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Lonesome.
Desdemona and Loren stood on either side of the threshold and stared at each other.
“Hey,” he said before releasing a breath.
“Hello.”
More awkward silence.
She hadn’t seen him since “the kiss” or since “the email.” His appearance at her front door today was surprising. She couldn’t imagine what he could want. She enjoyed his discomfort and did nothing to ease it as she eyed him.
“Can we talk?” he asked.
“About?” she asked, leaning against the edge of the door.
“Can I come in?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I don’t know. Can you?”
He shook his head and shifted on his boot-clad feet, looking down the length of the hall and then back at her. “Look, are you mad at me?” he asked.
She took in his wild mane of hair and strong features before shifting her eyes down to the three-quarter-length hooded coat he wore over his denims and bright colored V-neck sweater. “Depends,” she admitted.
“On?”
“Are you afraid of me?” she asked without hesitation.
His eyes shifted away.
“Awwww,” she sighed, slightly mocking. “Poor baby.”
He clenched his jaw.
“Come in, Lo,” she said with a smile, stepping back and pulling the door open wider with her.
“Thanks,” he said, glancing at her as he passed to step into the foyer.
“I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without your Louis book bag,” she noticed.
“Well, I’m not your tutor, so . . .”
“Right.”
“Right,” he agreed.
She invited him to the open living space with a wave of her hand in its direction.
“How’d your test go?” he asked.
“I rescheduled it,” she admitted. “Life got in the way. It’s all good.”
Bzzzzzz.
Pausing her steps, she pulled her iPhone from the pocket of the floor-length casual dress she wore. It was a text from Portia.
PORTIA: Out of court. We won. I’m an adult.
MS. S: Congrats! I’ll call you later tonight. U good?
