I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t even think that he might have real feelings for me.
Holy shit.
Obviously, he was out of his mind and completely misguided. Yeah, he was insane. That was it.
I stared at him in the minutes that followed, only faintly listening to whatever was going back and forth between the two old farts in the room. What the hell was he doing? What was hethinking?
“I’ll have legal contact you later, Ms. Casillas,” Cordero’s voice snapped me out of my trance.
I tried to think back about what he’d been saying before I zoned out, and I was pretty sure he was going to have the legal department call me to sign the contract that would free me from the Pipers.
I didn’t even have a team waiting for me with open arms yet.
Oh jeez. I’d figure it out. It would all work out.
“I’ll be waiting for their call,” I said absently, getting to my feet when the German did.
“I’m ecstatic you’ve decided to join us again next year,” Cordero called out as we exited his office.
Kulti said nothing. It sent off warning signs in my head that I pushed away until we were in a place where I could ask him what in the hell he was thinking agreeing to sign another contract. Silence was our companion on the way out of the building. He didn’t touch me. Didn’t tell me how much he cared about me. He didn’t even explicitly say he liked me.
But I guess he’d done enough already. Right?
We made it all the way to my car and got inside before I broke.
Turning carefully in the seat to face him, the side of my right thigh up against the back support, I gathered my words and sorted them as he watched me the entire time. When I was ready, I gave myself a pep talk and met his eyes. “Look, you’re my best friend, and I am so thankful to have you in my life, but you don’t…” I couldn’t say it. I couldn’t.
“I don’t what?” he asked in a cool tone, those clear eyes locked.
“You know what.”
He blinked. “No. Tell me.”
Yeah, not happening. I couldn’t even put the word in the same sentence with his name. “I know you care about me, but you don’t have to do all this. I can figure something else out. It’s too much.”
The German crossed his arms over his chest, his expression unforgiving. “It isn’t too much, not for you.”
There we went again. Sweet Jesus. “Rey, please. Don’t say stuff like that.”
“Why?”
“Because it gives people the wrong impression.”
Those jewel-like eyes narrowed into slits. “What impression is that?”
“You know what impression it makes.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.” Dear God, if this friendship continued, I’d probably have premature hair loss in no time.
“It isn’t an impression. I could care less what anyone else thinks when it’s the truth.”
Oh hell. “Rey, stop it. Just… stop.”
“No.” The expression on his face was determined. “You are the most honest, good thing I’ve ever had. I won’t deny it to anyone.”
Dear God. Panic flooded my belly. “I’m your friend.” I sounded timid, borderline panicked.