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“Aurora” flashes and my heart dips when I see the time is 2 a.m.
“Hello?”
“Hey! I’m sorry to wake you.”
“Everything okay?”
“Not exactly.”
“What’s wrong?” I can guess what’s wrong. Aurora’s due to get married this weekend, and she hasn’t found an altar she can make it to yet.
“I can’t find the key to get in. It’s not in the rock or in any of the usual places.”
“What?” I sit up abruptly. She’s not supposed to be in Seattle. She’s supposed to be on a plane headed for a Caribbean island. Spending the week in the sun before she gets married this weekend to her long-awaiting fiancé.
“I know. I’m sorry. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to wake you up. But I did bring burgers and a milkshake for Gin just in case.”
“It’s 2 a.m. on a school night. She can’t have a milkshake.” I’m out of bed now, making my way down the hall. I love Aurora, but practical has never been a word in her universe.
“Just this once. An apology for waking her up.”
“She has a test in the morning.”
“I know. She told me. We’ve been running flashcards online together.”
That’s new information. I knew Gin and Aurora texted from time to time. Aurora is one of Gin’s favorite people in the world, and she’s always looked up to her. But I didn’t realize Aurora was making time during her wedding week to work through flashcards for Gin’s geography test.
When I get to the door, I pause and lean my forehead against it. Aurora is a force of nature, and I feel like I’m going into battle every time she shows up on my porch like this. Every time my resolve weakens a little more and with everything that’s been happening lately—watching all of my friends, including the diehard bachelors get paired off—I’m probably the weakest I’ve ever been. Runaway bride Aurora is not the version I need standing on the other side of my door in the middle of the night.
“Shouldn’t you be on a plane?” I ask before I open it.
“I couldn’t do it.” Her tone takes a turn, softer, more reluctant.
“I thought he was ‘really the one’ this time.” I needed him to be the one. I needed her married. Off-limits. Far away with her husband living their best life. Settled with a house and a dog and whatever else her wild heart desired. I needed to quit the late-night what-ifs and find someone who wanted me. I needed her anywhere that wasn’t at my door right now.
“I thought so too.” I hear the defeat in her voice, and I turn the lock, opening the door.
She’s standing there as promised. A paper bag of the best burgers Seattle has to offer and a milkshake in hand, a large suitcase at her side with a massive garment bag draped over it, and her backpack. She looks tired and a little disheveled like she might have had a long day of travel that was interrupted by the occasional crying break in airport bathrooms.
She’s still as gorgeous as she ever has been though. Her long dark auburn hair swept up in a bun, her gorgeous blue eyes sparkling in the porch light—amusement in them even though it’s been a long day. Her high cheekbones flush with the exertion of lugging all her stuff up to the door, and she has the lushest lips I’ve ever known any woman to have with a perfect little indent at the center that begs to be kissed. She’s the queen of the heartbreakers.
She’s also one of my closest friends. So close I was supposed to make an appearance this weekend at the wedding as her man of honor and Gin as one of her junior bridesmaids. Assignments we’ve had before and never been able to carry out.
“Come in,” I say as I open the door wider and reach for her bag. She lifts the wedding dress off it and carries it in herself. “I don’t want to wake Gin if we can help it. You can put the milkshake in the freezer, and she can have it in the morning. Maybe.”
“Okay.” She nods and tiptoes in. She toes out of her shoes and hangs the dress in the coat closet before she follows me to the guest room. My place is like a second home to her. One she visits a few times a year when she needs to get away from her life—or so she says.
“Do you need to talk now?” I ask, scrubbing a hand over my face trying to wipe the sleep away, so I’m ready if she does need a chat. I have to get up early, but I can rally if I have to.
“No. You have practice in the morning, and I don’t want to risk waking Gin,” she whispers and then leans in to hug me suddenly. I wrap my arms around her, my body going warm from the way her curves press against me. I have to slam the thoughts that follow down in my head. It’s too late, and I’m not prepared for this. I haven’t run through my list of reasons we don’t work yet. Remind myself that she’s just a friend.
“I already feel better now that I’m here anyway.” Her voice breaks through my thoughts, and I feel guilty for even worrying about any of that when she’s clearly hurting.
“All right. We’ll figure it out in the morning, okay?”
“Thank you. And thank you for letting me stay here tonight. I can get a hotel tomorrow if you want. I just… wanted to be somewhere familiar tonight.”
“You can stay as long as you need to. You know that. But hopefully, there are still blue skies and sunny beaches in next weekend’s forecast. Whatever you packed isn’t going to work here.” I give her a half-hearted grin, and she follows with her own.
