In the hospital cafeteria, Caden pulled out a chair for Ava and waited for her to drop into it before sitting next to her. Zane’s medication was wearing off and he’d decided to head home to catch a few hours of rest.
Ava sipped on the Coke she’d ordered while she waited for the burger and fries to come up.
“You okay?” Caden asked.
She met his gaze with a sigh. “Yes and no.”
“Wanna explain?”
“Physically, I’m all right and I’m grateful to be alive. Everything could have turned out much different.”
“I know.” He could honestly say that had been one of the more terrifying moments in his life. He’d had a few harrowing ones with his sister, but running from a drone spitting bullets, fighting his desperate fear that he wouldn’t be able to keep Ava safe, had just claimed top spot. He tried to conceal the shudder that rippled through him, but the effort wasn’t necessary. Ava’s eyes were open, but he didn’t think she was seeing anything but her thoughts.
She blinked. “How long are we going to wait to see if Mickey wakes up?”
“I figure maybe an hour or so. The nurse seemed to think it could be sooner.” Their number was called and Caden went to get the food. When he returned, he set the bag with her burger and fries in front of her. He’d chosen a hot dog with a side of chips and a bowl of fruit.
She took another sip from the Coke, then rubbed her forehead before pulling the food from the bag. “I need to check on my mom and Nathan.” She stabbed one of his strawberries with her fork and popped the piece of fruit in her mouth.
“I thought that’s who you were on the phone with earlier.”
She looked up at him. “No, that was John.”
“He let you have it, huh?”
“And then some. He figured out I’d ripped that page from the yearbook.” She went for the mandarin orange next.
“Wow. That was fast.”
“That’s John. He’s predictable in some ways, but smart. Very, very smart.” When she stole the piece of apple, he pushed the bowl in front of her. She ate two blueberries and looked up. “Especially when it comes to people he knows. And he knows me pretty well.” She frowned. “Did I just steal your fruit?”
“No, I gave it to you.”
“Oh. Thanks.” She snagged two more strawberries.
He laughed, then turned serious again. “He’s mad you got past him.”
“Hmm,” she said. “Mad and impressed all at the same time.” She told him about the conversation, and Caden’s shoulders knotted with each word. When she fell silent, he did too.
“Caden?” she finally said.
“Yes?”
“I’ve known John since I was fifteen. He’s always been there for me and my family. He and Julie both. What kind of person does it make me that I think he’s capable of trying to kill me to keep me from finding out all I can about my father?”
Caden leaned back. He could tell she was truly conflicted and wished he could ease her mind. “He’s CIA, Ava. You never know what’s going on beneath the surface.”
“Meaning I don’t know if I can trust him or not.”
Caden nodded. “Unfortunately.”
“I hate that my mind goes there, but he’s adamant that I leave things alone. That I’m endangering those I love.” She shrugged. “Then again, I don’t have all of the information that I might need to see that. So, what do I do? Drop everything and take a chance on letting a killer go free because he says that’s what I need to do? Do I ignore that little voice in my head that says all is not as it seems?”
For a moment Caden didn’t speak. Then he cleared his throat. “Can you do that?”
It was her turn to fall silent. Then she raised her head and shook it. “I don’t think so. I don’t want to put anyone at risk, especially not my family, but I also can’t let a killer go free—free to kill again—if I have an ounce of power to help stop him.”
Caden reached across the table and squeezed her hand. “Finish your burger, Ava, then we’ll check on Mickey again.”
She took three bites, then wrapped the food and slid it back into the bag. “I can’t eat right now.”
Caden hadn’t had that problem. He’d been starving and the food was hot and fresh and he’d wolfed it down. She’d eaten all the fruit, though. “We can go back up there,” he said, “if you’re ready.”
“Sure.” Ava stood, and stuffed her leftovers into her purse, then patted it. “I owe Zane a thank-you for grabbing this.”
Caden pulled out his phone and waved it. “Me too.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and followed her to the elevator.
Her shoulders lifted, then lowered with a big sigh, and he slid an arm around her to tuck her against him. When she didn’t pull away, hope sprouted that he might get that first date. Maybe even the second. If he managed a third, he might be able to relax a fraction. While they rode the elevator in silence to Mickey’s floor, Caden wracked his brain trying to remember what Ava did for fun, besides puzzles. He came up with movies. She liked to binge-watch classics.
“When you binge-watch the classics,” he said, “what kind of food do you like to go with them?”
She jerked her head to stare at him. “What?”
“I was just thinking. There’s no way I’m leaving you alone with this maniac on the loose, so until he’s caught, we might as well make the most of it.”
“Oh. Okay. Right.”
“So . . . food?” The elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Ava stepped out and Caden kept his hand on her back.
“I’m not a big cook. I might pop a frozen dinner in the microwave and cut up some fruit or something.”
He stopped in the hallway and turned her toward him. “I’m sorry, did you say frozen dinner?” This time, he didn’t even attempt to hide the shudder that swept over him.
She smiled. “Well, it’s better than starving.”
“No. It’s not. Okay, tonight, we’re going to cook at your place and I’m going to make you a decent meal. You like steak, right?”
“Love it.”
“Asparagus and baked potatoes?”
“Yum.”
“Then it’s a . . .” Don’t say the word date. “Deal. I’ll cook, but you have to clean up.”
The laughter spurted from her and she nodded. “Perfect.” Her smile faded. “But I really need to stop in and check on my mother.”
“We can do that before dinner.” Which was turning into something close to a midnight snack.
She hesitated. “You don’t think I’m putting her in danger by visiting, do you?”
“I don’t know,” he said, his words slow, his eyes narrowed. “Although, now that you bring it up, I think maybe it might be best to stay away from the facility for now.”
Ava bit her lip on the immediate protest he could see forming and nodded. “You’re probably right.”
His phone buzzed, distracting him. He glanced at the screen. “It’s Daria.”
“You take that,” Ava said, “and I’ll head on down to Mickey’s room.”