Cadence had been so focused on Cale’s handsome face, she hadn't even noticed the view at first. Once she did, she quickly walked to the window. "Oh, wow! You can see everything from here. Look at that amazing skyline!"
He laughed, walking up behind her and putting his arm around her waist. "It's not bad."
"How do you ever get anything done?" she asked, squinting to see if she could see Lake Tahoe from there, which she couldn't.
"I honestly don't spend too much time in here," he replied. "If I'm in the building, I'm usually downstairs in the hospital consulting or operating. If I'm not there, I'm usually in the field or volunteering at the larger hospital on the other side of town. But, if I'm here, it's usually because I have a patient, which would put me in one of the examining rooms. Some of them have pretty good views as well, though not as good as this one."
"So do you have another office upstairs in headquarters?" she asked.
"I do, but it's on the other side of the building, so it's not so great. That's why I wanted to meet you here. I thought you'd appreciate the view."
His hand was on her arm now, and she turned her head to smile at him. He seemed to want to lean down and kiss her, but he hesitated, and she looked away. Things suddenly seemed weird.... She wasn't sure why. After a moment, she cleared her throat and said, "So, I have to leave town in a few minutes."
He stepped beside her then, and she turned to face him. He nodded, as if he had ascertained that. "Is it Giovani?" he asked.
"You know me too well," she smiled. "Yes. Aaron has requested that I return to help determine whether or not this plan that Laura has come up with is legitimate. Do you know about that?"
"Bits and pieces," he admitted. "I'm not sure I know as much as you do. I actually have been hearing some chatter myself that he's not far from here."
"Really?" Cadence asked. "I thought he was in Eliza's territory."
"Well, if these sources are correct, and who knows if they are or not, he would be in her territory, but it borders mine. I'll show you." He pulled up a map and shared it with her utilizing the IAC. "According to what I've been hearing, Laura's information is that he is somewhere in this area." He indicated a large perimeter near Sierraville, California, right across the border. "So, while, yes, he is in her territory, he could easily end up in mine, particularly if he hears that you're in pursuit."
Cadence looked at the map carefully. "Wow, that's like, an hour by car. With your helicopters, you could be there in..."
"Twenty minutes. With my helicopters," he interrupted.
"Right." Cadence pondered the situation. "You need to be in on this, too. Eliza doesn't have that kind of air power. I know they do primarily medical runs, but are they armed?"
He looked at her for a moment, as if he was contemplating whether or not he could trust her before he smiled and said, "They can be."
She grinned back at him. "Does Aaron know that?"
"Of course," Cale replied, his eyes wide. "Doesn't Aaron know everything?"
"Touché," she admitted. "If we decide to go through with this, you'll help, right? Even if it's just support?"
He didn't hesitate. "Oh, absolutely."
She nodded. "Good. I'm much more comfortable with the idea knowing we can use your birds. Although, honestly, I can't imagine any reason in the universe why we would ever trust Laura Comer."
Cale shrugged. "I don't know a lot about the situation, but I'm sure the lot of you will come up with a good decision."
She nodded. Just then, Aurora came across the IAC, letting her know the car was there. "Ugh," she groaned. "I've got to go. But I'll come back just as soon as I can. I promise."
"I believe you," he said, leaning in to kiss her at last.
Cadence returned the sweet kiss and lingered a little longer than she had originally intended to before finally pulling back. "I'm sorry. They're waiting."
"I'll walk you down," he offered.
"Oh, no, that's okay. I... you're busy and..." I will want to kiss you in front of my friends, she thought. "But my bike is in your garage..."
"I'll take care of it for you," he assured her.
"Perfect. Thank you so much--for everything. You're so amazing," she smiled.
"You're unbelievable," he replied, leaning down to kiss her one last time.
As she neared the door, she turned back to give him a quick wave before exiting his office, finally on her way back home.
The ride to the airport was fairly silent. Cadence didn't feel like talking about her disappointment in leaving just when things were beginning to look promising, and Aurora and Meagan knew it probably wasn't in their best interest to say anything at all, so they didn't. Once they arrived, the driver pulled in next to the G5 and got out to open the doors. There was a flurry of activity as the baggage handlers transferred the luggage from the car to the plane, and Cadence gave the Mercedes one last longing glance as she made her way up the stairs.
"Why the sad face, kid? Lose your life savings in the casinos?"
Cadence stopped in stunned amazement at the top of the stairs. "Elliott!" she exclaimed.
He stood up from his seat in the front row and opened his arms just in time to catch her as she flung herself at him. "Ah, now that's better. How you doin'?" he asked squeezing her tightly.
"I am so happy to see you," she said, not willing to let him go just yet. She kissed him on the cheek and then re-buried her head in his burly chest.
"Come on now," he said chuckling and glancing at Aurora and Meagan who were also laughing as they sat down in the row across from them, "it ain't like it's been that long."
"It's been almost four months," she reminded him, finally stepping back. "I am never going that long without seeing you again. Ever."
"All right," he said sitting back down in the window seat so she could sit next to him. "That's cool with me."
As Cadence buckled her seatbelt, she let out a long sigh of relief. "I was so upset about having to leave, and now you're here..., and everything is okay."
"That's my job," he replied, taking her slender fingers in his and giving them a squeeze. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder, and he gently kissed the top of her head. "For what it's worth, I missed you a little bit, too."
She glanced up at him. "Yeah? Just a little bit?"
He made a gesture with his thumb and finger to show her the measurement. "You know, just a smidge."
"Good," she said with a satisfied smile. "It's nice to know somebody misses me when I'm gone."
If it was a chide at Aaron, he didn't take it that way, and they spent the rest of the plane ride home catching up on everything that had been going on. Cadence let him know about her budding relationship with Cale, including how hard it had been to say goodbye just then--to which he scoffed and said the good doctor better get used to missing her--and he let her know everything he could about the situation with Laura, which wasn't too much more than she already knew. When she brought up the idea of borrowing Cale’s helicopters to help track Giovani, Elliott thought it was worth mentioning to Aaron, so Cadence planned to talk to him about it when she got a chance.
When they landed, Cadence was surprised to see their friends were out in force to greet the returning Hunters. Jamie, Christian, Hannah, and Shane were all there, excited to have them back home, even if it was just for a little while. Cadence realized pretty quickly that Shane was specifically there to see Meagan, which was fine with her. She was very excited to see Jamie and Hannah, and disguised her continued contempt for Christian the best she could.
"All right, kid, this is where I leave you," Elliott said once they had reached her penthouse apartment.
"You're not coming in?" she asked, stunned. She had her hand on the doorknob, but she hadn't unlocked it yet; she had a very odd feeling about being home again--it seemed surreal.
"Sorry. I've got some work to do before the meeting. But I'll meet you over there at six o'clock," he replied, an apologetic look on his face.
She moaned and dropped her shoulders the way one might do with a push-over parent. "You're going to make me walk to Aaron's office by myself?"
"It's only one hundred yards away," he said in a mocking voice.
"But he'll be there," she groaned, piling her forehead into his chest.
"Then don't be early," he replied, wrapping his arms around her.
"But I'm always early."
Her voice was muffled by his chest, but he could still understand her. "Cadence, come on now, be a good girl and go inside. I'll see you in a little while."
She exhaled loudly with a, "Hmph," before stepping back and crossing her arms. "Fine. Go do your thing. Whatever," she said, clearly teasing.
He laughed. "I'll see you, kid," he said before pecking her on the cheek and retreating into the elevator.
Cadence turned and eyed her apartment door. She hadn't lived here long, but there were so many memories, both good and bad, and they all seemed significant. She finally used her IAC to unlock the door and went in.
Everything was exactly the same as she left it, and it was clear someone had been cleaning it for her. One thing caught her eye immediately, however. On the coffee table sat a bouquet of purple tulips, her favorite. There was no card, but she had no doubt whom they were from.
She used the time she had to check in with her parents and attempt to take a nap before showering to wash the plane ride off, changing into a short-sleeved royal blue dress, grabbing a bite to eat from the fully stocked kitchen, and finally deciding to head over to Aaron's office, aware she would be early.
She just hoped that Eliza wouldn't be there already.
