Page 89 of Counting On You

She laughs at my expression. “Please don’t tell me you didn’t see it coming. You’ve been here for two weeks and haven’t noticed that some people seem to be a little too friendly? I’m going to let you take a wild guess what’s going on behind closed bedroom doors.” She winks, her tone changing and dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Whatever they tried to achieve by pairing us up was a flop. Half of the love addicts are already sleeping with the sex addicts.” She cocks her head. “But even if they find out, I doubt they’d rethink the program. Too much money has gone into it. At best, they’ll declare us cured. At worst, they’ll impose new rules, maybe even watch us twenty-four seven.”

“You think so?”

“Maybe.” She shrugs. “So what about him? Is he up for it?”

“Who? Kade?” I look over my shoulder, fearing that he might hear me speaking his name.

To my relief, I see him sitting at another table, engrossed in a conversation with a guy I don’t know. His glance finds me, and our gazes meet.

And then he winks.

My stomach flips a little.

I turn my attention back to Sylvie. “No, he doesn’t want to fuck me. He’s absolutely not interested.”

“Hmm.” She doesn’t sound convinced. “He asks you out but doesn’t want to sleep with you?”

“Yes. That’s about right.” I purse my lips, ready to tell her what happened between us when a short ringing sound echoes through the hall.

“Is this a drill or something?” I stand up, watching everyone else push up to their feet and rush out the door.

“No.” Sylvie slings her handbag over her shoulder. “It’s visitation day.”

I was so busy I had completely forgotten.

“Catch up later?” She leans into me and whispers, “He’s checking you out.”

Only after she’s headed for the door do I dare to look.

Kade, standing near the table, holding a note pad in his hand, which he holds up as soon as he notices me looking. On it, he’s written:

Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Igrabmy bag and head for him, smiling. “The Empire Strikes Back, right?”

“You know your movies.” He leans into me to place a soft kiss on my cheek.

“What does it mean?”

“It’s a mental note to remind you to return to the present moment by letting go of attachments, such as fear and limitations. By eliminating the word try, you have the choice whether to actively do something or not. You have the power to see it through. You’re acknowledging that every act is sacred and you do what needs to be done while facing an obstacle.”

My lips twitch at his implication. “And visitation time is an obstacle?”

“If whoever’s visiting you stops you from completing something, it is,” Kade says.

I laugh. “Thanks, Yoda. I’ll keep that in mind.”

He lifts his hand, offering it to me. “Shall we?”

I interlink my fingers with his. “Only if you stop theThe Empire Strikes Backquotes.”

“Not a fan, are you?”

“Can’t say I am.”

“Me neither,” Kade says, laughing. “I just have a very good memory for quotes.”

We follow the crowd into an adjacent building. The scent of grilled chicken reaches me long before we step into the hall that’s been rearranged to accommodate the large number of visitors.

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