The Broken Road (The Broken Series)

by Ruff, K. S.

  My cheeks heated. I was completely flustered by the longing inspired by his cologne. I shook my head as I tried to focus on the conversation. “The impact on federal employees is bad enough, but can you imagine the implications for people dependent on social security, veteran’s benefits, or Medicare?”

  Kadyn frowned. “No, I can’t.”

  I sighed. I was so disappointed by the lack of collaboration and leadership I was seeing on the Hill. I stared out the window. My eyes widened when I saw the rainbow of colors that danced along an endless stream of trees. “It’s so beautiful,” I exclaimed.

  “Yes, quite beautiful,” he whispered huskily.

  I looked at Kadyn, intrigued by the change in his tone. He wasn’t admiring the trees. He was looking pointedly at me. I tried not to panic.

  Kadyn turned into a large parking lot in a heavily treed housing complex. “We’re here.”

  I glanced at my watch. “This must be quite the commute on weekdays. I can’t believe she lives this far out.”

  “Cenia slugs in so she doesn’t have to drive,” Kadyn explained as he parked the car.

  I stared at him. “What do you mean ‘she slugs?’”

  Kadyn hooked his hand behind my seat as he turned to face me. “Slugging is like legalized hitchhiking. People who live this far out drive to commuter lots where they can stand in slug lines to catch a ride with someone who needs additional passengers to drive in the HOV lanes. It speeds up the commute for everyone because there are less cars on the road. There are slug lines at the Pentagon too. So people can slug back home.”

  My eyes widened. “Cenia gets into a car with a total stranger every day?”

  Kadyn laughed as he opened his door. “She gets into cars driven by other Pentagon employees. Besides, she’s military. She has good instincts, and she knows how to defend herself.”

  By the time I gathered the baking supplies from the back seat, Kadyn already had my door open. He reached for my elbow as I stepped out of the car. Then he reached for the baking supplies. “Here. Let me help.”

  We walked toward one of the buildings. “I know she’s military, but I don’t think I like the idea of Cenia slugging,” I confessed with growing concern.

  Kadyn’s eyes softened as he studied me. “Cenia’s safe. I did some checking around when she first started slugging. No one’s ever been hurt or victimized when slugging. If a driver doesn’t feel right, then she can always decline and wait for the next car. Besides, she typically rides with other women.”

  I nodded, marginally reassured.

  Kadyn stopped in front of a door on the ground floor. He ignored the doorbell. Instead, he rapped on the door.

  Cenia yanked the door open. “It’s about time you got here. What took you so long?”

  Kadyn chuckled. “Miss me?”

  Cenia rolled her eyes, but a small smile tugged at the corner of her lips. She turned on her heel and led us into the living room where Marie, Phil, Troy, and Roger were sitting.

  I waved at Marie as Kadyn nudged me toward two people I hadn’t met before. “This is Matt. He’s an intelligence analyst for the Department of Defense. Matt, this is Kri. She works on health policy for Senator Rockefeller.”

  Matt was Kadyn’s height. He had broad shoulders, dark brown hair, and brown eyes, which contrasted nicely with his fair skin. Matt switched his beer over to his left hand. Then he wiped his right hand on his jeans so he could shake my hand. “Nice to meet you, Kri.”

  I shook his hand. “Hi, Matt. It’s nice to meet you.”

  Kadyn nodded toward the other man. “This is Shawn. He was my roommate at the Air Force Academy. He’s a pilot for the Air Force.”

  Shawn stood a few inches taller than Kadyn. He had broad shoulders, jet black hair, and deep brown eyes. A mischievous look sparked in his eyes as he shook my hand. “Hey, Kri. What are you doing with this low life?”

  Kadyn thumped him in the chest.

  Shawn stumbled back laughing.

  Matt watched the exchange with an amused look on his face.

  Cenia reached for my arm. “I need to borrow Kri.”

  I laughed at the stunned look on Kadyn’s face as Cenia led me into the kitchen.

  Cenia reached for a wooden spoon. She dipped it into a large metal pot, then held it up to my lips. “Taste this.”

  My eyes met Cenia’s as I tasted the chili. “It’s good.”

  Her eyebrows furrowed as she tossed the spoon into the sink. “It’s okay… something’s missing.”

  “The sauce is a little tangy,” I admitted. “You could add some chocolate or a little more chili powder to smooth it out.”

  “Chocolate! I forgot the chocolate!” Cenia yanked a cupboard door open. She shuffled some spices around before pulling out a box of bittersweet chocolate. She tossed two squares of baking chocolate into the pot, then sprinkled some chili powder into the sauce. She stirred the chili, took a taste, and smiled. “It’s perfect. Thanks!”

  Kadyn’s cologne wafted over me again. The heat from his body rolled along my back as he walked up behind me. He looped his thumbs through the belt loops on either side of my hips and rested his chin on the top of my head. “What’d I miss?”

  I froze. Kadyn was so close to embracing me, I didn’t know how to react. Aside from his chin on my head, not a single part of his body was touching mine. Still, my body was acutely aware of every square inch of him.

  Cenia must have sensed my unease because she flicked a kitchen towel at Kadyn and chased him out of the kitchen. “Get out! If you’re not cooking or baking, you don’t belong in here!” She winked at me as she strode back to the stove. She slipped oven mitts over her hands before pulling cornbread from the oven.

  I smiled at Cenia before ducking out of the kitchen to retrieve my cookie dough and baking sheets from the dining room table where Kadyn had set them.

  Kadyn was in the living room, talking to Phil and Troy.

  I walked back into the kitchen. “Do you mind if I put this dough in your refrigerator until we're ready to bake cookies?”

  Cenia was pulling the cork out of a bottle of red wine. “If you can find space in there, you are welcome to it.”

  My eyes widened when I opened the refrigerator door. I had never seen such a well-stocked fridge… outside the one at my parents’ house. Cenia clearly liked to cook. I shoved my cookie dough inside the vegetable drawer, since it was the only part of the refrigerator with available space.

  Cenia stacked a small plate, which held a piece of cornbread, on top of a bowl of chili. She handed the chili and cornbread to me, along with a glass of wine. She grabbed the same for herself, then nudged me into the living room. She cleared her throat, then spoke over the rest of the crowd. “I’m serving dinner buffet style tonight, so please help yourself. Bowls, plates, and spoons are on the counter next to the cornbread.”

  Cenia blocked Kadyn as he tried to steal my cornbread. I laughed at him as I followed Cenia to the couch.

  “I don’t know what I was thinking, introducing the two of you,” Kadyn grumbled as he followed the rest of the group into the kitchen.

  Cenia lifted her wine glass. “Here’s to having another girl in the group who knows how to cook.” She tapped her wine glass against mine, and we both took a sip. The Chianti hinted at cherry, vanilla, and oak.

  Everyone trickled out of the kitchen, balancing bowls heaped with chili and cornbread in one hand and wine or beer in the other. Marie, Phil, and Troy snagged seats at the dining room table. Matt eyed the couch, but he joined Shawn on the floor, on the other side of the coffee table. Roger sat next to Cenia on the couch, and Kadyn settled on the floor next to my legs.

  Shawn nudged Matt. He nodded toward Kadyn and me. I wondered what their silent conversation was about. The room fell quiet as everyone dug into the chili. When the conversation resumed, everyone began talking about the Air Force-Navy game scheduled for the end of the month.

  Cenia nudged my shoulder. “I have an extra ticket if you’d l
ike to join us, Kri. You can stay with me and my friend Renee in the officers’ quarters.”

  I glanced at Cenia in surprise. I wasn’t expecting to be invited to the game, since they had planned this trip long before meeting me. I looked at Kadyn, uncertain as to how to respond.

  He smiled. “You should come.”

  I set my cornbread down and turned toward Cenia. “Sure. I’d love to go. Thanks for inviting me.”

  Cenia smiled. “Great! You can bring chips and salsa.”

  “Be sure to dress in warm clothes,” Marie advised as she rose from the table. She disappeared into the kitchen and returned with a bottle of wine.

  “Phil, Roger, and I are driving. I still have room in my car if you want to ride up with me,” Kadyn offered as he set his bowl of chili on the table and turned toward me.

  I nodded. “Sounds good.” I made a mental note to line up the dog walker to take care of Cade while I was out of town. I glanced at Cenia. “What do I owe you for the ticket?”

  “Nothing,” Kadyn responded. “I got it.”

  I glanced at him uncertainly. “Are you sure?”

  He smiled. “The coach gave me some extra tickets. You don’t owe a thing as long as you’re cheering for the right team.”

  I pasted a serious look onto my face. “Navy, right?”

  The entire room gasped.

  Kadyn smiled when I began laughing.

  Cenia chuckled. “You had me worried for a minute there.”

  Troy rose from the table. “We still have this unresolved matter of determining who makes the best cookies, so I’d like to see Cenia and Kri in the kitchen.”

  Everyone began laughing and talking at once. Cenia and I followed Troy into the kitchen. The rest of the group began placing bets.

  I pulled my cookie dough from the refrigerator.

  “How are we going to serve all three batches of cookies warm from the oven without giving away who made each batch?” Troy asked as he washed his hands.

  Cenia set the oven to three hundred and seventy-five degrees. “I’m baking my cookies on stoneware, so they’ll stay warm while you and Kri bake a batch of your cookies.”

  I glanced at Troy. “Why don’t we share a cookie sheet so our cookies will be done at the same time?”

  Troy began digging through Cenia’s utensil drawer. He handed Cenia and me a spoon, then took one for himself. “How long do you bake your cookies?”

  I set the spoon on the counter so I could wash my hands. “Nine minutes.”

  Cenia squeezed foaming hand soap into my hands as she joined me at the sink.

  Troy began dropping scoops of dough onto his baking sheet. “I prefer my cookies under baked, so let’s just put two cookie sheets in at the same time. That way, I can pull my cookie sheet out at seven minutes.”

  Cenia shook her head as she dried her hands. She handed me the towel as she turned toward Troy. “If anyone gets food poisoning, I’m blaming you.”

  Troy scowled at Cenia. “My recipe doesn’t call for eggs. No one’s getting food poisoning from my cookies.”

  I covered my cookie sheets with parchment paper and reached for my cookie dough as I contemplated how best to join in on the ribbing. “Gee, Cenia, I think you should let the guy compete with his half-baked eggless cookie dough…”

  Cenia burst out laughing.

  I chuckled as I scooped up a spoonful of dough and dropped it on my cookie sheet.

  Troy opened his mouth to object, then promptly snapped it shut. He shook his head as a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. “You’re gonna to be eating those words after everyone votes for my cookies.”

  I shook my head. “I’m pretty sure the only thing I’ll be eating is Cenia’s cookies.”

  Cenia glanced at me questioningly as she popped her cookies into the oven. “My cookies? Shouldn’t you be eating your own cookies?”

  I laughed, then nodded toward the living room. “I won’t have any cookies left after they taste them.”

  Cenia’s eyes widened. “And I will?”

  Troy laughed. “She totally set you up with that one.”

  The smell of vanilla and warm chocolate filled the kitchen. The ribbing continued as we waited for our first batch of cookies to bake. As soon as my cookies were done, we piled the cookies on numbered plates. My batch was heaped onto plate one, Cenia’s was on plate two, and Troy’s were on plate three.

  Cenia loaded the plates onto a tray. I carried the tray out to the living room and set it on the coffee table. Troy trailed after me with a small bowl.

  Cenia gathered small strips of paper and a handful of pens and stuck them in the bowl. She set the supplies next to the cookies as she offered up instructions. “Sample a cookie from each plate, record the number from the plate of cookies you liked best on a strip of paper, and toss it in the bowl.”

  I shook my head. “I love how competitive you guys are!”

  Troy laughed. “If you think this is competitive, you’re going to be in for a rude awakening when you get to the Air Force-Navy game.”

  Cenia linked her arm with mine as we returned to the kitchen to bake more cookies. The three of us hung back in the kitchen until Phil announced that everyone had voted. We returned to the living room with three more plates of cookies. I settled in next to Kadyn as Roger tabulated the votes.

  Roger shook his head and laughed. “It’s a three way tie.”

  Kadyn and I were still mulling over the results when we drove home. He parked his car in the garage under his building and walked me back to my apartment. He joined Cade and me for our evening walk.

  I turned toward Kadyn as we neared my apartment. “I had a great time tonight. Thanks for including me in your circle of friends.”

  Kadyn kneeled down to pet Cade. “Thanks for baking the cookies, Kri. You and Cenia looked thick as thieves in that kitchen. I think she likes having another girl around.”

  My eyes met Kadyn’s as he stood. “It was really nice of her to offer me that extra ticket to the game.”

  Kadyn smiled. “I’m glad you’re joining us. Hopefully the weather will hold out.”

  An awkward silence fell over us. We were both struggling with how to end the evening. Kadyn shoved his hands in his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. “Do you want to go out to breakfast tomorrow morning and hit the grocery store afterwards? Mason and I are down to ketchup and frozen pizza, which is never a good thing.”

  I was secretly thrilled. “Sure. Breakfast sounds great, and I have a bunch of things I need to get at the store.”

  Kadyn walked me the rest of the way to my door. “Good. Let’s plan for nine o’clock, so we can both sleep in.”

  I gathered Cade into my arms. “Sounds good.”

  Kadyn took the keys from my hand as I shifted Cade in my arms. He reached around me to unlock the door. His face paused inches from mine as he pushed the door open.

  My breath caught in anticipation of a kiss.

  Kadyn’s gaze lingered on my lips before his eyes captured mine. “Sleep well, Kri. I’ll see you in the morning.” He handed me the keys and gently patted Cade on the head before he walked away.

  I stepped inside my apartment, set Cade on the floor, and locked the door. I filled my tea kettle and set it on the stove before changing into my pajamas. I was disappointed that Kadyn hadn’t kissed me. I couldn’t stop thinking about how much I’d wanted that kiss. I sighed as I dropped a tea bag into a ceramic mug. Kadyn was proving impossible to resist.

  By two a.m., I was on my third cup of mint tea and still debating my decision not to date anyone in DC.

  * * * * * *

  My cell phone rang at eight-thirty the next morning, just as I was towel drying my hair. I tore through the house looking for my phone. “Hello?” I answered breathlessly.

  “About breakfast….”

  My shoulders fell. “Oh. Do you need to cancel? We can always do it another time…”

  Kadyn quickly interjected. “No. Actually, my roommate just i
nvited us to eat here.”

  I hesitated uncertainly. “Please tell me you aren’t planning to serve frozen pizza for breakfast. Did you already run to the store?”

  Kadyn chuckled. “No. Mason’s girlfriend, Gabi, stayed over last night. She just ordered groceries and had them delivered to our apartment. Well, Gabi was going to order fashion magazines, orange juice, and champagne so that she could sip on mimosas and flip through magazines while soaking in the bathtub. Mason insisted she add biscuits, bacon, eggs, and cheese to the list, so I’m making breakfast sandwiches for breakfast.”

  “You can do that?” I asked incredulously. I had never heard of such a thing.

  “Do what? Cook?”

  I shook my head, even though he couldn’t see me. “No. Have groceries delivered.”

  He chuckled softly. “Evidently.”

  I juggled the phone as I tugged socks on. “I thought only elderly people got their groceries delivered.”

  “Yeah, well, you might want to add self-proclaimed Jewish princesses to that list.”

  A young girl’s voice rang out in the background. “I heard that! And, just for the record... everyone does it!”

  I tried to envision the type of person who would have fashion magazines and mimosas delivered to her boyfriend’s house and promptly decided I should meet Gabi.

  “Okay. I’ll bring some coffee and my French Press over.” I wasn’t about to miss my morning fix.

  “I don’t drink coffee,” Kadyn responded.

  “I do!” another man hollered over Kadyn.

  “We're in apartment four-oh-three, which is located on the fourth floor. Why don’t you bring Cade? I’ll make him breakfast too.”

  I smiled. “Okay. We’ll be over in a few minutes.” I quickly finished getting ready. Then I gathered up my coffee, French Press, and Cade and walked over to Kadyn’s apartment building.

  A man, who was clearly not Kadyn, opened the door when I knocked. “Did you bring the coffee?”

  I smiled as I handed him the French Press. I set Cade loose, so he could check the place out. Then I introduced myself. “Hi, I’m Kri. You must be Mason.” I wasn’t sure what to make of Mason. His light brown hair was a bit disheveled looking, and he was wearing orange and brown plaid board shorts with a Hawaiian shirt. One thing was certain. He looked like he needed coffee.