I want to wake Monty to get him out of there, because his body will pay for it in the morning. I just can’t bring myself to do it. So I slowly back out of the doorway and shut the light off on my way out.
I do a quick sweep of the house, ensuring the doors are locked. Leaving the bags exactly where they were thrown, they can be dealt with in the morning. I walk over to the coffee pot and get it set up and ready for the morning, so all we have to do is hit the power button for it to start brewing.
My eyes are heavy with the need to sleep by the time I crawl into bed. Not bothering with pajamas myself, I grab one of Monty’s shirts from the clean pile on top of our dresser and throw it on.
A heavy sigh leaves my body at the sweet cold sheets. Stretching my body to take up as much space as possible. Sleep pulls me closer to fruition, but a tingling in the back of my head makes it impossible to allow it to succeed. Reaching over to my nightstand, I grab my phone that I tossed there when I was undressing and pull up my text messages.
I click on the notification to start a new message, and I create a group chat for the three of us. Not sure how to start it I just go with my gut.
Josie: I hope you are all settled in over there.
I stare at my screen and wait for a response but shaking my head I realize how silly that is. It’s late. She probably passed out, but I couldn’t help the need to check on her. Just as I reach to place my phone on my nightstand it vibrates in my hand. When I look, it’s her name across the screen.
I can’t help the smile that forms on my face. It’s tired, but giddy as my eyes run across the screen at her response.
Evie: If by settled in you mean I tossed my suitcase at the door and belly flopped onto my bed then, yes. Very settled. ;)
A snort leaves me, fingers moving across the screen with my response at lightning speed.
Josie: We didn’t get far with the suitcases ourselves… As for getting into bed, I just managed to crawl into mine now.
Evie: How was it getting the boys down? I thought about coming over to help you out.
Josie: I would have told you to go back to the loft if you tried
Josie: Loh had a meltdown, but it was nipped in the bud quickly with Monty’s help. Hayes went down with barely any fight.
Evie: You know damn well if you told me to go back to the loft I would have come in and helped regardless.
Evie: I’m sorry Loh was giving you a rough time. Did he settle down okay?
Josie: Monty got him calmed down and when I went to go and check on them I found them passed out on Loh’s bed.
Evie: oh, that’s fucking adorable.
Josie: right? It melted my heart. So cute that I couldn’t bring myself to wake Monty up.
Evie: So you have the whole bed to yourself?
I feel the heat flicker up my body at the question, lip catching between my teeth. I contemplate how I should reply. My screen dims slightly, the warning sign it gives you before it times out and shuts off. Until my phone lights up again, but this time it’s a video call request.
Quickly adjusting myself on my side, I take a quick look over the preview video before hitting accept.
My heart skips as I take in her creamy complexion, the phone being the only light illuminating her face. Her hazel eyes are slits, noting the heaviness of exhaustion that mirrors my own.
“Hey.” She smiles softly, her eyes roam around her screen taking me in like I just did.
“Hey Sweets.” I respond, a small smile curving my lips, noting the way her cheeks flush with color at the nickname I gave her. She may portray herself as sassy, taking no shit from no one, but I’ve seen her when her defenses are down. In the afternoons when she’s asking Shiloh about his day at school, to the way she rocks and hums Hayes to sleep. She has a sweet side too, and I love that I get to see that side of her.
“Sorry to switch to video – I just wanted to,” she pauses as she nibbles on her bottom lip. Like she’s deciding whether or not she wants to answer. I raise my eyebrow, encouraging her to go on.
“Just want to…” Leaving the sentence unfinished, hoping she will spit it out.
She blows out a breath, then the intensity of her eyes hit me hard when she says “I just wanted to see you. Monty too, but I know he’s passed out in Shiloh’s room.”
My smile breaks free, unable to hold it back. “Is that so?”
She rolls her eyes, the corner of her lip twitching like she’s trying, and failing, to hold in a smile. “Obviously.”
