Page 52 of The Interns

“I appreciate it, but honestly? I’m so hungover that even the smell of alcohol is enough to make me sick.”

Reed looked at Dustin and raised his eyebrows smugly while he tipped his glass of water at him. Nice try, buddy. Now don’t ever pull that shit again.

“Oh honey, why didn’t you just say so?” Willa asked. “Here.” She pulled out some packets of crackers from under the bar and reached to refill her water glass. “You want fries? Let Dev make you some fries. They always do the trick for me.”

Maya seemed to perk up. “Actually…”

“You’ve got it.” She hollered the order to Dev, then reached across the bar and bopped Reed in the back of the head. “And what were you thinking? Dragging her to a place like this?”

“Willa,” he hissed, rubbing the back of his head. “I didn’t.”

“No, he didn’t,” Maya interrupted, coming to his defense. “I totally invited myself.”

“Oh, so what were you thinkin’ tryin’ to keep her from us then?” Willa asked indignantly.

“I—” Reed sighed before just giving up and taking a sip of his drink. There was no right answer in this situation.

22

Maya

Reed and Maya made their way back down Main Street after leaving the bar. The small-town bustle from earlier that afternoon was now over, leaving the streets and sidewalks empty except for the two of them. She rarely experienced this in Philadelphia. No matter the time, there were always people out and about.

It was pitch black, save for the golden glow of the streetlamps and the twinkling lights that lined the windows of most of the shops along the street. She balled her fists and buried them deep into the pockets of her wool coat to ward off the chill in the air. It almost felt like a proper winter down south. All that was missing were some flurries and a dusting of soft white snow on the ground.

“Did you have a good time?” Reed asked as they strolled back towards his house where she had parked.

She looked up and grinned, though she hadn’t really stopped all night. How could she not have a good time wrapped in his arms, learning more about him and his beloved hometown?

“My friends didn’t scare you off?”

“Have mine?” she asked in return considering the antics he’d been through on her turf.

“You’ve got a point there,” he answered, cracking a smile.

“Yeah, I’d say we’re even.”

She leaned into his side, pulled her hands out of her coat, and wrapped them around his arm, taking advantage of the pocket of warmth between his arm and chest along with the opportunity just to be close. She felt him tighten his arm over her hands to make them more snug, and then he glanced down at her. She looked up, grinning, expecting him to do the same, only he had a pensive look on his face.

“It’s cold down here,” she said, almost as an excuse for her contact, since the look on his face made her feel a little self-conscious. “I didn’t think to pack gloves and scarves.”

He nodded back and then looked down the street again and let out a deep breath that turned into a cloud of white when it hit the cold air.

“Can I ask you something?”

“Mmm hmm.”

Her nerves began to gnaw at the pit of her stomach as he slowed to a stop in the middle of the sidewalk and turned to face her. She let her hands drop from around his arm and placed them back in her pockets then looked up at him.

“What the hell are we doing?” he asked with breathy exasperation.

She dropped her chin to her chest and coughed out a nervous laugh.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that.” He reached out and placed his hand on her arm.

She shook her head. “I’ve been asking myself the same thing since I got back. I just hadn’t worked up to saying it out loud yet.”

He tugged on her arm, pulling her into a hug. Things were changing between them, and the timing and circumstances were not right at all, but there was relief in knowing that they were at least on the same page with their uncertainty.

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