“Morning, pretty girl.”
My stomach somersaults at the sound of his voice, and my eyes fly back up to his profile. He doesn’t turn when he greets me, and I hadn’t moved yet except for opening my eyes. That he knows or senses me awake makes my heart thud and my lower region throb. “Morning,beautiful boy.” My voice is scratchy, so I clear it before I add, “Why so sad this early in the day?”
He faces me, his lips rolled inward on a tight smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. His usually vivid blue eyes are a muted denim as they roam over my features. “How do you read me so well?”
“How do you sense I’m awake without turning around?”
“Fair.” He walks to the edge of the bed and sits down, placing his coffee on the nightstand. “Come kiss me, sassy girl.”
“Morning breath,” I reply, placing my fingertips over my lips before he can lean in.
“Coffee breath, so we’re even.” He leans in and takes my fingers in his before placing a soft kiss on my lips. “Speaking of...Want me to get you some?”
“Sure, but are you gonna tell me what’s going on up there? To steal your line.”
“Yeah, but first coffee, to steal yours.” He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear as he stands to go get me a mug.
“I guess it’s true what they say that couples start to sound alike.”
“I thought it was look alike,” he calls as he walks out and down the stairs.
“God, I hope not,” I call back. “I’m not sure I could rock a fade and morning scruff like you can.”
The rumble of his baritone laugh floats up the stairs.
I throw the covers off, stretch and shuffle to the bathroom to brush my teeth, wash my face and throw on some sweats. That I get to start my day with Julian and coffee is making me giddy. Then I remember my man is bothered and the logical reason would be a green-eyed girl back from the dead. I sigh at the reflection in the mirror as I twist myferal air-dried waves into a messy bun. Navigating the Taya situation is going to be weird. He’ll want to help her, be there for her. It’s what I love most about Julian. His heart for others. His protective instincts. I know how much he loves me. He shows me every chance he gets. Every girl should be so lucky. I have nothing to worry about. So why does my nervous system think I’m about to drop into the free fall on a roller coaster?
Stop, Everly.But first, coffee,I mentally chant.
Julian’s voice travels up the stairs. He’s on the phone.
There goes coffee.As if on cue, I hear the whirr of my phone vibrating on the nightstand. Flopping across the bed on my stomach, I snag my phone and swipe when I see Lilly’s face on the screen. “Friend! Miss your face,” I shriek.
“Well, you’re about to see a lot more of it. We’re coming home for winter break, like tomorrow.”
“Yee-aah,” I screech. My excitement is short lived.
“Yeah, but uh, Seth is coming with us. He can’t get home to Hawaii, so he’s coming with us so he’s not alone for the holidays.” She pauses like she’s waiting for me to say something. When I don’t, she adds, “It’s all good, right?”
“Oh, totally.”It’s not.How did the whole holiday season just become a shit show of past trauma, gray areas and bullshit? My conscience revisits coming clean with Julian about my drunken kiss with Seth. How did I become Ross Gellar? I’ve always been on Rachel’s side ofwe were on a break. Now I’d like to invoke Ross’s argument to free myself of my guilt.Fuck my life.
“And like our houses are full, so can we stay at the apartment?”
Julian’s frame fills the doorway. Schooling my features, I look up and arch a brow in question. He nods immediately and puts his hands together like a prayer, his smile taking over his whole face.God, I love him.I shove the Seth kiss and my guilt down and focus on the here and now.
“Are you kidding? Julian would love to have me stay here.” Setting the coffee mugs down on the nightstand, he snakes his body across the bed next to me and rests his cheek on my lower back, his hand grazing up and down the back of my thigh.
“Oh, hey, J Mac.” Lilly greets him now that he’s in the FaceTime frame. “Thanks for putting up with Ev so we can use the apartment. Our little sisters wasted no time taking over our rooms at home.”
Propping his chin on his hands, eyes dancing, he replies, “I mean, if I have to.”
“We’re bringing our Hawaiian friend who can’t get home for break. Cool?”
“Of course. The more the merrier. Right, babe?” He tilts his head toward me as he asks, his cheek on his folded hands.
My stomach flops. His eyes are crystal blue, perfectly framed by thick dark lashes and smiling at the corners—for me. My beautiful man. I’d agree to anything he wants.
“Of course. Can’t wait to see you, Lill.”
