Fire and Freedom - Book One of the Café Latte Trilogy

Chapter Twelve - Ross

"Like hell you don't," Harper smirked. "You want to see him again. And don't deny it, you've been shooting puppy-dog eyes at your drink all night."

"It's not what everyone keeps thinking it is," I told him warningly. "I like Jasper, I do - he's a good guy, and he's fun to be around. But I don't want you to all think I'm digging down deep in my heart and pulling out the one iota of emotion I've got buried somewhere. I'm not trying to date the guy."

"I know," Harper said fairly. "But that doesn't mean you don't have some form of attachment to him." He knew better than to try and have a meaningful talk here, though. Harper was just as emotionally stunted as me; he just hid it better. And had gone to therapy, which supposedly helped. "You are capable of emotion," he shrugged.

"It'd be easier if I wasn't," I sighed.

Harper smiled reluctantly, and indicated that we needed more alcohol. I shook my head, and got up out of the chair. "Leaving so soon?" he asked.

I nodded, grinning as I indicated the crowd. "The men won't fuck themselves."

"They would if they could," Harper teased, and I could almost swear he looked like he was laughing at me for something. I disregarded it, because I didn't want to hear it. I'd known Jasper for two weeks, and they'd milked the jokes dry. I didn't want a boyfriend. I didn't want a regular partner. I didn't want to come home to the same person every single day.

But I did want to tell him that I cared, because I did. I wanted him to know he wasn't alone.

****

I did try my hardest to creep out of the office the following morning; I opened the door as quietly as I could and lightly walked through the reception. Louise had her back turned and was concentrating on a computer screen, so I silently crept over to the door.

"Where are you going?"

I winced and turned around to see Louise glaring at me over her shoulder.

"Umm," I said, thinking quickly. "To get a coffee?"

"You have a coffee machine in your office that I fixed," Louise stated disbelievingly. "And I know you love that coffee because you gave me a twenty-five minute lecture on the importance of knowing where your coffee beans come from. And then Tom gave me a thirty minute lecture on why coffee is wonderful."

I sighed. "I just have to go out for a little while, that's all. You remember Jenny and Lucie?" When she nodded curiously, I said, "Their son got beaten up at school, as well as one of his friends. I'm just... I want to check in with the friend, he's not replying to his messages."

Louise's glare didn't budge. "You're telling me you're off to do something nice?"

"Is it that difficult to believe?" I asked in exasperation. "Look, I got his address from Tom, and I know he's avoiding school despite his suspension being over, so I'm going to go and see if I can convince him to go back in. I'll be out for an hour, max, and trust me I'll be making the time up when I get back."

Louise considered it, and then nodded. "Fine - but I'm coming with you."

"Excuse me?" I asked, and she flashed me her phone. Emails were coming in every few minutes, most of them asking questions she needed my input to answer.

"I'll only be having to call you every five minutes," she sighed. "You really think I want to go out in the cold when I have a perfectly nice heater by my desk?"

"No," I admitted reluctantly. "But you can't come in with me - he might freak if I bring a random stranger into his house."

"Fine," Louise sighed. "At least you can do work while you're driving."