She chuckled humorlessly. “Do you blame him? I went to the bar he works at, shamelessly hit on him, and then didn’t wait ten minutes to screw a guy I barely knew in a dirty restroom.” She lowered her face, ashamed. “That kind of thing doesn’t scream she’s the one.”
I rested my hand on her shoulder. “You made a mistake. Everyone does, Ella. People learn from their mistakes. I know you have.”
She nodded and uttered an unfeeling, “Sure.”
My eyes narrowed as I thought hard about something, anything that would cheer her up. My lips spread into a smile as I took her hand and threw open the apartment door. Walking across the hall, I knocked on the door opposite mine.
Ella asked guardedly, “Uh, what are we doing?”
The door flew open and Terry stood there, a headband holding his hair back, his face covered in white goop. He looked at the two of us and gasped happily, “Girls’ night!” Leaving us in the doorway, he rushed down the hall, calling back, “Well, what are you waiting for? Get inside, bitches!”
We got inside. Terry masked us up as Bill topped off our wine glasses. By the end of the night, Ella was laughing freely at something Bill had said, not an ounce of despair etched in her features. I smiled thankfully over at Terry. As he walked past me, he pressed a kiss to the top of my head.
Friends like these were hard to find.
How’d I get so lucky?
It was close to one a.m. and Ella had left just minutes earlier. I kissed the guys on the cheeks, thanking them for their incomparable hospitality, and made my way home.
My bed was calling my name. It had been a busy day. And night. I slid under the covers, not bothering to change my clothes. Just as I began falling asleep, my phone vibrated on the nightstand, next to the bowl of forgotten cereal.
I reached out for it and unlocked the screen. My brow slacked and my mouth gaped. Twenty-two missed calls. Eight messages. What on earth?
Every missed call was from Quinn. So were the messages.
Quinn: Where are you?
Quinn: Mia, where’d you go?
Quinn: You seriously snuck out while I was asleep? Shit, Mia. You’re a walking cliché!
Quinn: Pick up. Pick up. Pick up. Pick up.
Quinn: You’re freaking me out now. Pls call me when you get this.
Quinn: I’ve got work in an hour. Call me.
Quinn: MIA! PICK UP!!!
Quinn: I’m not even kidding. I’m going to call your brother to see if he’s heard from you.
My stomach sank with dread. Oh God. I was in so much trouble. I quickly dialed, holding the phone to my ear. The phone rang once. He answered with a booming, “Where were you?”
“I—” But I was cut off.
“Shit. I’ve been going out of my mind with worry! First, you snuck out like a thief in the night.” I winced. “Then you don’t answer your phone when I call. Fuck, I called in sick because I was so worried that something had happened to you.” I winced harder. “I was just about to call your brother! Where the fuck were you?”
Oh, shit. He was angry.
Not angry. But angry.
Something told me honesty was my best option. “I’m so sorry, Quinn. It’s just…you looked like you needed the sleep, so I left and caught the bus home. I was home most of the night, but then my work friend Ella came by, which was actually great, because I was so worried about her after some drama the other night, and she was avoiding my calls.” He snorted and I knew he was thinking, That last part sounds familiar. I quickly went on, rushing out, “And she was so sad that I wanted to do something to cheer her up, so I took her across the hall to Bill and Terry’s, where we did facials, drank expensive wine, and watched TV.” I blew out a breath. “I just came home now. I left my phone at home.”
It was a lame explanation. I knew. He knew it. We all knew it.
He stayed silent a long time.
“I’m so sorry you skipped work, Quinn,” I uttered softly, meaning it. I had just cost him two thousand dollars.
I was ready for the berating. I steeled myself for the scolding. Instead, I got a relieved sounding, “She’s okay.” Then louder, “You’re okay.”
I nodded, even though I knew he couldn’t see it. “I’m okay. Really.”
He sounded tired. “God, I was so worried.” My heart broke at the tone of his voice. “Why’d you leave?”
Asshole. I was a giant asshole. “I didn’t want to wake you.”
My brain yelled out, “Lame!”
His voice regained some of its fire. “I don’t give a fuck, Mia. If I bring you to mine, you wake me and I’ll take you home. You don’t just leave.” His voice grated, “If something happened to you…”
“But nothing happened!” I cried, exasperated.
He went silent and I knew I shouldn’t have spoken. Then he uttered a calm, “Next time, wake me.”
Next time. I liked that. What I didn’t like was that he sounded too calm. Deathly calm.
Rather than call him on it, I uttered a reassuring, “Oh, God, Quinn. I’m so sorry. I promise, next time I’ll wake you. I never meant to worry you. I thought letting you sleep was a priority, but I can see now that I just messed things up.” My insides clenched and I closed my eyes in regret. “I’m sorry, Quinn. So sorry. I’m an asshole. A giant asshole.”
He sniffed a laugh. “No, you’re not. But yeah, you messed up.” I groaned loudly and he muttered, “But you’re safe and that’s all that matters.”
I didn’t speak. I didn’t know what to say apart from sorry.
“Goodnight, Mia.”
A remorseful tone shook my voice. “Goodnight, Quinn.”
I placed the phone on my bedside.
Sleep evaded me for hours into the night.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Quinn
I woke to knocking at my door.
Blinking sleepily, I reached down to the side of the bed and slid on my boxers. I glanced out the window. Fuck me. It was still dark. Someone was in for a tongue-lashing.
Getting out of bed and stumbling down the hall, I glowered as I unlocked then threw open the door. “What the fuc—”
My glower vanished the moment I set my eyes on her. I rumbled, “Mia, what are you doing here?”
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She looked sexy in her work attire. She wore black linen pants, a white shirt tucked in, with a thin belt and low heels. Her hair was neatly tied back and she wore eyeliner, mascara, and gloss.
I liked office Mia.
She looked embarrassed. “I-um…I—” then she flung herself forward and wrapped her arms around me, squeezing me as she pressed her cheek into my chest. “I’m sorry.”
I stood in shock. Was I dreaming? My arms lifted. I placed one around her shoulders and the other around her lower back. She felt real to me.
Mia pulled back, looking relieved, then she stepped back out into the hall, reaching for something she had placed by the door. She turned holding a paper bag and a holder containing two grande coffees. “I know what I did yesterday was stupid, and I’m sorry for stressing you out.” Her face bunched adorably as she held out the coffees and paper bag. “Peace offering?”
Would you look at all the effort she made?
A smile twitched at my lips. “Okay.” I added quickly, “Only if you let me drive you to work.”
Her guarded expression faded and she smiled softly. “Deal.”
She walked inside carrying breakfast.
It almost worried me at how easy this felt.
Almost.
Chapter Thirty
Mia
This morning was unusual. I’d never seen the sunrise while sharing breakfast with a man before.
It felt epically appropriate though, as though it was the dawn of something more, something new. And while the previous times I had spent with Quinn were highly sensual with a buzz in the air, this morning felt different.
We ate together. We laughed together. We teased and spoke freely with each other. We bonded.
Quinn dressed quickly in sweats, a tee, and a skullcap, slipping on his running shoes and walking me down to the basement. I felt his eyes on me and turned to face him. He gave me a goofy smile. My brows narrowed suspiciously as I asked slowly, “What?”
He shook his head, but wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into the side of his body. Normally, this would cause my body to go rigid, but not today. Not with this man.