"Because she just texted me 'Can we talk.'"
There's a beat of silence on the line. Then Wren's voice shifts—deeply smug, deeply affectionate, and completely done with me. "Perfect. Go talk to her before you lose your nerve."
"Wren, wait—" I pull the phone away from my ear, tapping quickly with my thumb.
Sure. You want to meet at the Donut?
Not the Donut. Too public. Your place?
I put the phone back to my ear. "She wants to come here."
"Then talk. Be honest. Don't disappear."
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I promise."
Wren exhales. "Okay. Good. Now go clean your apartment before she gets there. I know you. You've been stress-spiraling, and your place probably looks like a tornado hit it."
I look around the living room. Camera gear covers the dining table. Three empty mugs sit on the coffee table. But worse than the mess is the transience. The walls are completely bare. The moving boxes in the corner are still unpacked. It looks exactly like the apartment of a guy who always has one foot out the door.
"I hate that you know me so well.”
"Love you, Tommy."
"Love you too."
She hangs up.
I stare at the phone in my hand. The screen is still open to Sam's message. I let out a breath and type back.
Yeah. Just trying to decide how much time I need to ask you to wait so I can clean up.
The three dots appear immediately.
How about an hour? Can I bring coffee?
An hour. I can work with an hour. I glance toward the bathroom. At minimum, I need to scrub the sink.
I have coffee. Just bring yourself.
See you soon.
I set the phone down next to the laptop.Image sequencing finalized,the pale blue sticky note reads.You were right about the dawn shot. –S
I have sixty minutes to make this place look like an adult lives here. And to figure out exactly what I'm going to say when she walks through the door.
Stay in the room,Wren’s voice echoes in my head.Say 'I'm scared.'
I pick up an empty coffee cup, then grab a second one by the handle. Yeah. I can do that.
I hope.
Fifty-eight minutes later, I hear three soft knocks.
I wipe my palms on my jeans and cross to the door.
