Chapter 19 #2
Kaelee felt embarrassed that she had been driving around the last week with a packed suitcase in her trunk, but right now it felt like she had been prepared, not foolish.
She said, “I have a pair of suitcases and a few boxes in my car. After he called … I don’t know.
I just wanted to be ready in case I had to go. ”
“Makes sense.” Greta let out a long breath. “I don’t have plans for the long weekend. If you wanted company … I mean, you could come here, or I could meet you somewhere.”
“What are you saying right now?” Kaelee watched several cars in the parking lot. Nothing about them seemed alarming, but nothing had seemed amiss before she went into the grocery store either.
“I miss you.”
Despite the fear thrumming in her skin, Greta’s admission made Kaelee smile. “Yeah?”
“I do. I miss Lee, too.” Greta’s voice was as raw as Kaelee often felt when she admitted that she was well beyond feeling casual here.
“I’m a trainwreck, you know?” Kaelee pointed out. “I would like nothing more than to run away with you, but I am still who I am. Hell, Kaelee Carpenter might not even exist if I have to run.”
“You don’t have to run.”
“You don’t know them.” Kaelee watched another of the ubiquitous black sedans drive into the lot where she was sitting. “Deep pockets, Greta. Deep hatred.”
“Meet me and tell me all about it.”
“Are you sure?” Kaelee wanted to.
She wanted to spend several days lost with the woman who was now one of her dearest friends, but she also didn’t want to push the boundaries that Greta had demanded.
Endangering Greta’s career was not acceptable.
She wasn’t like her father; she respected the boundaries people drew in their lives. She had to.
Carefully, Kaelee said, “I don’t want to reject you, but I don’t want to pressure you or guilt you into anything.”
“I appreciate that, but that’s not what’s happening here. I miss you, and publishing is closed for the holiday. I … want to take a break from everything here. I want to see you. If you want—”
“I do. Whatever you’re offering, I’ll take it and be grateful for the crumbs.” Kaelee relaxed a little more as the car across from hers pulled out. “I’ll meet you wherever you want.”
“Where were you thinking? Tell me where to go. I can catch a train.”
“I’ll rent a place and send you an address,” Kaelee offered. “I need to drop my car somewhere and get a rental. I don’t know if they’re tracking my car, so if they are, running in it is pointless.”
“Really? Your car?”
“When I was a teen, he had a tracker on the car. He always had one on my mother’s car.
He said it was for our safety, but … I don’t think that’s why.
I didn’t think so then either.” Kaelee thought back to life in the Alden household.
Tripp tracked cars, phone calls, spending.
Everything in her life was controlled. How her mother lived that way still confused Kaelee.
“What if I rent a place instead? You rent the car, and I’ll find a place.
Philly is halfway between us. I can take a train there, and you can meet me at the station or hotel.
” Greta sounded completely matter-of-fact, as if last-minute weekend getaways were normal for them.
“I can swing by my place, grab a weekend bag, and be at the train in an hour. Will that work?”
“Yes. God, yes.” Kaelee smiled, even though no one could see it.
“House or hotel? I don’t know what’s left last minute, but if there is a house outside Philly, is that better? Or do you want to stay inside the city in a hotel?”
“If I’m seeing Marie, all I need is a bed and room service,” Kaelee said. “If I’m only seeing Greta, I’d like to sightsee a bit. If I get both? Whatever you want is good by me.”
Greta laughed. “I want my friend and sex. Hotel it is.”
“What changed?” Kaelee asked.
“I calmed down a little. You aren’t going to expose me, and really, I don’t have the power here. We both do.” Greta let out a sigh. “All I could think about were Tash’s accusations, and how it might look, and … I panicked.”
“So what does that mean?”
“Agree to let Ian be your editor and be my … friend with benefits? I want to be sure your career is protected, and I want to be with you.” Greta’s voice wavered a bit. “Unless you need me not to offer sex. I can be there as your friend only. Rent a house with two bedrooms—”
“I wasn’t the one who said no more sex,” Kaelee reminded her. Then she added, “I’ll look forward to getting to know my new editor for the sequel.”
“So you’re saying maybe we could try again? You’ll let me be there for you…?”
“Yes. I fucking love y—your plan.” Kaelee closed her eyes, realizing that she almost said that she loved Greta.
She pressed her lips together. That would’ve been a disaster.
She couldn’t love her. They were just friends.
That was all they could be. Maybe they could be friends who were compatible naked.
“You too.” Greta sounded all soft and inviting in that moment, but a second later, she was all business again, saying only, “I’ll text you or call you with the address. Go get the rental car. I’ll see you tonight.”