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And that if she wanted to keep on good terms with her mom and sister, she couldn’t go behind their backs like this.
Basically, Gavin had been the subtle educational YouTube video she hoped he would be. But she still felt bad for making him come.
“It’s been alongday,” said Brielle, cradling her head at the onset of a headache. “I feel like we should catch up, but also that we haven’t even been separated that long…”
He gave her a hug, holding her tight against his chest and squeezing her. “One of these days, I need to give you a tour of the whole city.”
“I’ve been to Chicago before.” Brielle laughed as she pulled away, her hands still on Gavin’s back.
“It’s different when you do more than just go to a museum and back,” said Gavin. “I don’t even know if I’ll ever have time to get to a museum…”
“I’m looking into museum jobs.” Her phone buzzed in her purse and she let go of Gavin to fish it out. “Well, sort of. Not many openings, but I may know someone who can get me in front of people at the Natural History…” She stopped.
Gavin peered down at her, but he likely couldn’t see the screen. “What is it?”
“I got a text from…” Brielle looked up, toward the elevator. Sure enough, Archer was wheeling over toward her, his phone in his lap. Their eyes met and he waved. She waved back.
“Oh. My. God.” Gavin stared at him, slack-jawed. “Is that seriously the hot young comic artist you’re banging?”
“We’re not… Well, we…” She swallowed and shoved the phone into her pocket, staring at Archer as he wheeled toward her. Too late, she realized she should probably move toward him. But shock made her lose control of her limbs for just a little bit.
Archer slowed down, his face falling slightly, but she waved at him and remembered to smile, and he started wheeling over faster.
“He is so gorgeous,” whispered Gavin into her ear.
She pinched his forearm as Archer drew closer, embarrassed and unable to stop picturing him mostly naked on the floor beneath her.
Archer cleared his throat as he pulled up in front of them. “I’m sorry I… I probably shouldn’t have come, right?”
His faltering smile seemed to keep switching between ashamed and smarmy and Brielle didn’t know if he was trying to be charming or was genuinely embarrassed. Or probably both.
“No,” said Brielle. It was like she’d slapped Archer. Her eyes widened as she flapped her hands. “No, I mean… No, I don’t mind, really! Um, but what are you doing here?”
“I…” Even as he spoke to Brielle, Archer stared at Gavin. “How’s your sister?”
“Her sister.” Gavin nodded at Brielle.
Archer shook his head. “Uh, yeah, of course… I meant… Oh, it’s kind of hot in here, isn’t it?” He fanned himself with his hand.
Brielle bent down to get a closer look at his face. He’d lost some color. “Are you okay? Did Pauline drive you here…?” She looked back and forth to find the woman.
“My dad did,” he said, wincing. “And he’s waiting in the car. He had some business to conduct.”
“In the car?” asked Gavin.
“On the phone.” Archer drummed his fingers atop one of his armrests. “I’m fine.” He swallowed.
“Oh, well… Thanks to the airline’s help, we got my sister before she boarded.” She gestured over her shoulder. “My mom’s still with her, but she told me to head on home first.”
“You don’t need a ride because you drove yourself…” Archer’s phone screen lit up as it buzzed from his lap, but he ignored it. “I, uh… You know, I don’t know why I came…”
“So…” said Gavin after a moment’s silence. Brielle could feel his eyes boring into her the whole while. Extending his hand, he bent forward a little to reach toward Archer. “I’m Gavin, Brielle’s friend from college.”
Seemingly glad for the distraction, Archer took the man’s hand firmly and shook it. “Archer. Archer Ward.”
“Oh, I know.” He bumped against Brielle. “This one won’t stop talking about you every time I check in with her.”
“Shut up,” said Brielle, but she was laughing. “He’sthe one who said you were hot, by the way.”
