Andy still couldn’t believe that she hadn’t suffered more significant injuries in the accident. Someone had been looking out for Narelle, and whoever that was, Andy was immensely grateful for them.
Considering what he’d done in the past, and what he still did, believing in other worldly beings keeping people safe could be considered fanciful by others. For Andy, though, his instincts had saved him more than once, so he wouldn’t dismiss others having guardian angels looking after them.
“Follow me.” Tabby started walking toward the back of the café. “Everyone is here waiting.”
“Everyone?” Narelle asked, her brow furrowing in confusion. “I thought it was just us having lunch together.”
“My team wanted to celebrate your release,” he responded simply.
“They did? But they don’t know me that well.”
Andy brushed his fingers down her cheek, his skin tingling at the touch, and a flash of desire flowed through him. “You’re important to me, which makes you a part of our team.” He could seeshe wanted to protest more, but he shook his head. “They wanted to do this for you.”
“Okay.” She still looked uncertain. Tabby was watching them, and he appreciated that she hadn’t interrupted them to see what was going on.
“We can leave whenever you’re ready. If you only want to stay ten minutes, and then head to my place, we’ll do that. Whatever you want, you let me know.”
The last thing he wanted was for her to feel uncomfortable around his friends. He hadn’t lied when he’d told Narelle she was important to him. Over the past two weeks, they’d talked a lot in the hospital. Learned a lot about each other. He found he liked and admired her even more than he thought was possible.
“I don’t want to disappoint them by leaving early. It’s sweet of them to do this for me.” She smiled up at him, and he studied her for a few seconds, looking to see if she was just saying the words to make him happy, or she really meant them.
Her gaze was clear. The uncertainty that had clouded her blue eyes, was gone.
“Okay, then, let’s go see what feast Tabby has cooked up for us. I guarantee we’ll be leaving here with enough food to feed us for the next week, if Iknow my boss’s wife. She’s a nurturer and we’re her family.”
As predicted, they left Tabby’s restaurant with three carry bags full of food. The afternoon had been wonderful. The guys had all joked around with Narelle, and she’d given as good back to them.
Even Margot, the company’s receptionist, had joined in. Andy had seen the way Damon watched her when he didn’t think anyone else was looking. His friend generally kept to himself, so his interest in Margot was a surprise.
Narelle yawned as he pulled out of the parking lot, not surprised at all by her fatigue. She’d been wavering as the afternoon progressed. “You lasted a lot longer than I thought you would,” he said, as he checked the traffic and pulled out.
“What? Did you think I was only going to last a half hour? Did you think I wasn’t going to like your friends and demand we leave?” There was a bite to her tone, and he took a second to think over what he’d said that may have upset her.
“Oh wait, no I didn’t mean it in a bad way. I justthought you’d get tired quicker.” Fuck, that didn’t sound any better.
“You need a shovel to help you dig that hole a bit deeper?”
He glanced at Narelle, relief slamming into him when he saw the cheeky smile on her face. “I think I’m doing an admirable job myself.”
Narelle laughed, and he joined in, happy she’d somehow landed back in his life.
He wasn’t going to be so stupid as to do anything to jeopardize the growing relationship between them. He wanted a future with her, and he hoped that she wanted the same with him.
Chapter
Sixteen
Narelle was slowly going stir crazy. She’d been living with Andy for the last past four days. Everything had been going well, except she was in one bedroom, and he was in another.
Every morning, after he showered and he wandered into the kitchen, the spicy cologne he wore teased her senses, and she was transported back to the night they’d spent together and she wanted to haul him close and kiss him senseless.
What would he do if she did that?
She had a broken leg and arm. Although her arm wasn’t causing her much distress or pain. She was putting a bit more weight on the limb, even thoughthe doctor had cautioned her to be careful, and she was, but she was also pushing herself a bit too. Her body wasn’t complaining with the little extra she was doing. If there had been any indication her efforts were going to cause the injury to not repair, she wouldn’t continue with it, but there was nothing.
Narelle sighed as she scooted down the hallway from her bedroom to the kitchen to get a cup of coffee.
It was empty, but she could see the bowl Andy had used for breakfast sitting in the sink. He’d been working from his home office since she’d gotten out of hospital, and she assumed that was where he was now.
