“You’re such a smart aleck. Just answer the question.”
His small smile sent goosebumps dancing across her arms. “I do.”
“Good.” She held out her palm. “Give me your keys.”
“What?” he said through a surprised laugh.
Palm out, she wagged her fingers toward herself. “You said you trusted me, and I’m going to hold you to that. Hand them over, mister.”
He considered her for a long moment before huffing out an overdramatic sigh. Fishing his keys from his pocket, he dropped them onto her hand.
She held her head high in mock smugness, though he still had several inches on her, and started walking toward his SUV parked at the curb. “Okay, let’s go.”
“Wow, I never imagined Brad living in such a swanky place.” Christian eyed the lady palms lining the front circle drive of an upscale apartment complex in Downtown Los Angeles. The buildings resembled an old Spanish mission with varying shades of brown brick and round windows on every floor. Four levels of balconies completed the look.
Hallie tossed an amused side-eye in his direction. “What makes you think this is Brad’s apartment?”
“Let’s see. We stopped at a store to pick up the same ginger chews my ex used to eat to ease her pregnancy nausea.” He held up the items in question. “And Cassie just happens to be pregnant and nauseated. It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together.”
They stopped at the wide glass doors lined with black trim making up the entrance. “Please don’t be mad,” she said hastily. “You told me yesterday that you wished you could work things out with him. And I was planning on stopping by this weekend anyway. I thought talking would help you take some of the stress off your shoulders.”
He bumped her shoulder playfully. “I’m not mad.”
How could he be? One by one, she’d been filling his needs, even those he didn’t realize he carried. She always seemed to know what to say to quiet the storm churning inside him. She’d willingly stepped in to watch the girls, despite the extra hardship it caused her. And now, she was providing a path to reconciliation with his former friend simply to unburden him. Was it any wonder why he craved her presence even when she wasn’t around?
He resisted the overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around her. Their embrace in Hallie’s kitchen had been nice, but with everythingso uncertain between them, he thought it best to keep the touching to a minimum.
“Hold this.” Hallie handed the Tupperware container to him so she could pull out what looked like a hotel key from her wallet-sized cross-body clutch. She swiped it across the reader behind a potted plant. The front door clicked.
“You have a key to their building?” Christian asked as they stepped inside the lobby.
She tucked the card back into the zippered front pocket of her bag. “Brad gave it to me a few weeks ago when I stayed with Cassie while he was out of town. He let me keep it, so she doesn’t have to come down to let me in every time I stop by. The buzzer in their apartment has been acting up.”
“Do you come often?”
“Every few weeks to help out.” She shrugged. “Cassie’s been so sick, they could use it.”
He shook his head, watching her with awe. “You’re amazing. Do you know that? Is there anyone you haven’t helped?”
A blush stole across her cheeks. “I don’t like seeing the people I care about struggle.”
That simple comment made Christian’s breath catch. Did that include him?
They crossed the spacious lobby with its plush chairs and chic black-and-white accents. A crystal chandelier hung above the furniture. They took one of the elevators behind the front desk to the fourth floor. Brad’s apartment was tucked in a quiet corner on the far side of the building.
“Hal!” A wide grin stretched across his square jaw when he opened the door. He gave his cousin a one-armed side hug. “Cassie said you might be coming.”
Hallie held out the Tupperware container. “I brought food. Lasagna from Sunday dinner.”
An appreciative growl sounded low in his throat. “You’re always welcome when you come with food.” His gaze flicked to Christian, a question entering his blue eyes. “It’s good to see you, man. Come in.”
They stepped inside, and Christian’s eyes scanned the open living space of the tastefully decorated apartment. A collage of wedding photos adorned the wall separating the living and dining areas from the kitchen. Along the far wall, thick slatted blinds closed over what looked to be a picture window. The simple, yet elegant accents around the room had Cassie’s decorative eye written all over it. Except for the flatscreen television hanging on another wall, broadcasting the USC football game on mute. That was all Brad.
While Brad disappeared into the kitchen with the lasagna, Hallie headed straight to Cassie, who sat crossways on the long side of the gray sectional, her knees bent toward her chest. A powder blue fleece blanket covered her legs, and she wore an oversized USC sweatshirt, one she’d most likely stolen from her husband. A tablet was propped against her thighs.
“We brought the ginger chews you asked me to pick up.” Hallie handed her the grocery sack before sitting on the small end of the sectional.
Cassie set down her stylus and peeked inside. “Thanks. My neighbor swears by them when she’s pregnant. My body has debunked every other tried-and-true method, so I’m willing to try anything at this point.”
