“WELL,” LILLIAN GRINNED at the road as they hopped into the car, “that was fun.”

Cayden, still a little out of breath, nodded.

“Do you feel all right?”

“You bet your boots I do.” He winked and leaned his head back on the seat. “I’m so sleepy now. You tired me right out.”

Lillian looked at the time. “Come on, it’s only six-thirty.” She winked. “I couldn’t have done that much damage.”

“Time has nothing to do with the climax of heavenly pleasure, my dear Lil.” Eyes still closed, he reached a hand over and lay it on her thigh. “I wish we could have gotten started earlier. A nap would be fantastic right now.”

“That’s what planes are for, silly.”

“Yeah, yeah. It just would have been nice to not have to rush. Lounge time afterward is very important, you know. Not just throwing our clothes back on and piling into the car in five minutes.” He sighed. “Anyway, I’ll make it work. So, are you adequately taken care of until I get back this weekend?”

“I think so. When do you get back, exactly?”

“Friday night.”

“I’ll pick you up.”

“If you’re picking me up, do it alone.”

She looked at him, confused. “Huh?”

“So we can find a secret place to park and I’ll show you how much I missed you.”

Lillian squealed. “Someone is feeling super horny today!”

“It all started with a woman who dropped her towel to seduce me.” Cayden shook his head in mock disappointment. “I succumbed.”

“You did what?”

“I—” he started to say again, but realized her lame joke. “You almost got me.”

She stuck her tongue out at him. “So, what’s on the agenda for this week in sunny Los Angeles?”

He groaned. “I don’t want to think about it.”

“Why not? I thought you’d be happy to get back to work.”

“It’s just...” He trailed off and didn’t finish.

Here comes the distance again, she thought, and put her hand on his. “It’s okay if you don’t want to talk about it.”

“No, it’s nothing. Janine just blabbed to all her friends that I found her a replacement trainer, and now all the other clients who were referred to me by Janine want me to find new trainers for them.”

“That’s not too many people, right?”

“Word spreads fast, and now some of Janine’s friends who aren’t even my clients want me to interview trainers and hire the best one.”

Lillian grimaced. “Ouch. How many people does that make?”

“Around fifteen, I think. I don’t know. I’ve lost count. I’m just kind of handling it as it comes.”

“Fifteen?” she exclaimed, her voice echoing through the car. “Cayden, that’s a lot of work for you to do in such a short amount of time.”

“I can’t get it all done this week. I maybe could do two this week. Maybe. And that’s only if I’m lucky. But the pay... it’s freakin’ amazing, so I can’t say no.”

Lillian thought about how long it would take for him to handle the rest of the clients and do all the hiring. “Do you think it will take months until you’re able to move back here?”

He shook his head. “No way. Two or three weeks max is what I’m estimating in my head. I mean it, too, Lil. While I’m interviewing all these guys to be their trainers, I’m making notes on who would go well with which clients. I guess it’s like killing several birds with one stone.”

That makes sense. “Janine must know a lot of people,” she said.

“It’s not just Janine. I have a...” He chewed his lip and stared out the window. “Well, there are a couple of others, too. Katharina’s people, or her people’s people. I don’t even know what it will take to settle them.”

Seeing the stress on his face was slowly grinding away at her mood. She moved her hand to his head and scratched it lightly with her fingernails. “Don’t worry about it,” she told him, keeping her voice as soft as possible. “It will be over soon, and I’ll be here to help however you need me.”

He squeezed her leg affectionately. “Thanks, Lil. I need you to keep going with Andrew and your clients here. And keep your weekends free so we can have enough time together.”

“Of course. I told you we would have plenty of time together.”

“Never enough in my book.” He pulled a bottle of water out of Lillian’s purse and took a long drink. “I will admit, though, that we’ve had more time with each other than I thought we would with Andrew around.”

She nodded. “He sleeps a lot now, but he won’t be able to keep that up for very long. His appointments start this week and—” She sighed. “I can hear him complaining about the exercises already. He hates being kept still, but he thinks physical therapy is overrated.”

“Seriously?”

“Yeah. It’s really frustrating, hearing him say that.”

“I’ll change his mind.” Cayden’s voice deepened, sending shivers down Lillian’s spine.

They were quiet for a minute. She thought carefully how to word what she wanted to say. At last she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. “Hey,” she whispered.

“Hey.”

“Kiss me.”

“Huh?” he asked, taken aback.

“I said, kiss me. Real quick, since I’m driving. But make it sexy as hell.”

“You don’t have to tell me twice.” He leaned over and kissed the corner of her mouth.

Lillian kept her eyes on the road and made thinking noises for a moment. “Hmmm. Yep.”

“Yep what?”

She nodded again. “Just as I suspected.”

“You’re being weird, Lil. What did you suspect?”

“It’s just the same as the first time.”

Cayden chuckled. “Which first time?”

“When you kiss me, I still get butterflies. Just like I did the first time you kissed me.” She had never been more pleased that the car was dark, so he couldn’t tease her about her tomato-red cheeks.

“I do have that effect on people,” he boasted, puffing up his chest. “Oh, I’m in terminal one. This is the turn.”

Lillian parked the car in the temporary parking lot and rushed into the airport with Cayden. He knew exactly where check-in was; Lillian had to practically run to keep up with his long, hurried strides. He had no baggage, so in no time he was ready to walk through security.

They walked around to find the big screen with all the flight statuses displayed. “I don’t see your flight on here,” Lillian said, staring at the screen.

“They change all the numbers on here so fast,” Cayden grumbled. “I don’t even have time to look for mine.”

“Wait!” She grabbed his arm and pointed. “Is that it?”

Cayden mumbled the flight number to himself and nodded. “Yeah, that’s it.”

“It’s due to leave early.”

He grunted. “Well, that’s something new. I guess I’d better walk through now.”

“I don’t want you to,” Lillian pouted as they headed toward security.

Taking her head in his hands, he kissed her on the nose. “I’ll be back this Friday.”

“Text me the details, okay?”

“I’ll send them to you when I’m inside.”

“Are you staying with Janine tonight?”

“Obviously. She wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Lillian put her hands on her stomach. “I’m getting nervous.”

“Why? You’re not even flying.”

“Airports make me nervous. Seeing people off at the airport makes me even more nervous.”

“How about picking them up?”

“The excited kind of nervous, definitely.”

“Think of that, then.” He kissed her again. “No flare-ups. We can’t have you getting sick as soon as I come home this weekend.”

“No flare-ups,” she promised. “Well, I’ll do my best.”

Cayden let go of her and walked through the security gate. He pointed at her stomach, but to any passersby it would have looked like he was pointing at her in general. “No flare-ups!”

Lillian smiled and stood there, watching as he removed his shoes and went through the scanner. Finally, he had all his things back and, with a last look at her, waved and disappeared around the corner.

Hundreds of people were in the airport, all spread out, so it wasn’t too crowded, but enough so there were no empty places to stand or sit. Even with so many breathing bodies around, the energy of the place suddenly seemed so empty and dark. The last time she had been here with Cayden, it was when he was first leaving for Los Angeles. They were still together; she hadn’t sent the breakup text yet. Everything was fine because he promised he would back in no time. Janine had only wanted him for a couple of weeks.

Don’t get caught up in the negatives, she commanded herself. He’s coming back on Friday and I’m going to pick him up. He wants to come home as soon as he can. And he’s not taking new clients; he’s helping the ones he currently has. It was very sweet of him, doing what he was doing. Sure, he was getting paid, but the way he threw his heart and soul into what he did was one of the things about him that inspired her most.

I should tell him that one day, somehow.

She trudged back to the car, feeling lonely. The drive home was quiet since none of the radio stations were playing anything good. After what felt like two hours, she pulled into her driveway. A shape inside the house moved slowly and awkwardly in front of a lamp.

Andrew’s up, she thought, brightening up a little. At least she didn’t have to come home to an empty house—not that the cats didn’t count.

When she walked in, Andrew was standing at the counter, holding his hands over a steaming pot of soup as if he were presenting it in an infomercial.

“What have we here?” Lillian asked, setting down her keys. “It smells great.”

“Canned soup by yours truly.” His face fell, but only just enough that she barely noticed. “I’m glad you’re back, because I can’t figure out how to get it to the table safely.”

“Don’t worry about it. You sit down.” She took a ladle from a porcelain hook on the wall and filled their bowls. “I’m actually surprised you managed to do this much.”

“Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?”

“Oh, quit.” Placing the bowls on the table, she thumped the side of his head. “Have you been asleep all this time?”

“Off and on.”

Please don’t hint that you heard Cayden and me making crazy, steaming love in my bedroom.

He didn’t hint at it, much to her relief. “I read for a couple of hours, tried to get in touch with my parents...”

“Tried? Didn’t they respond?”

“Of course not.” He chuckled. “Which is all right with me, given that they don’t have phone service over there. I don’t even know what time it is where they are.”

“Me neither. My brain hurts trying to calculate it.” Lillian took a drink of water. “Come on, eat up.”

“They landed in Paris, right? Or was it Italy?”

“Paris was their first stop. I’ll have to look at their itinerary to see what comes next.”

Andrew slurped a spoonful of soup. “I’m glad they decided to go, in the end.”

“Same here.”

“I mean, I’m not helpless. Plus, I have you.”

Lillian’s heart skipped a beat. It was only a few months ago that Andrew had confessed his feelings for her, but it might as well have been yesterday. He said he wasn’t sure if it was real or not, she reasoned with herself. It might be because I was close to Amelia, too. “Well,” she blew on her soup and stirred it around, “I can understand why they were hesitant.”

“If I think about it hard enough, I can, but you kind of gave the ultimatum, you know. There was nothing they could have done to change your mind.”

Unsure of what to say, she nodded.

“I’m glad I’m here. I guess that’s sort of what I’m trying to say. And I’m really glad you want me here, although I’m not entirely sure how I can thank you for doing this.”

“Don’t worry about it.” She tried to sound gracious, but it came out short. She took a breath. “We’re going to get you fixed up and back to normal. Speaking of which, your first physical therapy appointment is the day after tomorrow. You also have an appointment to get a brand-spankin’-new brace.”

“Brace?”

“Yes. Not a cast. The break on your femur is too low for a cast.”

“How do you know all this?”

“I am the All-Knowing Lillian. Fear me.” She gulped down more soup. “Hey, this is good. Thank you.”

“It would have been better if I could have chopped up an onion and put it in there.” He frowned at his bowl for a second and then started eating. “It’s not bad, I guess.”

“You’ll be able to chop an onion soon. Who knows, maybe it will be part of your therapy.”

“That’s my kind of therapy. Can I grill a steak while I’m at it?”

Lillian chuckled, glad the part of the conversation edging on his feelings was over. I’m probably just too oversensitive. He must not have meant anything by it.

“So, where’s Cayden? Did he get lost looking for that bag?”

“Actually, he already left. I was driving him to the airport.”

“He left already?”

She nodded. “Yeah, one of clients couldn’t wait another day and a half for him.”

“He’s in high demand, huh?”

“Apparently.” The thought of Cayden being so sought after was oddly arousing. He was hers. He wanted her, and she wanted him back. Out of all the hot models in Los Angeles, he had chosen her—a small, fragile person still battling Crohn’s. How is it possible? Is fate on our side?

“You must be thinking about something good.” Andrew’s voice brought her back.

She looked down and saw she had frozen mid-bite. “Maybe,” she replied with a smile. Andrew gave her a sarcastic look. “Okay, fine. Yes.”

“About what?”

“More like about whom.”

A strange, dull shadow came across Andrew’s eyes. Slowly, like his mind went someplace else temporarily, he took a half-minded sip of water. “When will he be back?”

“Friday night.”

“I, uh...” He faded off until the words came to his throat. “Hey, about last time.”

Please don’t.

“I hope you know that making things awkward is the last thing I meant to do.”

Oh, gosh. She had a hard time looking at him. “I know.”

“I just meant—well, I want to see you happy, Lillian. I don’t want to see you heartbroken again.”

“I know you meant well, Andrew. And it makes me happy that you feel comfortable being honest with me.”

His face suddenly looked worn down. “I don’t want anything to come between us, either. Regardless of how it all ends up.”

“How what ends up?”

“You know,” he fidgeted with the end of his spoon, “whether you end up with Cayden or someone else.”

She tried to finish her soup, but the spoon seemed to weigh two tons. “Andrew,” she said, wishing the words didn’t have to come out of her mouth at all, “Cayden and I are working out. We went through a minor hiccup, that’s all. Long distance is really hard, but we managed to find a way to make it work.”

“Yeah. I know.”

“I’m sorry, Andrew.”

“I meant what I said, though.” Lillian saw that defensive wall of his start to go up. “What I said before. How I see you.”

“It’s probably a psychological thing, Andrew. You and Amelia and I were the three musketeers.”

“Whatever the reason is, it doesn’t change the fact that I meant it.” He faced her, and she saw the longing in his eyes. “I’m not trying to get you to break up with Cayden. Like I said, I wouldn’t want you to be heartbroken again. And I can see that you two really love each other. I’ve said that before.”

Lillian’s reply got lost in a jungle of things she wanted to say. They looked at each other, trying to find words in the thick silence between them. “It will always be Cayden, Andrew.” She desperately hoped the words were soft enough that his heart didn’t get scratched. “I will always love you and your parents as my family. You were all there for me when I had no one—from the very beginning.”

Andrew nodded, and looked at the floor.

“It’s okay,” she said. “Let’s finish eating. I’m serious about you being honest with me. It means a lot to me.”

It took him a while, but finally he straightened up. “Let’s finish. Sorry I interrupted the meal.”

“You didn’t. Don’t worry. What are your plans tonight?”

“Plans? Well, first I’m going to bar hop, and end the night walking by the river.”

“Wow. That was such dry humor I can’t even feel my tongue.”

“You’re welcome.” He picked up his bowl and drank the rest of his soup. “I was thinking we could watch a movie or something else brainless. Since I’m not being brainless enough already, you know.”

“Reading isn’t brainless. Don’t insult my books!”

“Fine, fine. I guess I just feel brainless since I’ve been moping around.”

“You can barely walk, Andrew. That’s hardly classified as moping around.”

“Would you stop countering all my arguments?” He gave her a little push. “I’m trying to be helpless here.”

“But you just said a few minutes ago that you aren’t helpless.”

“Oh, man!” he shouted jokingly, throwing his hands in the air. “I’m done. Even my humor is failing.”

“It’s not really failing. It’s just extra dry. Which is saying something.”

He paused. “Okay, I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“Good. Do you want any more soup?” She stood up and looked over into the pot. “It looks like there’s only a little left.”

“Nah, I’m okay. I’m not moving around enough to eat more than this.”

“Diva.”

“You need it more than I do.” He pointed all the way down her body. “I’m just kidding. You actually look really good, Lillian. Much healthier than before.”

“Really?”

“Yeah, you do. It’s good to see you getting better.”

“It’s been a long road.” She gathered the bowls and took them to the sink. “These meds seem to be going really well with me, and I haven’t developed any more trigger foods. That I know of, at least.”

“Awesome,” Andrew replied, obviously distracted. She looked behind her and saw him trying to grip his crutches right and position them under his arms.

I won’t bother him while he’s thinking so hard. When she heard him take the first step, she told him to go pick a movie. He disappeared into the living room, leaving her alone in the kitchen to rinse the dishes and wipe the table. She was done quickly, and found herself staring at the night sky out the kitchen window. The tops of the evergreen trees swayed in a little wind that hadn’t reached the ground yet.

Come back in a hurry, she thought to Cayden, wondering if he was in the air yet. I can’t stand this distance much longer.

“I found it!” Andrew yelled. “Are you done?”

“Coming,” she shouted back, wringing out the dish rag one more time. The warm water felt so good running over her cold fingers; it reminded her of the shower earlier—and the fun events that had happened next. I could do that again now.

“You look kind of tired,” Andrew commented as she walked into the living room, seating herself on the couch next to him.

I had my own kind of hardcore workout earlier, she thought, fighting the urge to say it out loud. She stifled a secretive smile. “I’m all right,” she said instead. “Ready for the work week ahead. Press play now; I’m ready to watch!”

Andrew didn’t question further and started the movie, flipping off the lamp beside him. Gray Cat climbed into his lap and demanded to be pet while the movie played.

Within half an hour, Lillian was fast asleep.

***

SHE WOKE UP AS THE sun had just risen above the treetops. Stretching her back and feeling the blood flood back into her limbs, she looked around at the warm morning light that cast the living room in a rich layer of gold. A thick blanket was covering her; a pillow from her bed had somehow made it to the couch.

How did he do that? she wondered drowsily. He must be figuring out his crutches much faster than we expected.

The couch seemed to hug her body; she didn’t want to move the warm blanket from on top of her, but the sunrays were going to heat the room up before too long. Shaking her head to wake up a little, she looked at her phone. Good, it’s not too late. Her routine wasn’t going to be thrown for a loop after all.

Dragging her feet to the kitchen, she was met by the two cats talking to her and wrapping themselves around her ankles. “I hear you, kitties,” she croaked at them, giving them a stroke before starting the coffee machine. “Breakfast time! Go to your bowls.”

They stayed by her feet, harassing her until the food was actually in their dishes. She smiled as she watched them chomp away at their breakfast. Bending down, she gave them a last pet right along their backbone, using the back of her fingernails to lightly rake their skin. Their backs arched with her hand and they purred, but their focus on eating wasn’t swayed.

Lillian stood, moving into a patch of sun hitting the floor, and stretched again. Quiet mornings like this were the best; something about the feel of chilly air and a warm house inspired her. Be good, she thought to the day.

She washed her face and changed into leggings and one of Cayden’s sweatshirts. It fit him perfectly, fitted enough to show off his physique but loose enough that he didn’t seem pretentious. It hung off Lillian’s frame like a potato sack, but she didn’t care. It was warm and soft, and it smelled like him—and there was no way he was ever getting it back. Geez, she thought, looking at her reflection as she hugged the sweatshirt around her body. Letting myself miss him is really different than constantly telling myself that I’m better off without him.

As she walked back to pour herself a mug of coffee, she noticed a few things on the floor that might get in Andrew’s way while he was getting accustomed to the crutches. The sun was bright, filling the house now, and she reveled in its warmth on her body while she tidied up.

Stacking a few random cables in the hall closet, she listened carefully for any signs of life from Andrew. His room was quiet; she wondered what time he had gone to bed. Maybe he read for a long time after the movie. She did feel a bit sorry for him. Reading all the time and not being able to move much can’t be any fun for him. Andrew had always been a pretty active person. Seeing him so stationary was as odd for her almost as much as it must have been for him.

She ate a bowl of granola with bananas, yogurt, and almond milk while she stood at the window and watched birds congregate in a tree outside. The way they interacted was so interesting, and she thought about starting a little journal about their activity every morning. As she swallowed the last bite, she filled the bowl with water in the sink and wrote down what she had eaten in her food journal. I will dare to put a check mark beside this, she announced to herself triumphantly. No triggers here. Good job, guts!

Her phone beeped before she could sit at her laptop and start to work. Hoping it was Cayden, she danced over to the counter and opened the message.

Good morning, gorgeous!

Her heart leapt to see the message from him. Hey sexy! How was the flight?

Smooth, he replied. I took a great nap.

I fell asleep on the couch.

Does the bed still have our scent?

Feeling cheeky, she went to her room and sent him a photo of her bed, still in disarray from their romp last night. I don’t know about your gym, she typed to him, but here’s mine.

He responded quickly. Best gym ever. She started to message him back when a photo of some gym equipment came through. Staring at it for a minute, she gave up.

Try as I might, she told him, I can’t name one of those machines. Where’s the treadmill?

Obviously, I have a lot more to teach you, came his message.

I’ve learned about flowers and gardening from you, sir, but when it comes to exercising, I’m lost. I’ll take a good old-fashioned workout in the bed anytime.

Count me in with that! Hey look, I’m with your favorite person. She waited for the photo to come through, and it shortly did. It was a photo of Katharina, looking as gorgeous as ever as she posed on a bench next to some weights.

“How does she look so beautiful?” Lillian murmured to herself. Deciding to play along, she set the phone on the coffee table in the living room and put on the self-timer, running to lounge on the couch before it took the photo. She laughed out loud to herself when she saw it. “Ridiculous,” she muttered, and sent it to Cayden.

A stream of photos came within the next few minutes, most of them Katharina bench-pressing and one of Cayden’s hand holding a big dumbbell and of course flexing his bicep. Scrolling through the pictures of Katharina, looking elegant every single time, Lillian’s smile faded. Katharina definitely knew how to angle her body and always make a level face. No wonder she had so much attention from the public and from guys; everything about her was perfect.

Los Angeles seems like it only works for beautiful people, she thought bitterly. Of course, Cayden would do well living and working there full-time.

Another photo came through, this time a selfie of Cayden and Katharina. They were both making silly faces, but of course she still looked like a model. Lillian looked at it for a long time, absorbing every detail. He looks so good next to beautiful women. I just don’t get what’s so special about me.

He loves you, came the voice of reason in her head. As usual, it sounded like Amelia’s voice. Don’t get negative about this.

Lillian grappled with her emotions for a minute before texting him back. More of you, please!

Very quickly, her phone beeped again. She opened the photo and felt her heart pound. Obviously, Katharina, with all her knowledge about angles and positioning the body, had taken it; Lillian was glad she got to receive the picture, but knowing Katharina was alone in the gym with Cayden—looking as hot as he did—darkened her mood.

Maybe that’s how he feels about me being alone with Andrew.

She couldn’t take her eyes off the picture, though. He just looked so damn fine, casually leaning against the rack of weights in Katharina’s fancy personal gym. The muscles in his arms and chest were rippling beneath his tank top. His hips were poking slightly forward, and he was flexing his thighs. The gym shorts he was wearing accentuated his lower half in all the right ways; she felt desire pulse hot through her body.

Come home quick so I can devour you. How did I get so lucky?

I ask myself the same thing every day, came his response, and she could almost hear his laugh—the one that lightened up any self-absorbed comment he made.

I’ll pretend you mean that about me, she texted back with a wink.

I absolutely do. I also mean it about myself.

Get back to your workout and call me later! I have some work to do now.

He sent another photo, again taken by Katharina. This time he was kneeling in front of a treadmill that had an endless number of buttons and tiny screens. He was making a sexy face but giving the camera a thumb’s up.

Found your treadmill, his message read, and another one came through right behind. Hi, dear!

She knew it was Katharina. Hey! How are you?

I miss you so much, darling. My friends are asking about your availability. Please let me know when you can come.

I will, she replied. I’m taking care of Andrew now but as soon as I’m free I’ll tell you. Thank you so much again for helping me before.

Good. Tell me. The message was simple and there was no goodbye. Cayden followed up. She’s not one for formal greetings or farewells.

I know, Lillian sent. It’s funny but it still throws me off every time.

You’ll get used to it the longer you know her. I need to head off now, too. Call you later.

Don’t let the hot Los Angeles models get you, she typed, and debated for a second if she should send it or not. She did.

What hot models? You’re the only one catching my eye. He sent a heart, and Lillian smiled as she set her phone down.

Don’t worry about it, she told herself, setting her eyes on the birds out the window again. Just wait until Friday.