having trouble catching my breath. I climbed out of bed too quickly, pulling on the sheet, startling her awake.
“Matt?” she said groggily.
Shit.
“Where are you going?” She sat up in bed, hugging the sheets to her chest.
I tried to ignore her as I pulled on my pants and looked for my shirt. There it is. I picked it up off a chair and finished getting dressed.
“Do you want to get breakfast or something?” she asked.
I could barely breathe. The last thing I wanted was to eat brunch and drink mimosas with her. I was never supposed to even talk to her again. I’d overslept. I should have been long gone before she woke up. “I have a meeting.” My voice came out croaky. I needed to get out of this room. I needed fresh air.
“But it’s Sunday. Can’t you take the day off?”
I grabbed my jacket and got halfway to the door.
“Wow, okay,” she said. “Tanner told me you were a nice guy.”
I cringed. I wasn’t a nice guy. “The room is under my card. Order whatever you want from room service.”
She sighed. “That’s not what I meant, asshole.”
But I didn’t care what she meant. I was already out the door.
The air outside the hotel was chilly, the temperatures feeling more fall-like every day. But the air was hardly fresh.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
I hailed a taxi and slammed the door behind me, blocking out the cold. I hated when my mind played tricks on me. Like fucking with me was some fun, cruel joke.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Dreaming of waking up to Brooklyn was a regular occurrence. But opening up my eyes and actually thinking I saw her?
Breathe in. Breathe out.
“We’re here,” the taxi driver said far too soon.
My heartbeat had evened out and my breathing was almost back to normal. I looked out the window of the cab. Bill was sitting on the front steps. I wished I’d had time to hop in the shower real quick to wash off this morning. And last night. “Sorry I’m late,” I said as I climbed out of the taxi.
“Long night?” Bill asked.
“Something like that.” I pulled out my keys and let him in. I needed a glass of water. And a shower. And maybe some aspirin. I took off my jacket and hung it on one of the hooks in the entrance.
Bill whistled. “Are these new floors?”
“Just refinished.”
“They’re impeccable. And the molding.” He ran his hand along the molding of the archway that led to the kitchen. “This is impressive work.”
“Thanks.” I went into the kitchen and grabbed a glass from one of the brand new kitchen cabinets. “Want something to drink?”
“I’m good.” He tapped his knuckles against the countertop. “Granite?”
I nodded and downed half the glass. It felt like I’d just run for miles instead of panicking in the back seat of a cab. My heart had been racing faster than when I did sprints.
Bill shook his head. “You’re really sure you want to sell the place?” He was staring at the custom stone mantle above the refurbished fireplace. “It’s gonna go quick. So if you’re not sure…”
“I’m sure.”
“Let me just check out the bathrooms.” He walked out of the kitchen, but I didn’t follow him. Bill knew his way around and he knew what he was doing. He didn’t need me breathing down his neck.
My phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out to see a text from Tanner.
“Georgia? Good choice. But I checked, and it wasn’t true love. Sorry, man. Maybe next time.”
Rob was right. Sometimes Tanner was really freaking weird. “I know it wasn’t true love,” I texted back. “That’s why I fucked her instead of asking her on a date.”
“Interesting. Well, it was worth a shot.”
I went to slide my phone back into my pocket when another text came through.
“Also, I called Penny and let her know I wasn’t feeling well enough today to hang out. I did the whole fake cough thing to really seal the deal. She believed me. So it’ll just be the two of you.”
That was nice of him to bow out like he’d promised. But I wasn’t really feeling up to anything today. Maybe I should just cancel my plans with Penny too. I pulled up her name on my phone, but my thumb paused. Would hanging out with her make me feel better? Or worse?
Another text from Tanner popped up. “And I have another surprise for you. You’re welcome.”
I waited a few seconds. But of course he wasn’t just going to