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“What?” Cord asked. He slowed next to me. His big blue eyes suddenly concerned.
“It’s just there.” I pointed at the next house. As if it wasn’t already obvious. “I can walk the rest of the way.”
He turned to face me, stopping us both on the sidewalk. He stepped close, running his hand down my sleeve to my hand. Then he took it in his. “You shouldn’t go the rest of the way alone.”
I took my hand back quickly. “It’s fine. Really.”
“I could…come in with you.”
Of course. Of course that was what he was going to say. How could I have been so stupid? I had known where this was going, and at every turn, I hadn’t said no. I hadn’t walked away. I hadn’t discouraged him. And now, we were one house from where I was staying, and I had no backup plan.
I was alone with a relative stranger on a dark street. Cord seemed like a nice guy, but how many nice guys did I know who had done bad things? Wasn’t that what they always said on the news? Oh, he was such a nice guy. I gulped. If I didn’t manage this correctly, I could be in a lot of trouble.
My body shook from the cold and worry.
“I…” I bit my lip and glanced down and then back up into his eyes. Let him see my decision was made. The alcohol had dissipated some. “Thanks, but no. I have an early flight.”
“Annie,” he whispered. He leaned forward as if he was about to kiss me, and I took another step back, putting the distance between us. His face didn’t immediately turn angry but back to concerned. “What is it? Are you seeing someone?”
I hesitated on the question. Was I? Not technically. I’d drawn that line myself. But it didn’t feel right to be here with Cord right now either.
“No,” I finally admitted.
“Then, what?” he asked as if that were the only possible explanation.
“I don’t have to be seeing someone to not want to do this.”
He sighed and nodded his head. “No, you don’t. I just…I thought we had something.” His shoulders slumped. “I had a nice night.” He brushed a lock of hair behind my ear and pressed a kiss to my temple. “I hope you did, too. And that I see you at other interviews…and maybe if we both go to the same place, we can pick this back up.”
Then he turned and walked away.
I released my breath. That could have been very, very bad. I was lucky that Cord wasn’t a predator…and instead just a guy who was into me. And why wouldn’t he be? We’d hung out all day. We’d danced all night. It could have easily gone that direction. Fuck.
I hurried back into Prisha’s house, closing and locking the door up. She and Virginia were fast asleep as I padded into the guest bedroom. I peeled off the clothes I’d worn all day and into nightclothes. Then I crawled into bed, finally feeling safe, and checked my phone.
My stomach dropped when I saw the text message from Jordan.
“Oh fuck,” I whispered.
When I’d pressed J on my phone, it had defaulted to Jordan instead of Jennifer. The picture had been sent to him and not my friend.
I cringed and looked at the image again. The way Cord was leaning into me so casually. Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Panic clawed at my throat. I’d drawn the line, but I hadn’t wanted to do this to him. He definitely didn’t deserve it. Even if I was mad at him for pressing for more when I’d told him from the beginning that this was all it was.
His message hung there between us.
Glad you’re having a good time, Annie.
I swallowed and closed my eyes. My stomach was in knots. I was sure that he was thinking the worst of me right now. He had no way of knowing that I’d turned Cord down. That I’d had no interest in him.
I debated what the hell I was doing, but I was still a little drunk. So, I snapped a selfie of me in bed. Alone.
Then I sent it to Jordan on purpose this time.
I miss your stupid face.
Even though it was almost three in the morning, another message dinged on my phone a minute later. A picture of Jordan, shirtless and in bed.
I miss yours, too.
I hugged my phone to my chest with a sigh. And finally got a good night’s sleep.
19
Annie
Despite the texts, I didn’t see Jordan when I got home. I had too much work to do, especially after missing two days for the interview.
I moved back into an emergency medicine rotation, which was my specialty and also meant strange hours. We were supposed to get used to working all potential shifts, which meant all hours of the day. I’d apparently drawn the short straw and started with overnights, getting into the ER at midnight. It was a long night ahead of me, but emergencies never ceased, and the hours rushed by.
