"You're late," Sydney said as she whipped Kash's front door open. Seeing Aaron standing behind Cadence, she quickly added, "You're forgiven."
"I'm sorry," Cadence said as they entered the living room. "I lost track of time and there was a little bit of traffic..."
"And your lipstick is smudged," Sydney replied, watching Cadence swipe at her mouth, embarrassed. "Okay, it's not really, but that answers that question." Turning back to Aaron she said, "We're so glad you could make it!"
The rest of the gang also shouted their hellos, Kash walking over to take a drink order as Cadence and Aaron made themselves comfortable on the sofa, Sydney insisting on sitting on Aaron's other side. Though he was slightly uncomfortable, he knew she was harmless. There were two over-sized chairs, and Cadence immediately noticed that Taylor and Jon were sitting in one of them together.
"When did this happen?" she asked, a bit shocked, but also very happy.
"Oh, a few weeks ago," Taylor explained. "We were waiting for a good time to tell you, but well, it never came up."
"Congratulations," Cadence said smiling. "I always thought you two would be good together." Kash had returned with the drinks and sat down in the other chair. "So, I take it the two of you are not dating, then," she asked, gesturing at Kash and Sydney.
"Uh, no," Kash said as Sydney shook her head in confirmation. "I've been seeing a girl at school. . ."
"And I've been trying to steal your boyfriend," Sydney chimed in. "I'm kidding. . . sort of."
Cadence laughed, and Aaron turned a bit red. "It's fine Syd. And we're not. . . he's not my boyfriend. Just my boss."
"That you kiss in the car on the way to your friend's house," Sydney said snidely.
"So, what are we watching?" Aaron asked, obviously very uncomfortable.
"Well, we have a choice," Taylor began, leaning forward to access several DVDs spread out on the coffee table. "Since Kash's mom hasn't sprung for a Blu-ray yet. . ."
"My mom drives a car that is old as I am. Are we surprised at this?" Kash interrupted, sarcastically.
"Sydney wants to watch a Christmas movie. I was thinking romantic comedy and Jon said horror, but I am so not in the mood for that," Taylor continued, ignoring Kash's comment.
Spying Bram Stoker's Dracula on the table, which had been one of Jack's favorite movies, Cadence insisted, "No horror, please. The last thing I want to do is watch a bloody movie this close to Christmas."
"Christmas Vacation!" Sydney insisted, raising her hands in the air.
"Does that work for everyone?" Taylor asked. There were no objections, so she went to put the movie into the DVD player and flipped off the lights.
"It's not a true story," Aaron said through the IAC to Cadence, who had turned hers back on in the car on the way over.
"You've apparently never seen my dad hang Christmas lights," she replied sarcastically. Despite the poorly lit room, she could see he was doing his best to hold back a chuckle, which would have blended in just fine with the movie anyway.
Sliding his fingers through hers between them on the couch, he clarified. "Dracula. Not true."
"Oh, I guess you would know since you were alive back then," she replied, welcoming the feel of his hand in hers.
"When Dracula was born? I'm not that old. Or did you mean when the movie was made? Yes, I was alive in 1992."
"I wasn't," she reminded him.
"God, how is that possible," he muttered, a comment that would have been under his breath if it hadn't been through IAC.
"I meant at the turn of the 20th Century, when most of the book was set. You were alive then, right?" Cadence clarified.
"I was. And I knew Mr. Stoker," he added, glancing in her direction. She looked a bit shocked. "He needed some information for his book. Though, he didn't quite stay true to what we explained to him, he got most of it right."
"Wow," Cadence exclaimed. "That's amazing. Who's 'we'?"
"The group I was working with then. It was well before LIGHTS and the organization we have today," he said.
"What about Mary Shelly? Did you know her?" she asked, jokingly.
"How old do you think I am?" He glanced over at her in the dark and could see a smile on her face. "Seriously, that book was written in 1818. I'm not that old."
"Okay, okay. Just curious. You know, you look pretty good for your age, I might add," she said, still smiling.
"Thanks. I work out," he replied, sarcastically.
Cadence was tempted to rest her head on his shoulder, but even in the dark, she didn't know if it would bother him. She decided to try to watch the movie, despite the hyperawareness that she was holding his hand. Her mind began to wander, and she was having a really hard time even token laughing at the humorous parts of the movie.
About three-quarters of the way through the movie, Aaron's demeanor changed. She knew he was fielding messages constantly, as always, but this seemed a bit different. She looked at him questioningly and then waited a few seconds for a response.
"Laura is awake, and she's asking for me," he explained. "I really hate to make you leave in the middle of your movie."
"It's okay. Just go, and I'll find a ride home," Cadence replied, disappointed that he had to go but completely understanding.
"Are you sure?" he asked, the guilt of having to run out the door evident in his tone, even through the IAC.
"Of course, I'm sure," she assured him. "I'm honestly surprised you've been able to maintain 'normal' for this long."
"I'm really sorry," he said, glancing in her direction. She patted his hand gently with her free hand. "Elliott's going to call me so it looks legitimate."
A few seconds later, his phone rang and he excused himself to take the call, leaving her literally empty handed. Sydney watched him walk out of the room and then looked at Cadence, who shrugged, as if to say she wasn't surprised that work was calling.
Aaron hung up with Elliott and came back in the room, stooping next to Cadence by the side of the couch, "I'll send someone back to get you, okay?"
"That's fine. Let me know how it's going, all right?" she asked.
"Are you leaving?" Sydney asked, surprise and disappointment in her voice,
"Yes, I'm sorry. Something's come up with a client, and I've got to go," Aaron explained, walking behind the couch and toward the exit.
The rest of the groups said a quick goodbye and Kash walked him out. The second they heard the Lamborghini pull away, Taylor paused the movie and flipped on the table lamp next to her. "Okay, Cadence, spill. What's going on?" she demanded, an expression of curiosity, concern, and delight taking over her pretty face.
Cadence looked around the room at the expectant expressions of her friends. "There's really nothing to tell," she began, realizing fairly quickly that they were not going to buy that excuse.
"Oh, come on, Cadence. Earlier today you were basically saying he was cheating on you with an ex-girlfriend and/or he was gay. Then, he shows up with you here, everything is hunky-dory, and now he's running out the door again. Who is this guy?" Jon was usually the sarcastic member of the group, but he had suddenly taken on a big-brother-like quality that Cadence found both curious and a bit insulting.
Cadence took a deep breath and tried to collect her thoughts. Finally, she said, "Listen guys, I wish I could answer your questions, but I can't. We are not dating. We've discussed it and decided it's not a good idea because he is my boss. Do I like him? Of course, I do. Do I think he likes me? Not sure, maybe. I will admit that we have kissed a few times, but that's it. I'm not sleeping with him; we are not a couple. That's it. Now, will you all please just drop it?"
"And what about Dr. Sanderson?" Taylor asked. "What's going on there?'
"Elliott?" Cadence asked, making sure she was on the same page. "Nothing. We are just friends. For sure."
"Wait a minute!" Sydney declared, jumping up off the couch a bit as she spoke. "It's like this Hallmark movie I saw today! This Christmas one! This girl's boyfriend always passes everything off on his assistant, and then she ends up dumping that guy for the assistant guy. That's what's going to happen with you and Elliott!" she exclaimed, pointing at Cadence.
