Chapter 13
WADE WATCHED THE FLOOR NUMBERS change on the Grantham Industries elevator and tapped one hand in agitation.
“Why are you so nervous?” Shelby looked up at him, the corners of her mouth in a smirk. Definitely a smirk.
“You look like the cat that caught the canary.” He bent to kiss her forehead. “Anything I should know?”
“No. I’m just happy.”
“Me too.” Wade put his arm around her shoulders.
Shelby turned and slid her arms under his suit jacket and around his waist. She tilted up her chin, expectant. Grinning, Wade teased the corner of her mouth with his lips, barely touching her skin. He loved the way she seemed to fold into him, stretching to get closer. She only put up with it for a couple of seconds and reached up to pull him to her. As he deepened the kiss and held her closer, his heart swelled with gratitude. He still struggled to believe he’d won her back.
The elevator dinged, and he broke the kiss, trying to straighten. She held on to him.
“Are you sure about this?” she whispered.
“Oh, yeah.” He pressed his lips to hers again before turning to face the now-open elevator door.
Ava Martinez rose from a waiting room chair, dressed in the formal Grantham security uniform. She wore a sling, and Wade thought she still looked a little pale. Shelby let go of his hand and ran to her. They hugged and Shelby reached out for him to join them.
“How are you feeling?” He shook Martinez’s hand.
“Another month, and I should be ready to start physical therapy. Still hurts.”
“Mr. Grantham will see you now,” Alan’s secretary said.
Wade looked at Shelby, and they both heaved a deep sigh. With clasped hands, they approached the door, held open by a security guard.
Shelby looked back at Martinez. “Aren’t you coming?”
Martinez grinned. “I didn’t know I was invited.”
“Girl, you’re family. Get in here.”
***
As soon as they crossed the threshold, Shelby let go of Wade’s hand and ran to hug her father.
“Let me look at you.” She pulled back a little, scrutinizing his face. “Your color looks great.” Shelby pinned him with a hard stare. “How long have you been back to work?”
“Monday was my first day, just like I promised you.”
“How are you sleeping?” she asked.
“Shel, give the man some room to breathe.” Wade came up behind her and extended his hand to Alan.
She took a step back and watched as the two men chatted. It made her happy to see them getting on so well. What had Wade been so nervous about? She glanced around the room. Had it really only been a month ago that she’d come into the conference room to find Wade here? She felt like a different person from that woman.
As she’d sat with Wade in the hospital waiting room during her father’s angioplasty procedure, Shelby had realized she was just done. Done with feeling sorry for herself, done with blaming people for her rotten childhood. Done with being mad at the people she loved. Done with letting her mother’s unhealthy view of the world dictate Shelby’s. She’d chosen happiness instead.
“I’m glad you could join us, Martinez,” Alan finally said as he took the seat at his desk. “Won’t you three please sit down?”
“What’s up, Dad?” Shelby smiled at how that simple word always brightened his face.
“First.” He passed over a piece of paper. “Riah died last week.”
“I hadn’t heard that.” Shelby had liked the woman and wondered if she’d known what her husband and son had meant to do.
