AnnaBeth sat down at her favourite café. She loved spending time with her friends but a morning with a coffee, pastry and a good book was just perfection. Connie had left her a new one on her bunk last shift and she had been dying to read it. She was sure she had been reading way too many love stories lately, or just in her lifetime, but she loved love. Besides if she read a thriller there would be no way she could fall asleep in her apartment. The last one she read she had still been married to Jake, she had kept him up all night convinced every little sound was a serial killer trying to break in, he'd banned them after that. Gabby had done the same with her serial killer documentaries. Now that she lived alone, she was kind of glad she had stuck to it. The only movies she watched had happy endings.
She jumped as she felt someone put their hands on her shoulders. She glared at Kelly as he sat down with a smirk. She closed her book over and rested her hands on the table.
"You're jumpy" He said, "How many coffees have you had?"
"This is my first, you just shouldn't sneak up on people" She told him "What's this I hear about a suspension?"
"It's nothing" He shrugged peering at her book "How was your night with Jonah?"
"It's not nothing Kelly" She told him.
"I thought you weren't going to book club with Connie anymore?" He asked picking up the book "You really read this stuff?"
AnnaBeth rolled her eyes and grabbed the book from him and put it back in her purse.
"Yes, and you really change the subject" She told him "But fine, what are you doing here anyway?"
"Avoiding Casey asking me about Patterson" He said pulling off a piece of her cruller "And a friend of mine talks about this place all the time, I thought I'd try it out"
"I don't talk about it all the time" She huffed "Fine, we can talk about something else"
AnnaBeth checked her phone for messages while Kelly went to order himself a drink and a replacement cruller for her after she insisted. He had not only stolen a bite, but he had interrupted her peaceful morning. Not that she really minded his company, but she would never turn down the opportunity of a free cruller.
"So, are you going to the CFD gala?" He asked.
"I'm not so sure" She replied smiling down at the plate in front of her.
"Seriously?" He asked, "Don't you live for that stuff?"
"Of course, I do" She said "A dinner party, a ball, any town event, but I don't know if I want to go alone, that's a whole new level of pathetic"
"I go alone" He pointed out.
"Yes, but I'm not so sure you leave alone" She pointed out "Gabby already told me that Otis and Cruz go round picking up the women you leave in your wake"
"That's not true" He laughed shaking his head.
"Mmhmm" She smirked shaking her head "Whatever you say"
"Go with me then" He suggested.
"Oh, that wasn't me asking for a pity invite" She said "But thank you"
"Then you better come" He told her "Everyone is going"
"I'll think about it" She agreed "Now tell me what your plans are now you have all this free time"
"My old man's coming into town" He said with a half-smile "I'll just be keeping him outta trouble"
AnnaBeth had heard a lot about Benny Severide and the trouble that followed him even if she hadn't ever met him. She didn't know much but she knew Kelly had a difficult relationship with his Dad. Her parents could drive her crazy sometimes, but they all got along, she'd never been through any real issues with her family, she felt sorry that Kelly hadn't had that experience growing up.
"Maybe he can keep you out of trouble" She teased.
"AnnaBeth?"
AnnaBeth looked over her shoulder as she heard her name called.
"Doctor Rhodes" She said with a smile.
"Connor" He corrected her.
"Connor" She nodded, she noticed that Kelly was just staring at her "Oh, Kelly this is Connor, Doctor Rhodes, he's just started working at Chicago med, he's a friend of Jonah's. Connor this is Kelly Severide, he's on squad at firehouse 51"
"It's nice to meet you" Connor said politely.
"You too" Kelly said eyeing him warily.
"Sorry to interrupt" Connor said "I just wanted to say Hi"
"Not at all" She said shaking her head "Why don't you join us"
"I was actually just heading into the hospital" He said holding up his to go cup "The coffee is just better here"
"It's my favourite" She agreed.
"Maybe I can buy you a cup sometime then?" He suggested.
"Sure" She agreed "I would really like that"
Connor stopped long enough to get her number and told her he would call her to arrange meeting up for coffee. Kelly cocked his head to the side as he watched him leave.
"How do you know him again?" He asked.
"He works with Jonah" She replied "He just moved back to the city"
She raised an eyebrow as Kelly looked like he wanted to add something else. Instead, he looked down at his phone. She watched as he typed something before putting it back in his pocket.
"I've gotta go" He told her "I told Matt I'd watch the game with him"
"Oh, ok" She said standing up "It was good bumping into you, you know if you want to talk, or avoid questions you can always call me"
"I don't want to disturb you" He told her.
"Kelly, I care about you" She said putting her arms around him "You know I'm here for you"
"I know" He said hugging her back "Me too"