Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106798 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 534(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 356(@300wpm)
I nod to myself when another pregnant pause settles on the line between us. He doesn’t elaborate or say anything about taking flowers to Suzie.
“Tell him congratulations and I can’t wait to meet his fiancée.”
“I will.”
“So … it’s your birthday tomorrow, old man.”
Zach laughs. “It is.”
“Whatcha doing for your birthday?”
“Working.”
I frown. “Figures. Will your crew be throwing you a party?”
“We actually went out tonight since we don’t fly out until tomorrow night, and we can sleep in tomorrow morning.”
“Okay.” I giggle. “You’re drunk. It’s morning there. You mean you went out last night, not tonight. Or are you predicting the future?”
“No. We went out tonight. I’m a little buzzed, but not drunk. It’s …” He pauses for a second. “Just a little before eleven p.m.”
I glance at my watch. It’s ten fifty-five p.m.
“I told you I’m working. I’m a pilot. I fly around the world. Don’t always assume I’m in Atlanta.”
“You … you’re in my time zone.”
“I am,” he says so coolly, so matter-of-factly. “I love Sydney in April.”
“Zachary Hays! Oh my god! Oh my GOD! You’re in Sydney? Are you kidding me? This is not funny.”
He chuckles some more as I pace three feet back and forth at least a dozen times.
“No joking. I was going to see if you were available for brunch tomorrow.”
“Yes! Of course. Where? When?”
“My hotel has a good buffet. I’ll text you the address and my room number. Ten sound okay?”
“Absolutely. I can’t wait. I’ve …”
Missed you.
“Um …” I stutter with my words as they trip over my emotions scattered everywhere. I’m a mess.
And thrilled.
And excited.
And anxious beyond words.
I won’t be able to sleep.
“I, uh … I’m looking forward to seeing you.”
“Emersyn?”
Em-er-syn
“Yeah?” I try to control my ragged breaths and the exhausting racing of my heart racking against my chest.
“I’ve missed you too.”
I’m not sure why those four words send tears streaming down my face, but they do. It’s kindness and friendly affection. Friendly … we are friends. Married friends, but still friends. And friends can miss each other. Lately, the one thing I seem to do better than taking photographs is missing Zach. If missing him came with a paycheck and health insurance, I’d be set for life.
“I’ll, uh … see you in the morning.”
“Goodnight,” he says.
As soon as I return to the room, Leah sits up ramrod straight in bed. “I need the deets. All of them. And don’t be coy like there’s nothing to share because you left the room. You’ve never left the room while talking to him.”
“You yelled the words phone sex. What was I supposed to do?”
Leah bats her wild, curly black hair out of her face. “He’s the reason you’re not hooking up with anyone. Isn’t he?”
I grab my toothbrush and toothpaste and head toward the bathroom, ignoring her question. When I return, she’s still eyeing me, so I don’t look at her.
“When’s the last time you got some?” Leah asks.
“Some what?”
She blows out a long breath “Dick. When’s the last time you got some dick?”
I remove my jeans and bra and slip on a tank top. “Before we left for Hawaii.”
“Zach?”
“What?” I force a quick glance in her direction.
“If it was right before we left for Hawaii, was it Zach or a random hookup?”
“It … uh…” I shake my head and climb into bed, shutting off the light as quickly as possible “…wasn’t Zach. We’re just friends. And I didn’t say I hooked up right before we left. It was with my ex-boyfriend.”
“The gym guy?”
“Yeah.”
“Emersyn! That was last summer. Are you saying you haven’t had sex since last summer?”
“It’s no big deal. I was busy helping take care of Suzie. Then the holidays … then you hired me. Just so much life has happened.”
“I’m not buying your excuse, but whatever. So what’s new with Zach?”
My heart hasn’t stopped its impossibly fast sprint since he told me his location. I’m shocked Leah can’t hear me panting. “Zach is here.”
“Here?”
“He’s in Sydney. He flies out tomorrow night. Tomorrow’s his birthday. So if you’re good with it, I’m going to have brunch with him at his hotel.”
The light turns on. A wide-eyed, tangled-haired Leah stands at the foot of my bed with her hands on her hips. “He’s in Sydney? Are you fucking kidding me?”
Rolling my lips between my teeth, I attempt to stay calm and act unaffected as I nod several times.
“Why are you here?” she asks.
“Brunch isn’t until ten.”
“Why are you here?” She cocks her head to the side.
“It’s after eleven at night.”
“Why are you here?”
Sitting up, I slowly inch my head side to side.
Leah grins. “You fell in love with your friend’s husband.”
I continue to shake my head.
“I’ve listened to you talk about Zach for months. I’m not stupid. You can’t convince me that you feel nothing more than friendship toward him. You can’t convince me that you’re not dying to grab a ride to his hotel right this minute and throw yourself into his arms.”