I reach into my purse, prepared to begin the long, arduous search for my keys only to find them right at the top. Your girl’s luck really is changing. “Hello, Elliott.”
“You look awfully happy.”
“I think I might be.” What’s more, I don’t want this night to end. That’s what happens when you’re having fun, isn’t it? You get worried tomorrow won’t live up to today and all you want is to make the goodness last. I unlock my door and drop my keys back into my purse. “Would you like to come in?”
He glances around like he’s searching for anyone else in the concrete hallway. After confirming we are indeed alone, he presses a hand to his chest. “I’m sorry. Are you talking to me?”
“Yeah. I have beer.” And drinking alone is sad.
Drinking with friends is sociable, everyone knows that.
“In that case…” He follows me into my apartment, but instead of immediately taking a seat at the tiny table, he stands in the middle of the room with his hands tucked into his pockets.
I give him a beer and then grab one for myself. Can’t have them taking up precious real estate in my mini fridge for too long. “You coming home from work?”
“From my mom’s, actually.”
Oh, fun. “That explains why you don’t have a companion with you.” Normally he’s latched onto a woman like a leech. Or she’s latched onto him. It’s difficult to tell who initiated the latching.
His brow furrows beneath his unruly hair. “What does that mean?”
“Seriously? You get more action than Mark Wahlberg.”
“That is oddly specific.”
“No, it’s not. He’s been in a lot of action movies lately.” Like the one where he’s the hot ex-spy dad.
“It’s cute that you’ve been keeping tabs on me.”
Believe me, there’s nothing cute about it. “Hard not to when the walls are so thin.”
Although he chuckles, I’d swear the man’s cheeks are turning red. It’s probably the alcohol I’ve consumed messing with my perception.
Not nearly as much as last week, thank goodness, but enough to make me giddy.
Elliott wraps his lips around the top of the beer bottle and takes a deep drink.
How do guys like him make such a simple action look so scandalous?
Don’t even get me started on the way his throat bobs.
His beautiful blue eyes get lost beneath his mop of hair when he glances up at me. “How’s the promotion?”
“Amazing.”
“And all the shit with your boss and your ex?”
“Behind me.” The year of Loren has officially begun.
“That’s good.” He tips his bottle back and drinks. And drinks. And drinks.
When he stops, the bottle is empty.
I might not know Elliott very well, but every time I’ve seen him drink, he’s nursing the thing. Something feels off. “You okay?”
He drags the back of his hand over his mouth, the stubble on his chin rasping against his palm. “Just feeling the weight of my mother’s disappointment tonight.”
“I see. And how have you disappointed her now?”
