I’ll just walk quietly, but normally, with my head held high like everything is fine, just in case he spots me.
Start walking!
Just go.
You can do this.
One step then another. I glance right to a framed collage of photographs hanging in his hallway not seven inches from my face. The people in the images come into focus as though from a dream causing a paradigm shift so strange that I can’t quite grasp what I’m seeing.
My heart stops, eyes widening as I realize that really is Josh and Will. So this woman must be…
“Dad?” comes a tired boy’s voice from around the corner. “Why are you on the couch?”
Oh no.
My arms fly out, legs frozen in indecision, torso twisting left and right. Make a run for it? Hide in his room?
How did this happen?
Why am I here??
Like a punch in the neck it dawns on me that my mystery man wasn’t chivalrous! I slept dressed and untouched because Josh wouldn’t touch me even if I’d thrown myself at him.
I hope I didn’t throw myself at that jerk!
Unmistakably comes Josh’s voice, even sleepier than Will’s, “I uh…we had an unexpected visitor stay over.”
I hold onto the wall for support.
“Who?” Will asks.
“Tempest.”
“Why?”
I stay very still.
How the Tuck is he going to answer that question?
“She uh…wasn’t feeling good. Zia didn’t have a spare bed with Nax staying over her place. You remember the subway ride to Tempest’s?”
“Yeah.”
“Remember how long it took?”
“You mean when you were mad at me and wouldn’t stop talking about my burn? That took forever!”
An amused smile tugs despite myself.
“Yeah, so she’s here.”
“She’s here now? Where?”
“I don’t think she’s up yet.”
“Are you going to make her coffee like you and Nax do?”
Time slows way down.
I cannot breathe.
After a thousand lifetimes, Josh finally grunts, “Guess I should, huh.”
His hallway wall gets a good mime-punching.
You asshole!
Don’t do me any favors.
“Can I wake her up?!”
“No way!” Josh adjusts and lowers his volume. “I mean, no, don’t do that.”
“Dad, is she naked?”
“No! She’s not! Why would she be naked?”
“Because you just got upset when I said I could go get her.”
“She is definitely not naked. But you don’t walk in on a woman when she’s sleeping.”
“I used to walk in on Mom.”
My heart cracks opens, and I close my eyes.
Josh’s voice softens. “I know you did, buddy. But she’s not your mom. And since she’s never been here before, that might be a little jarring. Let me wake her up.” He exhales loudly like that’s the last thing he’d like to do. “Just give me a second so I can get my bearings.”
Chapter 8
Silently hurrying to his bedroom, I shut the door so slowly snails would roll their antenna at my taking this long.
Lucky for me, these hinges don’t squeak.
I dash under the covers and pull them up in what, I hope, is a natural way, closing my eyes as Josh’s footsteps approach, louder by the second.
With a knuckle he taps on the wood three times.
Breathing naturally like I’m relaxed and sleeping, when really my heart is about to shoot out of my mouth, I stay very still as the doorknob turns. I can feel him in the room, a primal knowing that I’m being watched.
Several seconds pass then, “Tempest?”
My eyelashes flutter, and I stretch my legs, “Hmm?”
He shuts the door. “Do you know where you are?”
Opening my eyes a little I tilt my head, looking at him like he’s crazy. “Of course I know where I am. I’m at your place.”
But wow, I did not expect Josh to be in only boxers, body sinewy and muscular, nipples dark brown, thick hair adorably askew.
Confusion clouds his eyes, angular jaw ticking as he absorbs my answer. “Yeah…” he begins in a leading way, “…you’re at my place.”
Not wanting him to know that I totally blacked out last night, I offer my best guess, explaining as if it’s totally obvious, “You came to O’Nieals. With Nax. You guys showed up when we were dancing on the bar. Nax and Zia wanted to go home, but obviously Zia didn’t want me on the subway alone that late since I’d had a few drinks, so she asked you if it was okay if I slept over here. You and I took a cab and…” Wait, what about Will? Josh would never have left him here alone to go out to a bar, so where was he? “And we picked up Will from Bennett’s place.”
Josh crosses his arms. “Bennett was really upset about us waking him up.”
“I bet!” Pushing myself up to sitting, I correct myself, “I mean…you bet he was really upset and I bet he still is! But that’s okay. He’ll have to get used to that what with the baby coming. Little sleep.” I blow a bubble and pop it, chewing the gum because I am out of things to say.
Josh’s eyes narrow. “I was gonna ask if you wanted coffee, but you seem pretty awake.”
Oh I get it. He’s backing out of sharing a simple coffee. It really is a long ride home, and I didn’t bring a coat. Why did he let me sleep over like a friend would do, if he’s aiming for the first opportunity to kick me out?
What am I saying? His best friends are building lives with my sister and my cousin. I come along with the package. He had to be nice last night and take me home.
Well, Tuck that.
“What have I ever done to you?”
Josh frowns, “What do you mean?”
Throwing off his goose-down comforter, I stand up in my heels and rake back my hair with both hands, gum-chewing fast as I look at everything but him while trying to decide if he’s worth the speech. “Never mind. Thank you for letting me sleep here. I’ll be going now. Don’t worry. I don’t need a Tucking coffee from you.” I motion for him to walk out first since this is his home
