Jerk.
Orchid watched them step away, tentative in their movement as if so wrapped up in each other, they weren’t focused on the task of leaving the party. Phoenix whispered into Liv’s ear and she looked up at him with tenderness. Pain vacuumed air out of her.
At the bar, Orchid changed her mind.
“White wi-ne?” her co-worker asked.
“Double vodka on the rocks,” she ordered, then pushed her way to the bathroom.
CHAPTER 35
YOU DON’T UNDERSTAND ME
Phoenix
Well, that sucked.
Orchid was both at the top and bottom of the list of people Phoenix hoped to see. In some ways, it shouldn’t have been a surprise to see her at an event hosted by the media agency for her brands. And she looked beautiful, except for the loser she was with.
Rina had recently convinced Phoenix to work toward giving up his cane, which was not a problem in most places. He’d been proud that at this point he barely had a limp. However, when they arrived, Phoenix took one look at the dense, jostling crowd and pictured an inebriated guest sprawling him on his ass.
“Good thing you’re here,” Phoenix said to Liv.
“Oh yeah?” she asked, lifting a brow. “Emergency email? Need a deck sent to a client?”
“Nope, has more to do with your boss’ limitations.” She shot him a look.
“Listen, I’m not so good without my cane in crowds. Even without a drink. I don’t want to end up on the floor in there.”
She wiped all attitude off her face. “Sure, Mr. Walker, what do you need?” She looked him up and down with concern.
He swallowed, hating to break his hardheaded promise of complete independence. “I don’t want any calls to HR on Monday about harassment,” he instructed. “I’m just going to put my arm around you for support, okay?”
“Of course, sure,” she agreed. He leaned on her, and she gingerly slipped her arm around his waist.
“I just need to find my digital director. Then I’m leaving, but you can stay to network if you want,” he said. After all, that’s why he’d brought Liv instead of Rina.
“This is not really my scene,” Liv admitted, after they’d chatted with his media guy.
On their way out, he spotted Orchid in the crowd in an instant. He saw her ebony hair, kohl rimmed eyes and punk-vibe attire with clarity against the whirl of activity around her. As he leaned in to kiss her hello, he could smell her rose soap. His name fell from her lips as if it were only the two of them in that raucous hall. She looked at him with love. Sweet protectiveness, longing and lust slapped him as hard as if no time had passed since the last time they’d seen each other.
His resolve nearly became untethered because, after all, he was doing better. Nadine was right; his life was coming back together. Rina showed him that maybe his injuries weren’t a big deal. They didn’t hold him back from doing the things couples do. And though he wouldn’t want to disappoint Rina, their easy courtship fell in a different sphere than the lush feelings that Orchid evoked. His jumbled thoughts arced along a hopeful trajectory.
That is, until he saw Orchid’s expression as she stared at the spot where his left hand should be.
She looked like she’d be sick, just as he expected. She stared so long, she looked like she might cry. Her expression punched him in the gut. His dreams mocked. She’d flee in horror at the full truth of his missing pieces.
Wanting this to work was as foolhardy as finding a drop of hope in an ocean of sadness.
CHAPTER 36
YOU’VE GOT HER IN YOUR POCKET
Phoenix
SUNDAY DECEMBER 23
Afew nights later, the sting of Orchid’s repulsion had dulled but not dissipated.
