Unforgettable Feelings

Chapter 47

Another week slipped by and this time Zena was gone leaving Josie adjusting back to her routine prior to Zena's arrival.

Every time she came back home, she remembered Zena was there to make dinner which only made her miss her more.

Frank and his team had moved along to the final stages of the project after they had tested it at Williamson and Son. Soon, they'd be done and Kaiden would have new security software and the project would be done.

Kaiden had dropped by at the office every day since. He'd stop by her office when he arrived and before he left to say hello and goodbye. Sometimes, they'd talk about his project or something else. The other day when Zena had flown out, they'd talked about her and when or if she'd come back. Their conversations were always light which Josie was glad for.

"They're installing the software tomorrow," Kaiden said as he walked into Josie's office two weeks later.

She looked up from her desk and smiled.
"I heard." She said.

He popped in when he'd arrived and he was probably heading out soon.
Kaiden walked further into her office, closer to her desk.
"Can I take you out to lunch?" He asked. "To celebrate."

"The teams usually have a small celebration at lunch after a big project. There's one happening tomorrow, you should come."

"There's a launch happening at the company tomorrow. I was thinking I could sneak away to have lunch with you." He said.

"Oh, no. You can't miss that. We can do lunch another day."

"Thursday?" He asked.

"Thursday's fine."

"See you Thursday."

She nodded and watched him leave her office and make his way towards the elevator.

The little celebration at OC'E was all fun and food and the launch at Williamson and Son went well except for a little surprise at the end which hit Kaiden pretty hard.

Thursday came and Josie hadn't heard a thing from Kaiden since Tuesday. With Zena back in Italy, the only friend she had in Seattle was Kaiden. She hadn't let herself overthink anything. She didn't also want to think about the past. She was practicing what she preached.

The past is past.

No need to dig up old wounds. Being a Catholic she knew to forgive but never forget. She had been scared of repeating the same mistake but since Kaiden wanted to be just friends, she didn't have to worry about that.

Yes, there were times she wondered if he knew what she was going to tell him that night. There was a part of her that still held on to what happened. Another part that wanted to let it go. And a major part of her, the big part, just wanted to stop looking back and just move forward. That was the part she was going with.

There was nothing wrong with trying to be friends with him.

If she was being honest, if she took away all the hurt he had caused her that night, she missed Kaiden. She missed all the fun they had together and the way he always pushed her to be better. Try new things but still respect her boundaries and her limits. He'd always encouraged her and she wasn't going to forget all those good parts, the good memories because of one mistake he made.

She was moving on, not in the way she had hoped but somehow still acceptable. Maybe even better.

She didn't know if this friendship thing would work or how long it would last and she wasn't going to worry about it.

Whatever happens, happens.

And if they parted ways eventually, she hoped it would be on good terms when the time came.

Josie had a late lunch. Kaiden didn't show up and he didn't call or leave a message which was unlike him. That day when she got into her car, finally about to head home, she changed route and headed to his place instead.

Josie locked her car and made her way up the footpath towards his house. She rang the doorbell the moment she got there and waited. She frowned when no one opened the door then rang the bell a minute after.

It was a minute or two later when she'd given up and turned around about to make her way back to her car when the door opened.

"Josie?"

Josie stopped snd turned around to find Kaiden standing at the door surprised, in sweatpants and a t-shirt which she hadn't seen on him. Not since college.

He looked different in them.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you." She said.

"Not at all." He said. "Come in." He stepped aside for her.

"Are you sure?"

He smiled.
"I'm sure I want you to come in."

"Ok." She walked back towards the door and stepped inside.

Kaiden shut the door behind her and turned to her.
"C'mon."

They headed further inside to the living area together.

"Sorry I took so long to answer the door." He apologized. "I was in the shower."

That explained the damp hair and wet spots on his t-shirt.

"Oh."

"Can I get you anything?"

"Nothing." She said as they stopped in the living area. "I just came to check on you."

He frowned.

"You didn't show up." She said. "For Lunch." She added in case he'd forgotten.

"Oh shit!" He shut his eyes and his face scrunched before his eyes snapped open. "I'm so sorry. I-I meant to call and reschedule."

"No, it's fine. I thought something happened."

He sighed.
"Sit?"

Josie looked at the sofa and back at him before taking a seat. He joined her.
"Yesterday at the launch, after your team had installed the software. Ric brought something to me."

"Ric?"

"The PI Isaac hired."

"Okay?"

"What he'd found was shocking. Took me a while to process it."

Josie blinked letting him take a moment.

"The leak was one of the IT guys as suspected but it wasn't Evan who made him do it."

Josie frowned.
"Who then?"

"Evan's lover," Kaiden said. "Meghan."

"What?!" Josie was shocked.

"She was in on it." Kaiden sighed heavily. "I didn't say anything yesterday to ruin the launch. But today, I called her in. Isaac and Ric were both there and she came clean about the whole thing."

Josie didn't know what to say. Kaiden had such high regard for Meghan. The way he spoke about how long she'd worked for him and her dedication showed how much he valued and trusted her. And now this.

"I-I don't know what to say."

"I didn't know either." He said. "I'm still in shock."

Josie looked at him. She didn't know what to say. So instead, she placed a hand over his, which earned her a smile. It was small but it was something.