“I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t,” she states, like I should know better from her.
“You’re a lifesaver,” I tell her, pulling my best friend into a hug.
“I know.” She smirks. “Just go, get some rest, talk to your man, and I’ll see you tomorrow morning. I’ll have everything prepped for the morning, as well.”
“You’re so good to me,” I remind her before I pull my apron off, hanging it up on one of the hooks. I go into my office, gather my purse and keys, then head out to the parking lot and climb into my car. I don’t need anything, so I head straight home.
The longest, hottest shower I can possibly stand is just what my tired and sore body needed. Once out, I pull on some lounge pants and one of Nathan’s T-shirts I just so happened to borrow, purposely never giving it back to him. I snag one of the books I’ve been meaning to start and curl up on my bed. I don’t think I make it very far into the book before sleep claimed me and I passed out on the bed, book still in hand.
I startle awake, my phone ringing from somewhere in the room. I finally find it between the sheets. I swipe quickly, hoping to answer the call before I miss it.
“Hello,” I groggily state.
“Were you sleeping, babe?” Nathan asks.
“Yeah, I dozed off while reading.”
“I’m sorry for waking you up. If I’d have known you were already in bed, I wouldn’t have called and woken you up.”
“No, it’s okay. I should get up and warm something to eat. I didn’t really mean to fall asleep this afternoon, it just happened.”
“What? Why are you home so early? Is everything okay?” He is obviously worried about me.
“I was so out of it at work today, I burned a batch of muffins and I kept wiping down the same section of counter. Lacey finally kicked me out and said to go home, shower and get some sleep in. She didn’t have to tell me twice. I was out of there so fast.”
“I’m glad that you’re getting a small break, even if I did interrupt it while you were resting.”
“How was your flight?” I ask, changing the subject.
“Pretty standard flight. We had a nice tail wind, so we got in a little early.”
“Oh, that’s nice. Was it a full flight?” I ask.
“Um, no?” he states, but it sounds like a question. “You do know I own a private jet, right?”
“Oh, I must have missed that memo,” I state. “So, you can just go jump on the plane and go anywhere at any time?”
“Pretty much. We have to file flight plans with the FAA a certain amount of time before we actually fly, plus get takeoff and landing clearance from each airport. Most have no issues with last-minute approvals, whereas some airports can be dicks about it and hold up the process.”
“Interesting. I’ve never been on a plane, best yet, a private one, at that,” I tell him honestly.
“We’ll have to change that,” he states.
“Maybe,” I yawn into the phone.
“Why don’t I let you go, that way you can go back to sleep and we can talk tomorrow once we’ve both had the chance to get some sleep.”
“Okay, but I miss you. Today has sucked without you here, or knowing that you’d show up on my doorstep, dinner in hand.”
“Babe, you have no idea how empty my apartment feels right now. I long for the day I can see you in person and kiss the ever-loving daylights out of you.”
“You have such a way with words.” I laugh.
“I try.” He laughs right along with me.
“Goodnight, Nathan,” I tell him.
“Night, Harper. Text me whenever, tomorrow, I’ll be around most of the day, as of now.”