The Broken Road (The Broken Series) (17 page)

“Turn
left out of the parking lot. Then turn left when you hit Route 1. You’ll go
through a couple of traffic lights before you see PetSmart and Target in a
shopping center on your right,” Kadyn noted before settling into his seat. The
conversation stalled while he played with my phone. He looked up when I pulled
into the PetSmart parking lot. “What kind of dog do you have?”

I
glanced at him as we climbed out of the jeep. “How did you know I have a dog?”

He
handed me the phone. “There’s a ball in the back seat.”

I
shook my head and laughed. Kadyn was proving insanely observant. “I have a Shih
Tzu. He’s essentially a nine pound ball of fur with a ninety pound
personality.”

Kadyn
smiled as we began walking toward the store. “What’s his name?”

I
chuckled softly. “His name is Cade.” I snuck a sidelong glance at Kadyn to see
how he’d respond to having nearly the same name as my dog.

Kadyn
stopped walking. “You can’t be serious.”

I
laughed at the look on his face. “Actually, I am. His registered name is Master
Cade Tasha’s Pride.”

“Well,
that certainly explains the attitude,” Kadyn remarked as he resumed walking.

Kadyn
and I stopped to look at the birds before I grabbed a few things for Cade. He
carried the dog food back out to the jeep. We tossed the dog food, shampoo, and
squeaky toy into the back of my jeep before we walked over to Target.

Kadyn
helped me pick out a birthday present for Siobhan. We settled on a glow in the
dark teddy bear that she could color with markers. He went to the electronics
department to grab some ink cartridges for his printer while I picked out a
card and some wrapping paper for Siobhan. We checked out, then walked back over
to the PetSmart parking lot.

I
set my shopping bags in the back of the jeep. “Where did you grow up, Kadyn?”

He
glanced at me as we climbed into the jeep. “I grew up just outside of Chicago,
in Aurora, Illinois.”

I
slid the key into the ignition, then backed out of the parking space. “So, what
made you decide to join the Air Force and study at the academy?”

A
huge smile spread across Kadyn’s face. “How do you know I went to the academy?”

Heat
flooded my cheeks. “I asked my friend, Dan, to check you out. He’s a Navy
veteran.”

Kadyn
chuckled. “I guess we’re even then.” He paused as he glanced at an incoming
text on his cell phone. “The Air Force Academy has one of the best computer
science programs in the country, and I wanted to play for their football team.”

I
turned onto Route 1 as I retraced my steps back home. “Have you ever been
deployed?”

Kadyn
nodded. “Once, to Saudi Arabia, shortly after I was stationed in South
Carolina.”

“Where
else have you been stationed?” I asked curiously.

Kadyn
shoved the cell phone in his pocket and turned to face me. “I just moved from
South Carolina to Virginia in August for a two year assignment at the
Pentagon.”

“Are
you still at risk of being deployed?” I asked, suddenly concerned.

He
shrugged. “I’m currently assigned to the Secretary of Defense. I travel with
him on occasion, and I might have to go TDY, but I’m not likely to be deployed while
I’m serving in this position.”

I
merged onto the exit ramp for I-395 South. “Both of my brothers served in the
Marines, and they were both deployed to Iraq. One of my brothers was running
weapons to the front lines. I was so scared. Every time I heard a news report
about our troops being injured or killed, I ended up sobbing. I kept waiting
for that phone call… for someone to tell me that my brothers had been killed. That’s
not an experience I want to repeat.”

Kadyn
nodded. His face was completely unreadable.

I
groaned softly when I realized I might have offended him. “I’m sorry, Kadyn. I
really admire your willingness to make that sacrifice. I just don’t know how to
live with that kind of fear, knowing the person you love is in constant danger
and at risk of being killed.”

“I
think it’s harder on the families than it is on the person being deployed,” he
responded thoughtfully.

I
pulled through the security gate for our apartment complex and drove to the
front of Kadyn’s apartment. I hated ending our conversation on such a negative
note. I offered him an apologetic look. “Thanks for coming with me, Kadyn. I
really enjoyed hanging out with you.”

He
smiled. “No problem, Kri. Give me a call if you want to check out the gym or if
you need more help finding your way around.”

I
felt a huge pang of regret as I watched Kadyn walk away.
Did I really just
tell the guy I couldn’t stomach a relationship with him because he might be
deployed?
I groaned as my head hit the steering wheel. Although I had no
intention of dating Kadyn, I was certain I had just royally screwed up.

On
Monday, I ran from one meeting to another while trying to sell Senators
Jeffords, Snowe, and Collins on the Medicare Early Buy-in Bill. I missed lunch as
a result of all the meetings. I was scrambling to pull things together for
Senator Rockefeller’s book when my phone rang.

I
reached for the phone. “Senator Rockefeller’s Office, Kristine speaking.”

“Hi,
Kri. It’s Justin. Please don’t hang up.”

I
groaned loudly. “Justin, why are you calling me?” I began massaging my forehead
with my left hand. I thought I might be able to work the deeply embedded loser
magnet loose.
First Tom, then Michael, then Justin… dear God.

“Please
hear me out, Kri. I’m so sorry about what happened. I’m sorry I lied to you. I
didn’t want to hurt you. I love you. I want to come see you and work things
out. Please, just give me a chance.”

“I
am at work,” I gritted out. “I am
not
having this conversation with you.
I don’t want to see you again. Don’t ever call me again.” I slammed the phone into
the receiver. I buried my head in my arms as I flung them across my desk.

“Hey.
Are you okay?” Patrick asked as he approached my desk.

“Just
peachy,” I muttered with my head still buried in my arms. My voice and attitude
were the polar opposite of peachy.

“I
brought you something,” he responded teasingly. He was clearly trying to perk
me up.

I
slowly lifted my head. “What?”

“A
grande, extra hot, toffee nut latte with an extra shot and an orange chocolate
chip scone,” he announced proudly.

I
jumped out of the chair and flung my arms around his neck. “Oh my God! You’re
officially my new best friend!”

He
stood there awkwardly, trying not to spill the coffee.

I
reached for the coffee and scone. “Thank you so much. I missed lunch, and I
just had the crappiest phone call ever. I
so
needed this!”

Patrick
smiled. “I figured you’d miss lunch with all those meetings scheduled back to
back. Any luck with the Rs?” We commonly referred to republicans as “Rs” and
democrats as “Dems.” I had absolutely no idea why.

I
took a sip of coffee as I sank into my chair. “Not yet. They’re mulling it
over. I doubt they’ll co-sponsor unless Senator Rockefeller is willing to throw
his support behind one of their bills. I just have to find the right piece of
legislation, one that’s consistent with Rockefeller’s priorities.”

Patrick
took a sip of coffee before settling into his chair. “Is that what you’re working
on now?”

I
shook my head. “No. I’m just pulling some things together for the book. I need
to conduct some research on the bills those senators are sponsoring before I
can make any recommendations to Senator Rockefeller.”

“Let
me know if I can help,” Patrick responded before sifting through some paperwork.

I
smiled. “Thanks, Patrick. I really appreciate it.” I shifted my attention to my
own pile of paperwork.

All
thoughts of Justin faded as I immersed myself in work. I felt infinitely better
about my day. It really was amazing how a little cup of coffee could turn
things around.

*
* * * * *

The
next two days were equally hectic, and yet they still managed to fade into
nothingness. I barely registered the passage of time. I blinked and suddenly
found myself sprawled out on my couch, too exhausted to fix dinner or even
shower after my workout at the gym.

I
was nodding off to sleep when my cell phone ripped me out of the work-induced
coma. I answered without bothering to look at the number on my screen. “Hello?”

“Hi,
Kri. This is Kadyn.”

I
shot upright, suddenly wide awake. “Hi. How are you?”

“Good.
I was calling to see if you wanted to join me and some of my friends at King
Street Blues for dinner Friday night.”

I
grew quiet as I pondered the invitation.
Me and some of my friends. That
would be like hanging out with friends, not really a date, right?
I bit my
bottom lip. “Are there any other girls going?”

“Yes.
Two or three. These are my Air Force friends. We get together just about every
weekend. They're fun. I think you’ll like them.”

“Okay.
So this isn’t a date?” I confirmed with a hint of relief. My mouth fell open. I
couldn’t believe I’d just asked him that. I slapped my forehead. Hard.

Cade
jumped off the couch, presumably looking for someplace to hide. It was that
embarrassing.

“Do
you want it to be a date?” Kadyn inquired after a rather lengthy pause.

I
jumped up from the couch.
Crap! Did he just throw this back on me by
answering a question with a question? Crap, crap, crap!
I immediately began
pacing across my living room.

“Kri?”

I
groaned. I knew what I was about to say was going to sound stupid as all get
out. “Well, here’s the thing. I kind of decided that I’m not dating anyone
while I'm in DC. I'm planning to move back to Montana at the end of the
fellowship, and I don’t want to be tempted to stay. I just don’t want to give
you the wrong impression by saying yes; but I really enjoyed spending time with
you on Sunday. So, if you're okay with not dating, then I’d like to join you
and your friends.”
Well, if that wasn’t the nail in the coffin on the only
sane guy that had shown interest in me in over a decade…

The
phone line grew quiet. “I’m okay with that,” Kadyn finally responded.

I
breathed a sigh of relief. I cringed when I realized he had probably heard me.
“Okay. Great. Should I meet you there?”

“Why
don’t we go together?” he responded. “That way you won’t have to drive home by
yourself after dark. Can I pick you up at seven?”

I
glanced at Cade as he peeked around the corner of the hallway. “Sure. I’m in
building five. Apartment 1D.”

“Okay.
I’ll see you at seven o’clock on Friday night, then.”

I
reached down and ruffled the fur on Cade’s head as he returned to my side. “Thanks
for inviting me, Kadyn.”

“Anytime,”
he replied.

I
sighed as I ended the call. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I was blowing it
with one of the last few nice guys walking the planet.

*
* * * * *

After
considerable debate, I decided to wear a black scoop neck shirt with a short,
softly pleated gray skirt for my non-date with Kadyn. I paired the outfit with
black knee length dress boots. I was refreshing my mascara and lip gloss when
the doorbell rang.

“Hey,”
I greeted as I opened the door.

“Hey,”
Kadyn responded with a smile. He was wearing faded blue jeans that were just
the right kind of baggy, a dark brown Henley shirt that fit snug across his
chest, and a brown leather jacket.

I
tried not to swoon at the scent of sandalwood and leather. “You look nice,” I
commented nervously.

“You
too,” he responded with an even bigger smile.

This
is not a date
, I reminded my traitorous stomach.

Kadyn
reached down to pet Cade, who had joined us at the door. “This must be Cade,
the nine pound dog with the ninety pound attitude.”

I
stared at Cade in shock when he let Kadyn pet him. “The one and only,” I confirmed
as I scooped up my raincoat. The weather had been fluctuating a lot lately, so
I was wondering whether I’d need a warmer coat.

Kadyn
led the way to a black Acura TL, which was parked in the fire lane just outside
my apartment. He opened the passenger door for me.

Still
not a date
, I chided my quickening pulse.

We
made small talk as we drove into Old Town, Alexandria. I had never seen Old
Town at night. King Street was beautifully lit. Thousands of white lights had
been woven around the trees that lined both sides of the street.

Kadyn
parked his car. He tucked my hand in the crook of his arm as we walked out of
the parking garage. I suspected he didn’t trust me to walk in the boots, given
my inability to manage them while sitting on a stool.