AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Like that would stop half the straight male population,” said Gavin curtly. He let out another deep breath, resigned, and Nolan thought he heard the echo of a train or subway running through a tunnel. “Sorry. It’s just… Lilac’s my best friend and I worry abouther.”
The way he’d said “straight male” made Nolan wonder if Gavin was gay. If he was her best friend and not her boyfriend, there had to be few other explanations as to why. He looked down at Lilac, who was breathing audibly now, her mouth puckering into a small circle that sent wildfire down to Nolan’s groin. He snapped his eyes forward.Yup, no other way a guy is her bestfriend.
“She’s not usually like this,” said Gavin. “She would never drink without me or Brielle or someone she trusts with her,” he said. “She’d never put herself in danger likethat.”
Nolan swallowed, looking down. What would have happened to her if he hadn’t come along? He supposed Claire wouldn’t have let anything bad happen to her, would have gotten her a Lyft or something, but evenso…
Nolan didn’t know who he was talking about, but he wondered if they were the answers to his predicament. “Are you and this Brielle inChicago?”
“I am,” said Gavin. “Brielle’s in a suburb nearhere.”
“So you can’t… That is, if she doesn’t want her aunt to know, are there any local friends I cancall?”
“Not that I know of.” Gavin guffawed. “I was just at the airport. I should have jumped on a plane to Orlando.” His voice shook a little then. “Fuck this job. We should have neverseparated.”
Nolan wasn’t sure what to say to that. Wasn’t that what people did—separate and go on their way? He didn’t know if Gavin meant his own job or Lilac’s… And then suddenly something hit him, something that made him sick to his stomach. The connection got shaky with some static on theline.
“…Sorry… subway…” saidGavin.
Nolan looked down at Lilac. “Did Lilac say anything about her boss?” he asked. Lilac wasn’t the first assistant manager this year—Earl seemed to go through them like water. Not that he could blame them. The guy creeped out anyone who had to breathe in the same airspace. How he’d managed to keep his job was beyond Nolan, but he supposed the guy was an expert at creeping women out without ever quite giving them enough cause to risk his job. That’s why they probably all left quietly. Surely, if the asshole had ever crossed a line,someonewould havesaid.
The call cut out then and Nolan didn’t get hisreply.
Nolan stared down at the sleeping beauty on his arm, wondering how she could be both mature and businesslike—an unapproachable wonder woman way out of his league—and an innocent princess equally beyond his reach, even if she cuddled beside him at that very moment. He found himself leaning his head toward her and gently, softly pecking the top of herhead.
That was all he would allow himself in her state. It was more than he ought to have, but just for a moment, he wanted to imagine this princess—this queen—could actually behis.
Lilac’s phone buzzed as a text came in from Gavin.I’m going to call Frankie, it read,and explain everything. I’ll have her call you and you two can arrange getting herhome.
Okay, typed Nolan.Thanks for thehelp.
Thank YOU, Gavin wrote back.Tell Lilac the next time you see her sober that I was wrong. Gaston may be sexy, but it’s the sandgrouses that are actually PrinceCharming.
Nolan barely knew what to make ofthat.
Chapter Nine
When Lilac’sphone alarm began to buzz, it was like a chisel working its way directly into herbrain.
“What the hell…?” she found herself muttering, the concept of getting up as foreign to her in that moment as the idea of sproutingwings.
Still, the beeping wouldn’t stop. Surprised to find herself sleeping on her stomach, she rolled to her side and raised her head off the pillow before the sudden and pressing urge to vomit swooped over her. Her instinct to rush to the bathroom kicked in, but she knocked over a garbage can that was sitting out of place right beside her bed, stubbing her toe something fierce, and criedout.
“Lilac…?”
She turned to find her aunt curled up in one of the wicker chairs with the comfortablecushions.
“What happened?” asked Lilac, suddenly realizing she had noidea.
She really had noidea.
She remembered being angry and driving around Orlando, remembered how every kitschy place that used to bring her joy as a kid suddenly felt so wrong, remembered walking into a bar, just an indiscriminate dump, not wanting the glamour and glitz of a nightclub, figuring she’d have a drink or two and she was close enough to Aunt Frankie’s place that she could do italone…
Did she remember Nolan just now? There were images of Nolan bursting into her brain as she shut her eyes tightly, massaging herhead.
She heard her aunt pound across the room as her phone’s alarm continued to gooff.
“I should have figured you’d have set it,” said Aunt Frankie. “Sorry I didn’t think to turn it off so you could sleepin.”
