand and removed it from my mouth. “I wanted to tell you. It’s just…well… What are you smiling about?”
Her grin widened. “You, Lila Palmer, are fucking Nathan Thorne.”
“Yes, Jesus, how many times do you have to say it?”
“That means the Boob-Squad doesn’t have their hands on him. That means that you gave him all the hickies I’ve seen on him…and he gave you yours.” Her mouth popped open. “That means the reason he hasn’t gone to the bar in the last few months is because he’s been with you.”
“Yes. I couldn’t tell you because…well…what we have is complicated.”
Caroline nodded in understanding. “Yeah, you said ‘Christopher’ was broken. Jesus…Nathan doesn’t seem to be like that. I don’t see it.”
“He has a better act than I do.”
Caroline stood there, her arms folded across her chest, a contemplative look etched on her face. A moment later, she made an abrupt turn and walked back into the kitchen. I followed, wondering what was going on.
Thus far, I found his response more disturbing than Caroline’s. I had no idea what was going on inside his head. As soon as he saw Caroline, he began the mindless task of putting groceries away and prepping for dinner.
I watched on with a wary eye as Caroline approached Nathan’s back. He turned at the sound of her footsteps against the tile. She stopped about a foot in front of him, invading his personal space. His act was perfectly in place, and he seemed as cool as ever.
“You.” She pointed her finger at him, in an accusing way. “Hurt her and I’ll fuck you up. Understood?”
I let out a little giggle from the expression that formed on his face; his eyes were wide in fear of the woman in front of him. She was over half a foot shorter than him, and about half his weight, yet she was standing there intimidating a former federal prosecutor.
“Understood.”
“Are you being safe with my girl? I’ve seen you with some floozies.”
“I’m clean. Promise.”
“Better fucking be, bucko.”