Adrian's soap.
I lay there for approximately ninety seconds, face pressed into the fabric, breathing him in.
Last night happened. Last night actually happened.
I rolled onto my back. Stared at the ceiling. There was a water stain up there shaped like a duck.
The other side of the bed was empty. Cold-empty. He'd left hours ago.
I grabbed my phone. One notification.
Adrian:Had to head out early for some morning shots. Didn't want to wake you. Last night was...
Three dots. Then nothing. He'd deleted whatever came next and sent it unfinished.
I stared at the dots.Last night was what, Adrian? Good? A mistake? Fine, but let's never speak of it if you've realized I'm an actual disaster person who keeps a haunted chair.
I typed:cool sex last night lol
Stared at it in horror, then deleted it so fast I nearly cracked my screen.
When I glanced in the mirror on my way to the bathroom, I looked exactly the same. Same messy hair. Same sharp cheekbones.
No visible transformation. No glowing sign that said THIS PERSON HAS BEEN SEEN AND DIDN'T SPONTANEOUSLY COMBUST.
My phone buzzed.
Jake:Breakfast at The Drop? Evan's buying.
Not Adrian. Of course not Adrian. He was being a professional adult with a job, boundaries, and a plan for his day.
I typed back:
Pickle:yeah be there in 20
When I arrived, Jake was waiting outside The Drop, arms crossed, breath fogging in the cold.
"You walked past the door," he said.
I looked behind me. The entrance was ten feet back.
"Testing your reflexes. Team building exercise."
His eyes narrowed. "You've got a look."
"Of course, I have a look. If I didn't, I'd be invisible."
"No, your energy is different. It's giving..." He trailed off, searching for the word.
"I'm a morning person. It's my healthy sleep schedule."
"It's giving I had sex and don't know how to act about it vibes."
I choked. "What—that's not—"
"Oh my God." He grinned. "I was fishing. I didn't actually think—"
"You're wrong."
