Once we were on our way, William and I didn’t speak much, and I didn’t feel the need. We held hands, and I felt more connected to William than I ever had. Music played in the softly lit vehicle, and he and I were content just to be together. Tonight was the night I was ready to tell him how I felt. I couldn’t hold it in anymore and I needed him to know that I loved him.
We reached my apartment, and William circled, looking for a parking place. There was a cab idling in front of my building, and I frowned at it when it was still there after William’s second circle. He found a place, parked, and came around to open my door. The cab was still there as we walked down the block toward my condo.
I felt a shiver of apprehension, though there was no reason. Anyone could have called for a taxi. We crossed the street and passed the cab, and just as we reached the steps to my condo, the cab’s door opened.
“Cat!”
I stiffened and turned. A guy slammed the car door behind him and started for me. Oh fuck.
It was Jeremy Ryder.
Fourteen
A sound very much like that of a freight train thundered in my ears and the ground seemed to rush up at me. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, and tried not to panic. Panicking would be bad. I had to breathe. I had to stay calm.
Jeremy. Here in Chicago. And William here too.
Oh my God. This couldn’t be happening. I forced myself to breathe again.
I glanced at William, and he was looking at me expectantly. Shit. He must have asked me something. I had to get it together even though I was majorly freaking out. And now Jeremy was waving and coming closer. Shit, shit, shit!
“I’m sorry. What?” I asked William
“I asked if you know that man, but I can see that you do.”
Was it that obvious? Oh, wait. Maybe he knew because Jeremy was waving at me. Calm down, Cat.
Jeremy was close enough to hear us now, close enough to require an introduction, though I would have given anything to run the other way. I let out a breath I hadn’t known I’d been holding. “William Lambourne, this is Jeremy Ryder, my brother-in-law.” I probably should have said ex-brother-in-law, but it was too late now.
In any case, Jeremy completely ignored William and pulled me into his chest for a hug. I stumbled against him then jumped back as though burned as soon as he released me. I could feel the heat of William’s stare against my back. Jeremy stuck out his hand. “Hey, nice to meet you. William, is it?”
William took his hand, but he didn’t smile or offer a return greeting. The two of them stood like that for a long moment, my past and my present linked together. And then they broke apart and Jeremy looked at me again. William looked at me too, his face carefully neutral and his eyes a hard clear blue. I wished a hole would open up in the sidewalk and suck me down into a cold, quiet darkness. Anything would be better than the nightmare that was unfolding right in front of me.
“Jeremy, what are you doing here?” I asked. My voice sounded forced and weird, like I was speaking from one end of a long, metallic tunnel.
“Legal conference,” he said. “The associate who was supposed to come came down with the flu this morning, so they sent me instead. I didn’t have time to make a hotel reservation. I was hoping I could crash at your place. I would have called first, but I didn’t have your cell number. I had your address, though.” He grinned at me. “Come on, it’ll be just like old times.”
I hesitated. I had no doubt Jeremy could have found a hotel room downtown, if he’d wanted one. After what he’d said at the airport in San Francisco about wanting us to get back together—not that we had ever really been together together—I should tell him he couldn’t stay. But I was still wrestling with my secret, and wouldn’t me telling my former brother-in-law to go seem sort of suspicious to William? Jeremy was family. “Of course,” I said, feeling more trapped than ever. “Come on in.”
I led the way up the stairs to my condo, my thoughts racing. It had been such a fantastic afternoon and evening and now it was turning into a complete clusterfuck. My heart sank. William and I had been so connected, but now there was a weird tension again, and all because of Jeremy, who kept turning up like a bad penny. I could already tell William didn’t like him. Maybe it was some male sixth sense that kicked in when a rival was near, but William was cool and aloof and watching him with a predatory acuteness.
I unlocked the door and greeted Laird, then turned on lights while William and Jeremy stood in the small entry that opened into my living room. Jeremy said, “This is great, Cat.”
As soon as Laird heard Jeremy’s voice, his ears pricked and he let out a frantic woof and practically attacked Jeremy with doggie kisses.