Before I can even say a word, Charlie starts in.
“What the hell are you doing, Jeremy? How long have you been sleeping here? What is going on?”
Unbidden, my stomach rolls over again and I scramble out of the car. Bent over and bracing myself at the rear wheel, I heave up the acid that’s been lurking in my stomach overnight. After a few seconds, I stand and lean against the SUV, resting my forehead on the cool window.
“Oh my god, are you okay?” Charlie asks, ever-the-nurse. She steps forward, completely disregarding the nasty shit all over the ground near my feet, and presses her hand to my cheek. “Are you sick?”
I turn to look at her and rest my cheek against the car, soaking in the cool feeling, my breath fogging the window as I take panting breaths.
“Don’t worry about me. I’m fine,” I finally manage. Which are not at all the words I actually wanted to say.
Charlie’s face scrunches up like she’s smelled something foul. “Are you…? Jeremy, are youdrunk?”
I shake my head, then instantly regret it as another wave of nausea rolls through me.
“No, just… really hungover.”
“Well you smell like the floor of a bar, and I’ve been in enough of them to promise you that’s not a positive thing.”
I give her a tight smile.
“What are you doing up so early?” I ask.
She shrugs. “Just running. I had some time to kill before my next shift starts, and I figured it was important to stick to my resolution of not being such a sloth when I’m not at work.”
I let my eyes flick down her body, just now taking in her workout outfit. I don’t know how I missed it. She’s wearing red, black and gold Wonder Woman leggings, teal blue shoes, and a long-sleeved, neon yellow athletic shirt. The entire outfit is snug against her form, fitting to her every curve.
I look away before she catches me ogling her.
“I didn’t know you ran,” I say, pushing up from leaning on the car and tucking my hands in my pockets.
“There’s a lot you don’t know about me,” she says.
I just nod, accepting the barb.
“Thanks for waking me up, Char. I gotta get going.”
She takes a step away and watches me climb back into my car. When I pull away from the curb, she’s still standing there, watching me. Her entire body is frowning at me, from her eyes to her mouth to the way she’s standing with her arms crossed.
I hate that she saw that. But this is my reality.
And unfortunately, my reality gets even worse thirty minutes later. Three miles from my house, I notice the blue and reds flashing behind me.
Fuck.
