I froze. I didn’t know what to say. I’m not sure if I have a boyfriend or not. It’s been two days since I’ve seen Caden, not that it’s unusual for us to go that long, but other than a few casual texts he’s sent me, it’s been radio silence.

Is he pulling away? Letting me down easy?

It’s taken every ounce of my willpower not to text him and ask him about it. It’s not like I expected a proposal or anything the morning after our third date, but I expected … something. A text maybe about how much fun he had. An invitation to go on a fourth date perhaps.

I guess I’m just confused. And too stubborn to call him.

When we reach the office, Jayden hands my mother a drink voucher. “Mrs. Cavenaugh, would you mind terribly if I stole your daughter for fifteen minutes? You are free to wait in the gym’s café and have a drink on me.”

“Take as much time as you need,” my mom says, grabbing her small suitcase and leaving the office.

Jayden closes the door behind her and motions for me to take a seat.

“What’s up?” I ask her.

“Murphy, you have really done well for yourself here in such a short time. You fit in with everyone. You are great with the members. I’ve talked with the owners and we all agree you should get a promotion.”

I want to jump out of the chair and hug her. But that wouldn’t be very professional of me. I knew this might be coming. A few weeks ago, the front desk supervisor left for another job. When they didn’t fill the position right away, I was hopeful that maybe they would offer it to me. They have, after all, been giving me more responsibilities.

Instead of hugging her, I simply smile and keep my cool. “Jayden, thank you so much. I promise I won’t let you down. I’ll be the best front desk supervisor you’ve ever had.”

“Front desk supervisor? No. We’re giving that job to Gregory. We want you to be our new membership coordinator.”

“What?” I look at her sideways. “What about Stephanie?”

“Stephanie told us a few days ago that she wasn’t returning from maternity leave. At the time, we were about to offer you the supervisor position. But you’ve done so well learning all the membership duties it made our decision easy.”

“But I don’t even have a bachelor’s degree,” I say.

“Sometimes on-the-job training is even better than formal education. Plus, you took some business courses at that community college you went to.” She laughs. “Are you trying to talk me out of this?”

“No. Oh, my gosh, Jayden, I absolutely want the job. Thank you for having confidence in me.”

“Don’t you want to know what it pays before you accept?”

I shake my head. “I don’t care what it pays.”

She chuckles, pushing a folder across the desk at me. I open it to see the compensation package. My chin all but falls into my lap. The salary for the position comes out to almost double what I make per hour now. And it includes benefits such as medical, dental, and life insurance. All of that and I get three weeks paid vacation.

“You must be kidding.” I look back at the salary, barely able to contain my excitement.

She hands me a pen. “Sign it and you’ll get your first paid holiday on Thursday.”

My hand shakes as I sign the employment contract. “Thank you.”

“You earned it, Murphy. Now don’t keep your mom waiting. Go. Celebrate.”

I leave the office, ecstatic about this amazing opportunity. I leave knowing that even if Caden and I don’t work out, I have this. Because I won’t be defined by any man. And I refuse to be wrecked if he never calls. If I never get to kiss him or touch him. If I never get to be loved by him.

I turn the corner and run smack into Caden. I look up at him and eat my own words. Because I know I would be wrecked. This man—he wormed his way into my life, into my dreams, into my very soul. He has changed me in the short time I’ve known him. He has given me the opportunity for a new career. And I know with one-hundred-percent certainty I will never find another man like him.

He cages me against the wall in the hallway. He leans down, smells my hair and then whispers in my ear, “Do you have any idea how much I’ve missed you?”

My heart skips a thousand beats at his declaration. He still wants this. Still wants me. And I wonder how this day could get any better.

“No,” I say. “I don’t. Because I haven’t heard from you much. So I wasn’t sure until just now.”

He pulls away, looking guilty. “God, Murph. I’m sorry. I should have called you. Of course I’ve missed you. But my dad and Scott showed up yesterday morning and we’ve been doing all kinds of things. I love showing Scott around the city. I spent the whole day with him today while my dad was meeting with someone from the city planning department. Did you know they might move here? Could you imagine if my brother lived here in the city? Anyway, I just dropped Scott off at Lexi’s and I’m meeting my dad here to show him the gym.”

I hear him ramble on and realize just how excited he is about spending time with his brother. His dad even. There is no way I can be mad at him for not contacting me when something so monumental is happening for him. He had the best reason for not calling me. His family. I can’t be anything but happy for him.

He leans in to kiss me. “And now I get to introduce him to my girlfriend.”

My eyes snap to his. “Are you sure you’re ready for that?” I ask, cautiously.

“I don’t know. Do you trust me?”

“Absolutely,” I say without a hint of doubt in my answer. I think I’ve trusted him since that very first day in the hospital. My heart knew it all along. I guess my head just needed more reassurance.

“Then I’m sure,” he says, taking my hand in his and bringing it up to his lips to kiss it.

I smile at him. He smiles at me. Then he reaches up and touches his head. “Shit, I wish I were wearing a hat. This moment definitely deserves a hat.”

“What does, your being off the market? Maybe they’ll make today a national holiday.”

He laughs with me and then leans close. “November 19th,” he says. “It will always be the day you officially became my girlfriend. I’m bringing you a hat later, Sweet Caroline. No arguing.”

“Okay, but just so you know, my mother came to town this afternoon and she’ll be staying with me for a few days.”

“Damn it, I forgot about that,” he says. Then he looks guilty. “I mean, I’m glad your mom is here, and I’d love to meet her, but now it looks like several more days of cold showers for me.”

I giggle. “It’s only been two days, Caden. I think you’ll survive.”

He shakes his head. “I’ve been taking cold showers longer than two days, Murph.” He eyes me seductively. “A hell of a lot longer.”

I want nothing more than to crawl into his arms and lose myself in him. But my mom is waiting. I haven’t seen her for almost eight months and we have a lot of catching up to do.

I grab his hand. Because I can. Because I’m his girlfriend now and that is what girlfriends do. “Come on, my mom has been waiting for me forever in the café. Now I can tell you both my good news.”

“She’s here? And what news could possibly be better than you and I becoming an official couple?” he jokes.

We walk to the entrance of the café. I point to the corner booth. “There she is. And she’s talking to some strange man. I’ll bet she’s trying to sell him a river cruise in Paris or something. I swear that woman never stops working.”

Caden turns to look at me. “That’s not some strange man, Murph. That’s my father.”

“Seriously?” I cover my laughter so they don’t hear us.

I watch them interacting for a beat and then I pull Caden backwards around the other side of the wall. “Oh, my God, Caden. My mom is flirting with your dad.”

He cranes his neck around the wall and stares. “How can you tell?”

“Didn’t you see the way she touched his arm when she laughed? She’s definitely flirting. I’ve never seen her flirt with a man, Caden. Not since my dad died.”

He looks at them again. “He’s smiling, Murph. I know I’ve only just begun to know him, but I haven’t seen him smile like that. He’s smiling at her the same way I smile at you.”

I look at my watch. “I was only gone for twenty minutes.”

He shrugs a provocative shoulder. “I guess when you know, you know.” His eyes burn into mine.

How can I argue with that?

“So, do we go over there or what?” I ask.

He sighs and rubs a hand down my arm. “Murphy, what would happen if someone wanted to date your mother? I know how close you were with your dad.”

I study him as his words sink in. I’d never even considered it because she’s never shown any interest in dating after my dad died. “Well, I don’t know. I guess it would be okay. I mean it has been eleven years. I can’t expect her to never be with another man.” I peek around the corner. “But what do we know about him? Is he a good man, Caden? You hated him.”

He laughs. “Wasn’t it you who told me that everyone deserves a second chance? From what Ethan was able to dig up, he’s been nothing but a perfect citizen since his release from prison twenty years ago. And we’ve been talking a lot. I think he’s … I think he’s a nice guy, Murph.”

“Okay. So introduce me.”

“I’m glad to hear you say that.” He grabs my hand and pulls me along. “Because Lexi told me earlier that you and your mom are invited for Thanksgiving dinner, so things are about to become very interesting.”

Chapter Thirty-seven

Caden

Watching my dad interact with Murphy’s mom is surreal. They are both in their fifties but they’re acting like a couple of love-sick teenagers. Nobody seems to care, however, and I think Lexi is encouraging it, because every time Irene asks to help with the cooking, Lexi claims she’s got it all under control.