I smile at him, and then I look at the man with him. “Phantom, thank you again for letting me stay here.”
Phantom doesn’t respond, just firms his lips and turns away. Shadow follows him.
Well, okay…
I’m alone on the barstool sipping my cup of coffee—at least, as alone as I can be—when I feel the cell phone in the pocket of my yoga pants buzz. After hearing Clive’s message, I thought about turning the phone off, but my sister insisted that I stay in touch, so I texted her before I jumped in the shower. I take a peek at my phone and just pray it’s her checking in.
My heart swells with relief when I see a text message pop up filled with emoji hearts.
Sis: You’ve got at least one more night till this thing blows past, if the weather people know what the shit they are taking about. Be safe, sis. Send me updates. Keep your phone charged. Love you.
I like the message so she knows I read it before I slip the phone back into my pocket. My sister knows I’m safe, and Clive has settled down enough to stop blowing up my phone. I haven’t responded, and I’m shocked to realize that if I weren’t with Shadow, I would have. I would have told him everything. Where I was. Who I was with. How I was doing.
I left him because… Well, there are so many reasons why I left that man, that relationship. And yet, for the last six months, I haven’t cut the cord completely.
When he texts, I answer.
When he calls, I pick up.
Not now.
Not today.
I left to start a new life, and the storm may have blown me onto a totally unexpected path, but there’s no need for me to put Clive first now. He can’t get to me. I’m safe here. And I want to soak up every bit of this experience. Tomorrow morning, when the storm has blown over, this pit stop on the road to my new adventure will be behind me. I’m going to take every moment as it comes.
I have to hold back a sad grin. Tomorrow means I’ll have to say goodbye to Shadow. It’s weird how a morning of intense sex can make you feel so alive and changed.
Is that what great sex does? Or is that just what I’m feeling because Shadow is a man who hasn’t yet tried to hold me back? Stifle me?
“Hey, princess.” An unfamiliar voice breaks me from my thoughts. “You know how to cook?”
I turn to see a woman wearing a giant T-shirt that probably doesn’t belong to her and nothing else that’s visible, at least. I try not to cringe at the sight of her bare feet on the sticky floor.
“I do,” I tell her.
She yawns and rubs her eye, smearing remnants of last night’s glittery eye shadow across her cheek. “Come on. You’re on kitchen duty.”
I look back toward Shadow, who is standing with his arms crossed over his chest. He’s in a quiet conversation with Phantom that looks intense. When I meet his eyes, Shadow looks at the girl, then back at me. He gives me the slightest nod, so imperceptible I’m not sure he did it.
But then the girl loops her arm through mine. “Ohhhh shit,” she croons. “So, you’re not just some straggler Shadow brought in from the storm? The girls are going to want details.”
I have no intention of telling anyone anything about what’s happened with me and Shadow, but I let this woman drag me away from the bar and into a really big, beautiful commercial kitchen.
I don’t know how many people actually live in this place, but the kitchen is massive. There are two huge refrigerators, a walk-in pantry, and a gas stove that has twelve burners. A couple of women who look like they are still wearing their clothes from last night are taking turns flipping pancakes, and I smell bacon that must be baking in one of the ovens.
“For the love of Christ, tell me you can cook.” One of the women I recognize from outside last night—not the puker, but the other one—points at me. “What’s your name? You’re…” She squints, as if trying to place me.
“I’m Violet,” I tell her. I reach out a hand to shake hers. “And you are?”
A woman I almost don’t recognize as the bartender from last night approaches me. Her face is free of makeup, and she’s not wearing the low-cut top that shows off her very impressive cleavage. She’s dressed in a comfy-looking sweatsuit in a soft red color that highlights her dark hair and eyes.
“I’m Stella,” she says, nodding at me. She points to the friend of the puker. “That’s Amy, and over there is Jackie.” She lowers her voice and nods at a woman who is rummaging around in an open fridge door, yelling about needing more butter. “Penny,” she murmurs. “She’s gonna give you a real hard time about Shadow. Don’t show any weakness, and you’ll be fine.”
I nod thankfully and immediately wonder how many of these women Shadow has fucked too. I shake the thought from my head. It doesn’t matter. I’m not looking for forever. I’m not looking for anything, honestly. Shelter from a storm. I need to remember that. I’m the stranger here, and these women… They are part of this world. I’m just passing through it.
I lift my chin and set my coffee down on the counter. “So, what can I do?”
Penny slams the fridge door shut, having found an unopened package of butter. “Bitch, please tell me you cook?”
