“Huh? But I didn’t say anything about—”
“Call it a hunch,” Armstrong says with a wink.
It’s the last words we exchange before he parks at the curb in front of my apartment, the square building towering over the night like a mausoleum.
With a fortifying sip of latte, I drag my heavy feet up the stairs, into my room, and throw myself across the bed.
Sleep doesn’t come.
Neither do calls or texts.
And that’s fine.
For once, maybe Magnus Heron learned to listen to someone else.
The following day, my head rings from all the crying.
I watch the pale yellow sunrise through the horizontal blinds in my bedroom, still buried under a pile of blankets. With winter bleeding into spring, it hurts when it reminds me of a certain Arizona sunset.
Another time when I thought I’d broken through, only to be Mag’s doormat.
Never again.
A knock at my bedroom door yanks me from the depths of self-pity.
“Yeah?” I croak.
Paige opens the door, a slightly disgusted look on her face. She peers around as if she’s expecting to see someone else here.
“Holy crap. Are you okay? You were making weird noises last night and I wasn’t sure if you were fucking or crying—” Her eyes land on my bloated, red face. “Oof. So no sexy-times then.” She sits down on the bed beside me. “What happened, lady?”
My eyes are so swollen I can’t see, but I haven’t been crying for a while.
“We broke up.” My voice is small.
“Shit.” I can tell she tries not to wince. “Because he doesn’t have to take care of the kid anymore?”
I start to shake my head, but then stop.
“Oh my God. You’re right.” I sink lower into my bed and hug a pillow. “I never even thought about that. But it came down so fast, so sudden, and he didn’t really have a choice, Jordan just...”
I trail off, too sick at heart to relive that scene at the hospital.
Losing Jordan wasn’t Mag’s fault. Not after that horrible man showed up and torched everyone with his lies. But losing me? Giving up? Shoving me away in his darkest flipping hour?
Yeah.
No question who pulled the trigger there.
I stuff the pillow over my face. If I can just drown out enough light, then maybe my head will stop pounding like a construction zone.
“Brina, what happened? Don’t jump to any conclusions,” Paige whispers softly, laying a hand on my side.
“Like you just did?” I mumble from under the pillow.
“Come out of there and talk to me.”
Fine. So maybe it’ll help to bounce it off her.
I mean, just twelve hours ago, things were golden. I never imagined anything like the way he took me in the office, and hearing there was hope for Marissa...
It isn’t fair how fast it all went to shit.
I can’t even make sense of it. Not alone.
“We—uh—we were working late and wound up together on his desk,” I begin slowly, my voice shaky. “It was perfect. Then the hospital called and said Jordan’s mom woke up from her coma, so we rushed over. Their dad showed up at the hospital out of the blue. He’s not a good man, and he told a lot of lies to get the kid to trust him. Mag was devastated. I tried to make sure he was okay. He shoved me away, told me to go home. But you’re right. He doesn’t have to take care of the kid anymore, and now he doesn’t need me...just like you said.”
Hello, tears.
Paige pats my back. “I did?”
“At brunch that day. Remember?”
She nods. “I was worried, but I hoped I was wrong. Are you going to work Monday?”
“God, no.” I wince. How could I?
I don’t have a job, and I don’t have a boyfriend.
One night, and I’m right back at square one.
“I don’t know, honestly. I don’t even want to see him again.”
“I’m right there with you. I’ve got a date with my mom, but I’ll be home tonight.” She stands. “Are you gonna be okay?”
“I’m fine.” I settle into my bed and grab a big box of tissues. “It’s not like it’s my first breakup.”
“Right,” she says. She rocks from the balls to the sides of her feet and back. “Do you want to come with me? My mommy has a ton of spa credits. We’re getting manicures, and she always pays for everything.” Paige grins.
“No, no, I’m just going to stay in bed and maybe start job hunting. I didn’t sleep at all last night.”
“I’m not sure sulking alone will make you feel better. You haven’t had time for a manicure since you took this job. Just come on,” she begs.
I sigh. “I don’t need to sulk. I need to sleep. Did you miss the part where I said I was up all night?”
“Okay, take a nap. But then get up and do something. Go to Sweeter Grind. Hit the job sites. Adopt a puppy. I don’t care, but you can’t just lie here feeling miserable all day.”
I roll my eyes. “Paige, I’ll be okay. Go have fun.”
She stares at me for a long second, then finally nods. “I know, you’re too big of a badass to let this take you down. But seriously, Maggot and his dumb rich ass isn’t worth it. If I ever see the guy again, I’m kicking him in the balls.”
I burst out laughing, imagining Paige making good on her promise.
“Thanks for reminding me why we’re best friends. Go see your mom. If I don’t sleep, I’m going to barf.”
“Try to have a good day.” She leaves my room, pulling the door shut behind her.
I tug the blanket over my head, and somehow, I must nod off, because seconds later, I’m on a plateau in Arizona. A beautiful man with sandy-brown hair and sparkling blue eyes kisses me like it’s all he was ever made to do.
Then he throws his hands in the air and says, “I needed to calm you down.”
Dream Brina is no pushover. She picks up a desert rock and pings it off his head. He bursts into a thousand sea-blue butterflies.
I run down the mountain in stiletto heels and cute shorts, jump into a red convertible, and drive away, laughing maniacally.
Hugo and Angie can eat their hearts out at the images my brain comes up with.
Then, somehow, I end up in Mag’s bed. We’re naked, breathing ragged, bodies tangled, his hands pushing me down into the mattress. He pulls me up while we’re still entangled and presses me to his chest. He holds me like I’m the only thing that’s ever made sense.
I’m back in the cute shorts and heels, free-falling through clouds spun with warm sun. I land on my feet in a room where light pours in through a wall of windows.
“What’s wrong?” I ask.
“I don’t need your help, Miss Bristol.” he says coldly. “You’ve worn out your welcome.”
A pool appears. I pick up a foam noodle and whack him into the water. He turns into a blue dolphin and swims away from me.
Um, weird.
Then I’m back in my red convertible, driving through a dark tunnel.
No, not just any tunnel, a barely lit hospital hallway.
Mag stands between me and the elevator.
“Sabrina. Go,” he snarls, two fatal words I’ll never forget.