Someone calls him and he hands me the sandwich before hurrying to help the guy. I unwrap the greasy goodness and dig in, moaning as I take the first bite.
“What is this?” I ask out loud.
Caden walks back over just then. “Sausage Egg McMuffin.”
“Where do you find these things?” I gasp, taking another bite. It is heaven.
And I think he’s going to pop an eyeball out with his shock and laughter. “You’ve never gotten an Egg McMuffin from McDonald’s?”
My eyes widen. “We were never allowed. This is from McDonald’s? I always saw the commercials and wanted a Quarter Pounder so bad, but my mother insisted that was the devil’s food.”
He laughs harder. “Well, some would say you’re right. But who doesn’t need a little devil in their life every now and then?” His tone and the way his gaze dances across my face and down my body leaves heat licking across my skin.
I finish chewing but can’t look away from him. I know my cheeks are pink, but I can’t care about that right now. It’s really hard to tell sometimes if he’s flirting for real or playing this boyfriend role. He was nice before, but things have definitely kicked up a few notches.
I fan myself. It’s too hot, he’s too hot. I take another bite of the sandwich because it’s so damn delicious and I can’t seem to think in clear sentences when I’m around Caden Taylor.
He doesn’t seem in any hurry and when I finish my sandwich, I grab his arm, catching him by surprise. He grins and I melt. Again.
“I forgot—and don’t feel like you have to, it’s all last minute, but I just wanted to ask—” I run out of air and he chuckles.
“Deep breath,” he says.
I listen and take a long, cleansing breath. When I’m done, he’s still waiting patiently for me to say whatever I want to say.
“Are you always this laidback?” I ask.
He has a dimple. My God, he has a dimple and it is out in full force now. “That’s what you wanted to ask me?”
“No. Yes. Well, and something else too.” I wave my hand. “Sorry, I’m all over the place today.”
“You’re fine. And I guess the answer is yes … I’ve never seen the need of stressing over things that I have no control over.”
“And what about finding control in the first place? Have you always been this self-assured guy who does whatever he wants?”
He puts his hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “I wouldn’t say I always do whatever I want, but yes, I’ve tried to shape my life into doing the things I want to do, being the kind of person I’m proud of. It helps that my family has always cheered me on along the way.”
I sigh wistfully at that. Maybe it’s not just in movies after all.
“What else did you want to ask me?” he asks when I’m quiet for a long time, mulling everything over.
“Would you be willing to go to dinner with me tonight?”
He’s already nodding his head and smiling when I shake mine, holding my head up.
“With my parents, Jeremy, and his parents?” I add.
He whistles and then takes my hand, twining his fingers through mine. He leans in a step and my heart gallops ahead of me.
“Is it time to pull out the big dogs?” he asks, leaning his forehead onto mine.
“I don’t know that expression, but I’m thinking the answer is yes."
"I would be glad to go to dinner with you tonight.”
Just then someone calls my name and it’s a delivery person holding a massive bouquet of white flowers. Are those lilies? Caden lets go of my hand and takes the flowers from the man since he’s closer.
“This is Ms. Cosette,” Caden says. “Looks like you have another admirer.”
I sneeze twice. Oh no. “Weird that they’d come here and not my office. Are these lilies?” I frown and sneeze again.
“I don’t know. I’m just the delivery guy. Where would you like these?”
“Wherever is convenient, I guess.” I look around and there aren’t many surfaces that aren’t cluttered with all the projects going on. The lobby reception desk is the only place I see. There are roses and hydrangeas and only a few lilies, maybe I’ve outgrown the allergy by now.
He sets them there and watches while I open the card and back away a bit just in case. My anger boils when I read it. And my eyes blur, burning, as I sneeze five times in quick succession.
“Are you okay?” Caden asks.
I grab a tissue from the box sitting a few feet from the flowers and wipe my eyes and then grab another tissue and sneeze into it.
I try again to read the card, between more sneezes. My throat feels kind of weird too.
If two can play this game, count me in. You belong with me, Cosi. I won’t give up until my ring is on your finger.
~Jeremy Alphonse Toussaint
I wave the card toward Caden and he stares at me in alarm. “Cosette, I think you’re allergic to these flowers.” He grabs my arm and pulls me away from them.
“Those are definitely lilies. I’ve always been allergic, but I’ve never reacted quite this badly.” I sneeze again and again. My skin itches and I glance down and see a bunch of red splotches all over my arm. I move farther away from the flowers and he takes them and quickly leaves the room.
When he hurries back, he reaches in his back pocket for his wallet and hands me a Benadryl. “I should’ve given you this first,” he says.
“You carry Benadryl in your wallet?” I ask.
“Pen has a nut allergy, so we each carry it with us at all times just in case.”
My eyes get glassy as I take it from him, and I lean my head on his chest for a second. “Thank you,” I whisper.
I think about what it must have been like to grow up in the Taylor household. To have someone always looking out for your best interests.
I may have grown up with marble floors and a trust fund that will last me a lifetime, but they have something that money can’t buy.
They have a family.
And love.
Chapter Nine
Caden
“You sure you’re up for this?” I ask Cosette after she settles into the passenger seat beside me. She’s been off all day since taking the Benadryl. I found her slumped over against a wall in my office at the hotel when it was time to leave for dinner.
“Yes, of course. Benadryl just makes me sleepy. I can’t believe how long this is lasting. I’ve never had such a strong reaction to lilies. Thank you for getting rid of those.” Her words are soft. I don’t think the hangover mixed with the allergic reaction is making her feel very well at all.
“My pleasure. I think Anthony was more than happy to take them home to his wife and score some brownie points,” I say, referring to the painter that was working at the hotel all day. “Plus, I don’t need Jeremy sending my woman flowers, right?”
She chuckles and turns to face me. She looks tired. “Right. Thanks for doing this tonight. Truly, you’re going above and beyond.”
I chuckle. Hanging out with Cosette Dubois is not a hardship for me. I enjoy her company, so I’m happy to help.
“Of course.”