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My room was well lit, indicating it’dbeen way, way, way past the 6 AM alarm Ihad set the night before. Iflung the covers and shimmied out from under Zach’sheavy arm, searching for the phone on the nightstand to check the time, without any luck. My phone wasn’tthere.
That explains alot.
Knock, knock, knock.
Iignored who must have been asalesman or the mailman at the door, shoving Zach lightly. “Zach, wake up.”
He reached for me. “Come to bed, my alarm hasn’tgone off yet.”
“Zach, your alarm hasn’tgone off because your phone is dead or something, Idon’tknow.” Ihuffed and without giving in to his invitation for ahug, Iopened the blinds wide open, the sun even more blinding. “Late.”
He squinted his eyes, then rubbed the sleep off them. “Fuck. Fuck.”
The doorbell rang.
“Laura?” Erin’svoice called from outside. “Laura, Ican hear you’re in there. Please open the door. Iforgot your keys at home and I’mwith the kids.”
“Shit,” we whispered at the same time.
Zach raked his hand through his hair and dressed in last night’sclothes that Ihad placed on awooden bench in the room.
“I’mcoming!” Iyelled to her, then whispered to Zach, “Imust’ve left the phone in the living room last night. I’mso sorry we missed the alarm.”
Zach sat at the edge of the bed next to me after pulling on his pants and socks. He hugged and kissed me, shirtless, somewhat sweaty and with morning breath. Isavored it all.
“You did nothing wrong.” He leaned back and talked in ahushed tone, “Ibarged in on you and acted like an ass. Ishould be the one apologizing. And Iwill, thoroughly, but right now Ihave to escape from super spy’sdetection and get to the office.”
“Idon’tknow how long she’ll be here…” Ibit my nail, rising to my feet.
He pulled his shirt on then bent down for his shoes. “I’ll jump through the window. Don’tworry about anything, Tulip.”
“Okay, good idea.”
Knock, knock, knock.
“I’mcoming, Er!” Iwent to the bathroom to brush my teeth.
Zach followed me to the en-suite bathroom, brushing his next to me at the speed of light. He let me wash my face first, and when Istepped out to meet Erin, Zach whisper-called to me, “Laura?”
If he says I’mbeautiful again, I…I…fucking shit, I’ll melt.
“Thank you.”
Inodded and rushed off, closing the door behind me.
“Erin, hi!” Isaid in an obnoxiously loud voice to hide any noise Zach might’ve made on his way out.
Imoved aside to allow her and the stroller through, then crouched down next to the twins. “And my beautiful Tweedledee and Tweedledum! How are you guys?”
The twins giggled when Itickled them, the sweetest sound and also another great disguise.
“Ilove having you all here.” Igrinned at her, feeling safe that Zach had already left.
“We love hanging with you, don’twe?” She made ababy-talk voice.
Violet and Rowan tilted their cute little heads toward their mom and clapped their chubby hands in joy.
“Thomas and Ifinished arranging the gallery for our new show and Iwanted to drop by and say hi.” She hugged me when Istraightened myself, then lowered her voice to awhisper. “I’msorry for interrupting you with your guy friend over there.”
We kept hugging, mainly because Irefused to let her see my flushed cheeks. “Idon’thave any guy friend here.”
“You don’thave to lie to me, Idon’tcare.” She drew back and winked at me. “Iheard you whispering with someone. Say the word and we’ll be out.”
“Erin, I’mserious, no one’shere.” Ipulled on the ends of my hair, twirling them and tugging. “Iwas on awork call in my room.”
“All right, all right, Ibelieve you.” She raised her hands in surrender. “Not another word about the not-guy being here.”
My best friend had been true to her word, even when we moved to sit in the living room and we both heard the soft creaking sound coming from down the hall.
