Page 68 of Love By The Falls

I throw open the car door as soon as Sage finds a parking spot near Seaver Way. I inhale three deep breaths, willing the nausea to pass. We only stopped once to pee and grab a sandwich on our way here and although I rarely get carsick, I came very close in the last hour.

“Are you okay?”

“Just peachy,” I say.

Sage looks at the address on the building with her hands on her hips. “This is it. Forty-three Seaver Way. Which floor do you think he works on?”

“I don’t know. I’m sure someone at the front desk will tell us.”

We walk up the concrete steps to the front of the building. And I check my reflection in the glass door. “How do I look?”

“You look gorgeous, as usual.”

“Thank you.” I run my hands along my oversized sweater. There’s a bump in there, but the sweater hides it well. Plus, the baggy jacket conceals anything the sweater does not. I wish I could have shown up insomething more flattering, but I wanted to be comfortable for the drive.

“Do you think I should change into the dress I brought?”

Sage shakes her head. “No. Save that one for dinner.”

“You think we’ll be here for dinner?”

“Of course. He won’t send you on your merry way after you tell him he’s going to be a father. He’ll want to talk about it over dinner.”

I nod. “You’re probably right. Will you join us?”

“No, no. Three’s a crowd in this case. I’ll watch a movie in the theater or walk around town. Don’t worry about me. I can entertain myself.”

“Thanks for coming with me, Sage.” I pull her in for a hug.

“I’m just so glad we found him.”

There are two security guards at the front when we enter and one at a desk by the bank of elevators. There’s a receptionist in the middle, and we walk directly to her. “Excuse me,” I say. “Can you tell me which floor I can find Caleb?”

“Caleb?”

“Caleb Consuelos.”

She stares at me. “Do you have an appointment?”

Sage pipes in behind me. “Yes. She does. If you can just let us know which floor he’s on, we’ll be on our way.”

She directs her stare at Sage and narrows her eyes this time. Finally, she picks up the receiver and calls someone. I catch a list of names next to her desk with extension numbers and room numbers. The majority are on the sixth floor.

“Trevor? Hi, it’s Janine at the front desk. Yeah. I’ve got two women here wanting to see Caleb. That’s right.”

Her eyes rake over us, from my white sneakers to my oversized beige jacket. “No,” she says, answering some unknown question. “They don’t.” She continues to stare at me. “Will do. Thanks.” And then she hangs up the phone.

“I’m sorry, but Trevor has no record of any appointments this afternoon with two women from out of town.”

“How do you know we’re from out of town?” I ask, and she raises her eyebrows as she rakes her eyes over my body again. “A guess.”

“Well, that’s rude,” I say. “We won’t be long. It will only take a moment and then I’m sure Caleb will want to talk more later.”

“Oh, honey. That’s what they all think. But let me save you the time and the hassle. He’s not into you. He won’t fall in love with you by showing up at his office unannounced. Now, take whatever is left of your dignity and go.”

I sputter as I’m too stunned to respond. “How—How dare you!”

Sage pulls me to the side and looks over my shoulder. “I’ll distract her, and in the meantime, you jump inside that elevator as soon as the doors open. You got that?”

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