Cady walked out of her dad's office, her heels clicking with each step down the stairs she took. Breathing heavily, she got to her car as fast as she could. She threw the car into drive.
As hard as she tried to keep it together, she cried quietly anyways. Tears slid down her cheek one after another. She felt like if she had done better by Clara, seen her through better or offered the right assistance, things could have been different. Joe might have never felt so desperate to help her that he dealt with such a bad man as Johnny to get money.
She pulled up to the casino and gathered herself. Deep breaths. It was time for business. She got out of her car and straightened herself, cleared her throat, and wiped her eyes.
Jacob was in the lobby of the casino. He was wearing his typical tidy suit and looked as handsome as ever. This made her heart feel heavier for reasons she didn't understand. Their eyes met and he started towards her.
"Can we talk in your office?" she asked.
He nodded silently. His eyes showed worry for her. Cady probably still looked like she'd been crying. On her way to the elevator, following Jacob quietly, she caught a glimpse of herself in the reflection of glass. Her eyes were puffy and red.
He opened his office door and allowed her to enter first.
Cady spoke first, trying to get this conversation over with and leave as soon as possible. Not only was it hard to feel like she failed Clara, but to be in the same room as Jacob after their falling out was genuinely just painful.
"Joe Black Hawk was arrested at my office late last night. He was breaking in and Zach caught him on the security cameras. My dad searched his house and found he was being payed to hold the surveillance evidence of Johnny's thefts and commit the vandalism."
Jacob looked surprised. "I didn't expect that of someone like Joe."
"Me either," she said. And it was her fault. "The good news is we have evidence that Johnny White Deer stole from you, so his wrongful termination suit is null." She held out her hand to shake. He looked at it for a moment as if deciding whether or not to let her conclude the conversation. He huffed, took a hold and shook it. "It was a pleasure doing business with you. I'll be out of the hotel room in a couple hours."
She stepped past Jacob.
"Cady, I -" he reached out for her arm, his eyes showing concern.
She just shook her head. "Unless what you're about to say is about the legal aid center or the White Deer case, please don't say it. I don't have the energy right now." Her voice cracked and she cleared her throat.
Jacob just put his hands in his pockets and nodded. "Alright."
Cady left and walked back to her room. The key card slid smoothly into place and the green light flashed indicating she could enter. She walked in, kicked her shoes off, and collapsed on her bed. Curling up in a ball, she let the sobs she'd been holding in rack her body.
All she wanted was to make a difference. But it seemed like every time she made a step in the right direction something pushed her three steps back. She wasn't sure anything she did could really change the lives of people on the reservation.
She was crying all her broken feelings into her pillow when she heard a knock at the door.
"Cady?"
No answer from her.
"I just need to check if you're okay." It was Jacob, of course.
She didn't respond. She didn't want to see him. It would only remind her of what she couldn't have.
"Cady." He knocked again. "If you don't open the door, I'm going to come in anyways."
Tough, she thought. He used his manager's universal key card to enter. He stepped in slowly and stood still looking at Cady. She had turned in the bed so her back was to the door.
"I'm okay. So you can leave," she said in a wavered but detached voice. No response from Jacob.
He walked around to the side of the bed she was facing. The bed shifted under extra weight. "What are you -?"
Jacob sat down on the bed next to her. He smoothed her hair. "Tell me what's wrong."
She just shook her head in response. This was mostly because if she tried to talk, she would just break down and cry more, which is the last thing she wanted. She closed her eyes and breathed a long shaky breath to try to steady herself. It gave her away.
"I know these past couple days have been… tough, to say the least. And I haven't made it any easier." He sighed. "I apologize for that."
She sniffed. "Please stop saying you're sorry all the time. I don't deserve it."
"And why would that be?"
"It's my fault Joe is in trouble. I helped his sister Clara leave her husband, but she was too financially unstable afterward. He did those shady things for Johnny for money to help his sister start over. If I'd seen Clara through after her case was finished this never would have happened," she sniffled.
Jacob found her hand. "I don't believe that. There is always another way. He chose to do those things." He shook his head disappointedly. "This is just a reality of res life, what I'm trying my hardest to fight. The hopelessness my people experience is my greatest enemy, other than myself. It's why I hired you. You're an unnaturally hopeful person Cady. I think… maybe that is what you spark in me."
He brushed her hair off her neck. His fingertips skimmed her skin.
"Jacob…" she met his eyes, searching them.
He looked back at her brazenly. "Yes?"
"You confuse me."
He gave a half-smile. "I know."
Wiping her eyes, she sat up next to him. She sighed. "You know, it really would be as easy as breathing between us."
"I know," he said again. His voice was quiet and soft, a low rumble in his chest.
She gave him a sad smile. "Well, I meant it when I said I was working on accepting the fact that you don't think this is a good idea. I'm done, I promise. It'll be purely professional from here on out," Cady vowed. "No hard feelings between us, right?"
"No hard feelings," he agreed.
A small twinge poked at her heart. "No regrets?" she asked.
His eyes held a mischievous glint. "To be determined." He raised his chin a little and peered at her, his gaze locked on hers.
"I should probably be getting to work. I'm late as it is."
He nodded. "Yes, that is probably for the best."
She gave his hand a squeeze and stood up. Jacob just sat there and looked up at her for a second, a proud gleam in his eyes.
She smiled subtly at him. "By the way, I have some papers I'll need you to sign if you want to press charges against Johnny. You can stop by the office or I can come to yours."
"I better come to you this time."
"Okay, see you at the office, Jacob."
[L] [L] [L] [L]
At the office, things were pretty uneventful. With her cases for Clara and Nighthorse being wrapped up, there wasn't much work to be done. She sent her employees home early for the day. At least seeing all the smiles on their faces when they heard they got a short day put her in a good mood.
It was getting later, around 4pm. She began prepping the paperwork needed to press charges against Johnny White Deer. It took longer than most people would guess.
Her phone in her back pocket began vibrating. She set her papers aside and picked it up. It was Zach.
"Hey," she answered.
"Hey, Cady, it's Zach."
"Yeah, I know. Caller ID," she chuckled.
"Right," he laughed. "I was just checking to see how you were doing after all the commotion from last night and this morning."
"I'm doing alright. Just another day in Absaroka County, right?"
"I suppose so."
There was a silent pause.
"Well, thanks for the security Zach, you turned out to be the right man for the job. I owe you one."
"No problem, Cady, really. I was wondering – er – would you like to go out sometime, now that I'm not, you know, being paid to protect you?"
Cady's eyebrows rose in surprise. Jacob was right about Zach being interested in her.
"Um, wow. I –."
A mental image of Jacob flashed in her mind. She pictured their kiss, and him breaking it off. She saw Jacob tell her to go after Zach in his jealous fit, his cryptic and confident expression he wore as a mask at all times.
"- I think you're a really nice guy Zach. But - I'm not exactly dating right now."
"Okay, I understand." He paused. "I just… I have to ask though, why?"
"That's really none of your business," she said flatly. "And I don't owe you an explanation, but you're my friend. So, honestly," she sighed, "I don't see the point of getting involved with anybody if my heart is with someone else."
"Fair enough," he said good naturedly. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry. I'll see you around?"
"Yeah, see you around."
She hung up the phone and sighed.
A voice came in the background. "Hello."
Cady jumped out of her skin and turned around. Jacob was casually leaning against the door frame, just like before. He was no longer wearing his business suit, but jeans with a t-shirt and his brown leather jacket.
"Shit, you scared me." She sighed from relief. "I've come to the conclusion that you're just stealthy." Jacob just stared at her, his expression enigmatic. Why was he so hard to read? She cleared her throat. "How much of that did you hear?"
He pressed his lips into a thin line mindfully. "Enough to know you're not dating because your heart is somewhere else."
"Ah," she said, stalling her response. There was nothing to say on the subject. Cady knew that Jacob was attracted her. She was sure. But she also knew that he didn't want to be attracted to her. Despite this, she felt her skin burning everywhere his eyes moved over her. She wasn't sure if it was her imagination or if Jacob really was doing a slow perusal of her body.
He pushed himself off the door and walk toward her. He didn't stop until he had fully breached her personal space. She stood her ground, not moving an inch. His eyes bored down into hers unblinkingly.
"What are you doing?" she asked breathlessly.
Jacob pursed his lips and put one hand on her cheek. He was sizing her up. Tilting his head to the side, he carefully said, "I was hoping you might make an exception to the rule for me."
He leaned in to close the remaining space between them. He paused for just a moment, close enough that all she could feel was his breath on her lips. He came down strong, finally kissing her. Cady was certainly caught off guard but that in no way hindered her ability to respond. Her hands clasped to his chest and pulled him closer by his jacket.
He deepened the kiss and she opened her mouth her to his, his tongue sliding across her lip and brushing the tip of her tongue. She moaned into the kiss, her whole body experiencing a hot burn. Her face was being cradled by both his hands as he gave himself to her. His arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her as close as she could come. He slowed, lingering on her lips.
Jacob broke the kiss apart and looked down at her.
She breathed heavily. "If you kiss me like that again, all bets are off."
"That's kind of the point," he murmured. Her knees went weak as he lowered his lips down to her. This kiss was much tamer than the previous kiss. This kiss was a kiss of love and affection. They slowly moved their lips together, enjoying each second for all they had been missing and wishing for.
"Nighthorse, you son of a bitch," her dad's voice growled.
