Best of Me

Chapter 26

Cora was awakened by Garrett bringing her a cup of coffee. She looked around her in confusion as she accepted the steaming mug. It was still odd to wake up with Garrett. She pulled the sheet around herself as she sat up in bed, pushing her hair out of her face as she took a sip of the warm beverage.

"What time is it?" she looked for her clock but it was missing.

"If you'd stop throwing your clock at me you'd know what time it is, wouldn't you?"

Cora shot him a glare as she sipped her coffee, not at all pleased with the point he was making. "I think I'll just buy more clocks, you're much too tempting of a target to stop."

"It's early, not yet seven." He answered her earlier question, smiling at her smart comment.

Cora took in his suit and tie, it looked as if he had been up for a while.

He must have sensed her unspoken question, "I have to catch a flight to New York this morning. We're transferring Rain and her husband to the new office there." He sat on the bed next to her watching her carefully.

"This is your way of handling Shane?"

"Yes, it's a promotion for Rain, who is a dedicated employee and one I can trust. She's very pleased by the move. It will also keep me from personally attacking the man and landing myself in a lawsuit, if not jail."

Cora rolled her eyes. "You're far too controlled for that to ever happen."

"I wouldn't count on that, especially when it comes to you and your safety." He looked as if he was going to say more but he quickly changed the subject. "What are your plans for today?"

"I thought I would visit Ms. Patty, Dr. Foley, and Aunt Mable."

He frowned as she said Aunt Mable's name. "Are you sure you want to see Aunt Mable? You know she'll only upset you."

Cora shrugged, she wasn't sure about anything and he was probably right, Aunt Mable would most definitely upset her, but she was determined to start facing her fears.

"Well if you do visit her, let me know what happens." He took a last sip of his coffee before he sat his mug down on the night stand. "And let me know if there's anything she needs." He stood and walked over to the dresser grabbing his watch. "I hope to be back this evening but it might take longer. I'll know more this afternoon."

Cora nodded, knowing she was going to miss him. Loving him for the way he was still willing to help Aunt Mable, despite all that had happened.

"Will you really be alright with it, if I decide to do this deal with Theodora and the university?" he asked.

"Yes, I would be upset if you didn't." She nodded, sure of her answer. She didn't want to be the reason he lost his best friend.

"If that's the case, there is a fundraiser for the university on Friday. It's a black-tie affair and I'll need a date."

"You will?" Cora couldn't help the smile.

"I will." He walked back towards the bed. "I'm thinking ball gown and glass slippers, the whole bit."

"Who am I Cinderella?" She snorted.

"Yes, Cinderella but with a wicked throwing arm and an attitude." He grinned.

Cora shook her head. "And I suppose your Prince Charming."

He leaned in and placed a kiss on her lips that was swoon worthy, "Yep, my white horse is down in the parking garage, waiting to take me to the airport."

Cora laughed outright at the image he put in her mind. "God, I love you."

As soon as she said the words she froze, her eyes darting up to Garrett to see if her had heard her. He looked stunned so he must have. She jumped out of bed and darted to the bathroom slamming the door behind her. Her heart was racing. Why, oh why, had she said that, everything was ruined.

"Cora." She heard Garrett call softly through the door.

"You'd better go, you might miss your plane." Her voice was barely a squeak.

He was silent for a moment. "Fine, I'll go but not before you tell me that you'll miss me and promise me that you'll be here when I get back." There was an urgency to his voice that she couldn't ignore and it gave her hope.

"I'll miss you Garrett and I promise, I'll be here when you get back."

"Now open the door and kiss me," he demanded.

"No."

She heard him chuckle, "I'll miss you too beautiful Cora, more than you know."

Cora had a hard time catching her breath as she heard Garrett's words, by the time they took root and she had decided to throw herself in his arms and kiss him goodbye she heard the door to the bedroom close. What had she been thinking? The problem was that she hadn't been thinking. It had seemed the most natural thing in the world to say that she loved him, but he hadn't said that he loved her. However, he had said that he would miss her and he had called her beautiful.

*******

Garrett looked at the closed door and then at his watch. He really had to catch his flight and experience told him that Cora wasn't going to come out until she was ready to do so, and he knew if he tried to go in he would end up with everything she could lay her hands on hurtling towards his head.

His heart was full to bursting and he wanted to shout that he loved her too, but he'd be damned if the first time he told her that he loved her would be through a bathroom door. He wanted her in his arms and he wanted to do it in their house.

He forced himself to take a deep breath and walk away. It worried him that she was going to see Aunt Mable. It also worried him that she would start to over think things and be gone when he got back, but he would have to trust that she loved him enough to stay.

Trust, it was the key.