Sweet As You

(14) Kathie Jane

Kathie Jane

I got off the cab, glaring at the drizzle that rolled in a little over eleven in the evening. I left Leah's party around ten, waited until the traffic subsides to hail a cab because I had a few drinks.

I push the door open, bracing my coat to take most of the light rain. I handed the fare, my foot hesitantly touching the paved ground. The other followed suit. My hand went over to cover the top of my head, if it were any help.

A shadow made me look up. I thought it would be one of the concierges, offering me an umbrella.

But, no.

None of the staff wore stiff poker face 24/7. They don't wear dark suits and ties in neutral colors. Plus, no one looks better in those tedious attires than my neighbor.

Cade Parkinson stood there, holding an umbrella. One umbrella. The fact that he intends to share an umbrella with me won't be a surprise if he hadn't acted like he didn't know me earlier today – which reminds me, I shouldn't be 'delighted' he went out of his way to share an umbrella however badly I want to do a happy dance.

"Hey, guy I don't know." I look up, trying not to smile – just this once.

His hand gently went around my elbow as he leads me to revolving doors of the building, holding the umbrella over us. He also just got home too.

"You decided to help out a stranger all of sudden?"

Cade shakes his head. "You make it sound like a bad thing."

"Well, it's a bad thing to talk to strangers." My arms crosses over chest.

"What are you talking about?" He closes the umbrella when we made inside.

I walked ahead of him, greeting John on the front desk. I feel Cade just a step behind. Of all days I hoped to share an elevator with him, he chose the day when I'm not liking him very much. I jab on the button, tapping my foot impatiently.

"You in a hurry to get to bed?"

"No. I'm not happy with you today."

"You're happy with me every other day? Why?" He folds his umbrella neatly.

My lips pursed. "You know what you did."

He shot me a look that wasn't readable at all.

"You pretended not to know me." I throw my hands in the air out of frustration.

His eyes flicked away.

"And you lied to me." My arms tucked over my chest again. It was my futile attempt for aloofness. And I'm bad at it.

"Lied about what?"

"You're dating Margot Fletcher. I understand that you're a very private person but you shouldn't have lied. I wouldn't tell a soul if you asked me to keep it a secret."

"What?" His brows wrinkled.

I glare at him. "Liar."

"First of all, Margot Fletcher and I are not dating. She's a client."

My arms slid to my sides. "And secondly?"

He sighed.

"Secondly?" I prodded.

He looks away. "Secondly, if anyone knows you're a neighbor I wouldn't be left alone because people are crazy about you."

"They're not."

Cade snorted. "Right. And can you promise I wouldn't be dragged around in conversations with people wanting to know your goings-on?"

It was my turn to look away. Actually, now that I think about it, it does become a hassle on his part. "You weren't being mean when you pretended you don't know me?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

He merely shakes his head, gesturing at the elevator when it finally clambered down the lobby. I stepped in. He followed.

I was in a better mood when we made it to our floor. "So, Cadey, how's your day?"

"Fine," he murmurs, eyes focusing ahead.

We walked side by side down the hallway. He stays on his side of the hall and I stayed on mine. "Really? How bad? Scale of one to ten."

"Nine."

I scoot further to him, invading not his personal space but just his side of the hallway.

"What are you doing, Kathie Jane?"

I smiled up to him. "Sharing hallways with you."

"Ridiculous." He shakes his head, cute hollows on his cheeks that could potentially be a set of dimples accompanied a ghost of a smile.

I almost squealed at the thought of 'potential dimples.' Cade Parkinson has something more than he's letting on.

There's a little flutter in my belly that I never had since middle school. 

14