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This is weird, it’ll be our first day not talking on the phone in over a month but I don’t protest, and respond saying I hope she has a good night and that I can’t wait to see her tomorrow.
* * *
It’sseven thirty and Avery still hasn’t shown up. I didn’t hear from her today and she didn’t even stop by Laney’s on the way to work this morning. I’ve tried calling and texting this last half hour, all to no answer.
The small diner has an overly large paper heart decoration-thing on each table top and there’s a cheesy red background set up near the bathrooms, I think it’s supposed to be a photo op.
Just as I’m about to call her again the diner door chimes as Avery’s small frame walks into view.
She looks heart-stopping in a tight red sweater dress and black leggings.
My pulse starts to quicken as she gets closer, I stand and wait for her approach. Leaning down I plant a small peck on her temple and she stiffens.
What’s going on?
Sweeping my hand out in an exaggerated way I say, “Please sit, mi lady.”
That at least gets me a smile as she slides into the booth. Her hair is wind swept with cheeks an adorable shade of pink, a mark of the cold weather outside.
Sitting back down I stammer, “Haven’t heard from you today. Everything all right?”
She’s flattening her hair as she answers, “Yeah, just busy. How about you?”
“Being so late yesterday really made me slow to sta—”
The waitress walks up. “What can I get you two to drink?”
“I’ll do black coffee and a water, please,” Avery responds.
“I’ll take a water,” I say.
The waitress walks away, leaving us in a cloud of awkward silence.
Something’s clearly bothering her.
“So… anything you want to talk about?” I ask.
Her light brown eyes meet mine—she’s so beautiful, so, so beautiful—and lets out a bark of a laugh.
Putting her elbow on the table and pointing a finger at me she says, “You know what? There is something I want to talk about,Marcus. If that’s even your real name.”
What?
“My real name? What are you talking about?”
“I saw you when you got home yesterday, Marcus.” She says my name with an animosity that makes my chest ache. “Why the hell didn’t you tell me you live in Laney’s garage apartment? We’ve talked a million times about how I stop by there to help out. We literally live three houses apart and you never mentioned it!”
A few other diner patrons turn our way, taking in the drama.
Fuck. This is bad. My animal is bringing up nervous energy, spreading a sense of doom that’s pooling in my gut.
“I… I didn’t know what to say. Once I realized it was Laney’s place you helped out at, it was too late. I don’t want anyone to know I’m living in an apartment that’s smaller than a lot of living rooms. It’s not exactly where I pictured my life at twenty-six.”
Her eyes soften ever so slightly, but the fire remains. “So what, you figured lying to me was the best option? What exactly did you think would happen when I found out?”
I wince.
I knew this would happen but pushed it to the back of my mind. I was more concerned with how to explain to her that I can turn into a freaking bird. The apartment seemed like small potatoes compared to that.
