Audrey laughed. She was sure she would. Part of her wondered if she’d ever get to see it. “Okay, your turn.”
“To tell you a fact?”
“Yes, please.”
“About my job? I don’t think I like it the same way you like bugs. I don’t know a lot of inn facts…”
“About anything you want.”
“You’re the most interesting person I’ve ever met.”
“That doesn’t count. That’s an opinion, and I’m sure you’ve met more interesting people than me.”
“Haven’t. And I think that’s interesting.” She pressed her lips together, considering. “I’ve learned more about bugs in the last few days than I had in my entire life before I met you.”
Audrey smiled, shy and delighted. That wasn’t massively surprising. People really did not love learning about bugs as a general rule. “I’m glad to be of assistance. Still not sure if that counts, but I’ll take it.”
Hallie looked intently at her, and the air in the room suddenly felt thick and loaded. Audrey’s heart thudded demandingly. She wasn’t sure anyone had ever looked so very lovely with wet hair before. Her own wet hair definitely hadnothing on Hallie’s. They’d probably need to dry it soon but she couldn’t find it in herself to want to bring it up and move.
Hallie sucked in a breath and smiled. “I don’t think you’ll like this one either.”
“I’m willing to take my chances,” Audrey whispered back.
“You might just be the most beautiful person I’ve ever met.”
Audrey was pretty sure her heart stopped for a moment. Her breathing definitely did. It sounded ragged when she sucked in an urgent breath. “That’s not a fact.”
“It definitely is.”
Everything about it made Audrey want to be brave. Hallie had given her permission to choose herself. Just for tonight, maybe shecouldask for what she wanted.
“Stay in here tonight?” she whispered, catching the moment Hallie’s eyes widened and her cheeks flushed. “With me?”
Hallie was nodding even before she’d finished speaking. “Anything you want.”
Audrey laughed, suddenly feeling like she was floating. “For you to tell me a fact.”
“I’m staying in here with you tonight,” Hallie said, ecstatic and shy at the same time.
That was a fact, apparently. Audrey didn’t quite understand how, but it was a fact. “That wasn’t quite what I meant.”
Hallie laughed. “You said a fact. I gave you plenty. Your turn.”
Audrey’s insides felt molten but it was good. She was used to the way shame burned. This was something else entirely. And, she supposed, if Hallie wanted another fact, she could do that. For the woman who was turning her whole week around, she could do anything.
Chapter Seventeen
Audrey was fast asleep when Hallie woke up the next morning. Nothing had happened between them last night but it still felt like everything had. Shehadadmitted that she thought Audrey was beautiful… Maybe that was something.
She was beautiful while she slept too.
Hallie had worried Audrey would struggle to fall asleep in a new place, but the emotions of the day, and, hell, the week, seemed to have worn her out. They’d snuggled up under the blankets together, too close for new friends, and talked into the night, Audrey’s eyes getting heavier and heavier until she started doing that adorable thing sleepy people did where they kept jerking awake. Hallie had turned the lamp off and simply listened to Audrey’s steady breathing as she slipped quickly into slumber.
She’d needed rest so much. Hallie doubted she’d gotten any decent sleep while they’d been around the Sinclairs. That level of distress was something she was glad to have never felt around her own family, but it wasn’t exactly hard to understand whatAudrey was going through. She was glad that being here wasn’t similarly uncomfortable.
On the bedside table, Audrey’s phone lit up. She had it on silent, but it still shone with the incoming call. Hallie frowned. It was early. Her family couldn’t leave her alone for a few hours?
She ached to reach out and wrap Audrey in her arms. In truth, she wanted to spend every morning waking up to Audrey and seeing where this energy between them could go. But she knew it wasn’t going to go that way. Audrey was in crisis. She needed a friend, not someone hitting on her. And, come Sunday, she’d be back on a plane to LA.
