Jaylen leans over. “Why do you have that goofy smile on your face?”
“No reason.” I lock my phone and drop it on the bar.
He snorts. “Liar.”
Yes, I am.
Because the truth is, I haven’t stopped thinking about her since we shared some truths with each other, had sex and ate breakfast this morning. The way she looked at the envelope left for her. About the article sent to me on my phone, which I don’t know what to do with. Do I dig deeper?
Do I tell her that there are still fragments of her childhood?
About the pieces of the puzzle that are missing and still don’t fit.
And for some reason that doesn’t make me shy away. It makes me want to know her better. Her whole life.
TWENTY-THREE
ANNIKA
I don’t even have to open my eyes to know something went wrong last night.
My mouth is dry. My head is pounding enough to make me dizzy and there’s a faint lingering warmth in my chest that says I enjoyed myself.
Which is worse.
Because good times are usually because you made a bad decision. I’m having drinks with my clients’ family. No good can come of this, can it?
I let out a gentle groan, rolling onto my back and dragging the comforter over my face like that will undo whatever version of me decided margarita night was a good idea.
Spoiler alert: It was fun.
I’ve already said too much. I wish I knew. Did I say that Parker and I had been together? Did I say anything about my past? This is why I don’t drink. Not being able to remember everything and control the narrative makes my head spin. It also makes me nauseous.
My ringtone sings on the nightstand. I freeze.
Please don’t be Parker.
Please don’t be something I regret.
I reach for it anyway, heart thundering.
Parker: Hope you’re feeling okay. Do you want a protein shake before I head to the stadium?
I respond quickly so he thinks I’m a professional and already on my way to work.
Me: I feel great. Your family is nice. See you next week at your appointment.
Next week? We had sex two nights ago. What in the world am I doing?
I see bubbles dancing on my screen like he’s trying to figure out what happened.
Don’t worry Parker, I am too.
“Okay,” I mutter to myself. “Let’s assess the damage from last night.”
I scroll to the top of the thread with him where I messaged him first and my immediate response is to crawl back under the covers and stay there forever.
Me: Your sister told me about the time you cried because she wouldn’t marry you when you were four. Did she break your heart?