My head feelsas if it’s being smashed by a steamroller.
I peel my eyes open, meeting a ball of white fluff and a pair of angry blue eyes.
“Good morning, Sebastian,” I croak, my throat so dry it’s like I swallowed a bunch of his fur when I passed out.What have I done to myself?
Memories from last night come rolling back in waves.Steve being an entitled asshole.Ethan leaving the bar before I could tell him how I really feel.
Some might take that as a sign that he’s done with me, but I have more faith in him—in us—to go down that rabbit hole.
We can hash things out this morning, figure out what we want from whatever this is.
Even if I have to open Mugs late, it doesn’t matter.I’m going straight to Ethan’s house to see if he’s open to a long-distance relationship for at least a little while.Maybe that’s putting off the inevitable… Or maybe it’s investing in something that’ll last.
One thing is for certain: it’ll give us time to learn everything there is to know about each other.Time to grow closer.
I bet he has a sexy phone voice.
I’ll never know if I don’t get my ass off this couch.
Slowly, I ease upright and the whole room tilts.Once it steadies, I spy the reusable water bottle that my dear, sweet friend left on the coffee table.Willow really is a lifesaver.
I screw off the lid and make a face when lukewarm water slides down my throat.
Not exactly the crisp and refreshing beverage I was hoping for.
What time is it?
Despite Willow’s countless knickknacks, there isn’t a single clock in her living room.I scour the place for my purse, eventually spotting it beside her giant mosaic toad.
“How did my purse get over there?”
Sebastian just blinks and turns away, resting his head on his paws, bored with me already.
Pushing to my feet, I stretch my stiff muscles, my entire body protesting over being forced to sleep on a couch instead of a nice, comfy bed.My poor clothes are coated in white fur.How is there so much?Did the cat sleep on top of me?
I love Sebastian when he’s in a good mood, but his tendency to shed is the worst.
I grab my purse and pull out my phone.
Dead.Great.
Since dear Willow doesn’t believe in smartphones, I’m pretty sure there isn’t a proper charger anywhere in her house.Tiptoeing to the kitchen to keep from waking her, I drag a glass down from the cupboard to fill from the sink.
My eyes catch on the clock above the stove.
Oh my God—does that say 10:30?
No, that can’t be right.I never sleep this late.Never.
Oh, shit.If it really is 10:30, I’m four-and-a-half hours late for work.
My plan to see Ethan before I go in flies right out the window.It’s one thing to be a few minutes late, but another entirely to shut up shop for the day without prior notice.My barnacles must be panicking.
I stumble into the bathroom to pee and check the state of myself.Between the smudged eyeliner that makes it look like I have two shiners, and enough cat hair to knit a freaking sweater, I look even worse than I feel.
“Willow?”I venture through the maze of her house, searching for any sign of my friend.She isn’t in her room or her workshop.
Panic twists through me until I find a note taped to the front door.
