Dinner and drinks tonight?
I should head home and get back to work, but fuck it. I’ve been busting my ass with this book and quite frankly, I think I deserve a night off.
Jade
Tell me when and where and I’ll be there.
Ellie
Let’s meet at Harry’s Pub. Eight o’clock?
Jade
See you then!
I stop at the front desk and schedule an appointment for next week to get the monitor put on. It’s a simple thing that I’ve done many times before. That’s how they discovered the extra heartbeats and arrhythmia when I was a teenager.
It was determined to be nothing serious, although I have an annual cardiology appointment so they can keep an eye on things to make sure it doesn’t turn into something serious.
The sun shines brightly, warming my body through my puffy jacket as I head to my car in the parking lot. It’s already late in the afternoon, so I do have a little bit of time to kill before I’m supposed to meet Ellie.
I stop by the coffee shop on my way home, grabbing a pastry and a small drink to hold me over until later tonight. I know Ellie, and we’re definitely doing girl dinner if we’re meeting at Harry’s Pub.
They do have the best Caesar salads, truffle fries, and dirty martinis in all of Hillford.
Well, that’s debatable now that I’ve had a salad from The Ivory Table. They might have Harry’s beat for the best one in town.
My mind flickers to that night with Matteo as I pull into the garage at my apartment building. The way Matteo’s fingertips lingered, the way they felt skating across my skin. If he would have kissed me, I wouldn’t have stopped him.
I would have kissed him back.
We never said anything about changing the rules of our arrangement. Is it so wrong of me to imagine what it might feel like to have his mouth against mine? To have his hands roaming over my bare skin?
I haven’t been with someone in so long. I live alone. It’s only natural to feel lonely from time to time… right?
My phone vibrates again as I let myself into my apartment. My stomach flutters, but I don’t let myself look to see who it is until I’m in my bedroom.
Matteo
Sunny, I think I have a problem.
Jade
What’s that?
Matteo
I can’t seem to stop thinking about you.
A smile lifts my lips as I drop down onto my bed.
Jade
Why’s that a problem?
Matteo
Because Coach would be pissed if I hopped on a flight to come see you right now.
