I woketo the sound of buzzing from somewhere outside the room. Last night came back to me in vivid flashes, reminding me that my phone was still in my pocket, my pants discarded somewhere outside this room.
When the phone stopped buzzing but then immediately started again, I extracted myself out from under Taylor’s arm and padded out of the room, retrieving my boxers just outside the door. I stepped them on and fished my phone out of the front pocket of my jeans.
I had a string of missed messages.
David
Emergency meeting at 8. Merrick’s new ads just dropped.
All hands on deck.
Michael
Need to talk to you. Call me when you can.
Kendra
Call me.
I pressed the heel of my hand against my eye socket. If I wanted to get back to Portland, shower, change, and make the meeting on time, I had to leave now.
The door to Taylor’s bedroom opened behind me, and I turned to see him shielding his eyes against the bright light streaming in through the window. “What time is it?”
“Just after six. I … um … I have to go.” I held up my phone. “Emergency meeting.”
He ran his fingers through sleep-mussed hair. “Okay, yeah. Let me get dressed and grab my keys.”
Twenty minutes later, we were in his car heading south. Taylor had thrown on a pair of grey sweats that hung low on his hips and a Marauders hoodie, while I was in yesterday’s clothes, wrinkled from the night they’d spent crumpled on the floor.
“Where should I drop you?” He turned onto the street where my apartment was located.
“Not here,” I said, my words coming out sharper than I meant for them to.
I rubbed the back of my neck and tried again, my voice softer this time. “Could we maybe go a few streets over? The office is across the street, and I don’t know who might already be there.”
A muscle jumped in Taylor’s jaw. “Where?”
“Spring Street should be fine.”
We drove in awkward silence until Taylor pulled over in front of a row of brick houses. “This okay?”
“Perfect.”
I unbuckled my seatbelt and turned to him. For a moment, we just looked at each other. Then I leaned in and kissed him quickly. Desperately.
When I pulled back, his eyes were dark with longing.
“I’ll call you later,” I promised.
He blinked and turned his head away. “Yeah. Okay.”
I opened the door and stepped out onto the sidewalk, the cool morning air hitting my face. I bent down to say another goodbye when?—
“Sebastian?”
My stomach dropped. I straightened up too fast, nearly hitting my head on the doorframe, and turned to see two men walking a small, scruffy dog on a leash.
“Itisyou,” David Reyes said as they drew closer.
