Page 96 of Fame & Chaos

A grin spreads across my face, and I throw my fist into the air. I want to yell out like a complete idiot, but that would probably scare her off, so somehow I manage to hold myself together. “Okay, great. When are you free?”

“You can pick me up after work if you want? I finish early tonight, so maybe seven?”

“Seven it is. Do I just come into the emergency room entrance?”

She chuckles softly, and the sound loosens something tight inside my chest.

“No, I’ll meet you in the car park,” she replies, sounding more relaxed now. Maybe she’s excited about this, too.

“Thank you.”

“It’s just two old friends catching up, Caleb. That’s all.”

I purse my lips even though she can’t see me. “Okay. Two friends, nothing more.”

She goes quiet again, and I wish I knew what was running through her head.

“I really have to go, but I’ll see you tonight.”

I nod automatically. “I’m looking forward to it. And Indi?”

“Yeah?”

I hesitate, wondering if I should say this, but the words push free anyway. “I’m glad you’re back in my life. It’s felt empty with you gone.”

I hear her sniff quietly.

“Indi? Are you okay?”

Another sniff. “I’m fine. I’ve missed you too, but I really have to go. I’ll see you later.”

I open my mouth to reply, but the line goes dead.

Exhaling heavily, I flop back onto the bed with a stupid grin stretched across my face. Indi is meeting up with me tonight, and I don’t think I could be more excited if I tried. I jump out of bed and start planning the evening in my head. There’s a park and a river near her work. We could go for a walk and just… see where things go from there. I don’t want to overdo it and scare her off before we’ve even had a chance to talk properly.

What I really want is to do something romantic, something that shows her how much she means to me, but I know I need to take this slow. She’s giving me a chance, and I can’t screw it up by coming on too strong.

So maybe a walk is enough. Maybe sitting by the riverbank, talking like we used to, is exactly what we need.

I head for the shower, wanting to make sure I’m fresh and presentable even though tonight is still hours away. There’s no chance I’ll be able to focus on anything today anyway. My mind is already running through every possible conversation, every memory, everything I need to say to her when I finally see her tonight.

***

The entire day is spent fussing over what to wear and how to do my hair. After changing outfits for the seventh time, I finally decided to keep it casual. Jeans, a black vest, and my leather jacket. I use only a little product in my hair, so it looks clean instead of overdone.

The look is simple, but it still works. I know I’m attractive. Hell, I know Indi thinks I’m attractive. Let’s face it, what rock star doesn’t ooze sex appeal?

I climb into my car and head toward the hospital, my hands already sweating against the leather steering wheel. I feel shaky, even though I know I’m not really trembling. It’s nerves, pure nerves.

Indi turns me into a lovesick idiot, and no one else has ever had this kind of power over me before. That’s the part that scares me most. She holds every card while I’m standing here empty-handed. She’ll decide where this goes, whether it stays friendship or becomes something more, and I hate how little control I have over that.

I like being the one making the decisions.

I like being in charge.

But with Indi, I never seem to have a choice.

My heart belongs to her, whether that’s a good thing or not. She can either take it or destroy it. It all depends on which option she chooses.