Page 40 of He Sees You When You’re Sleeping

I breathe a sigh of relief, grateful for the reprieve. “Thanks. And really, it’s not that exciting. Mostly me in lingerie, maybe a little role play...”

“Uh-huh,” Sloane says, clearly unconvinced. “Well, whatever it is, I’m proud of you for exploring that side of yourself. But I also need to put on my corporate, responsible hat too. Be careful. Jasmine is conservative.”

I nod. “I know about the morality clause in the contract. Trust me. It keeps me up at night.”

Sloane’s expression turns serious. “Good. Because as much as I love this wild side of you, I’d hate to see you lose your job over it. Jasmine can be unforgiving when it comes to the company’s image.”

I nod, feeling a knot form in my stomach. “I know. That’s why I’m so careful about keeping my identity hidden. No face shots, nothing that could tie back to me or Moth to the Flame.”

“Smart,” Sloane says, finishing her drink. “But also... kind of sad, isn’t it? That we have to hide parts of ourselves to keep our jobs?”

I sigh, tracing the rim of my glass. “Yeah, it is. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth it.”

Sloane reaches out and squeezes my hand. “Hey, don’t go there. You’re talented, Chloe. Your work at Moth to the Flame is important. And if this... other thing... helps you express yourself, then more power to you. Just be careful, okay?”

I squeeze her hand back, grateful for her support. “I will.”

As we sit in companionable silence, my phone buzzes again. I glance down to see another message from Jack.

“Hope I’m not interrupting anything. Just wanted to say goodnight and sweet dreams, Scrooge.”

A smile tugs at my lips, warmth spreading through my chest that has nothing to do with the alcohol.

“Ooh, is that the firefighter again?” Sloane asks, noticing my expression.

I nod, feeling a mix of excitement and apprehension. “Yeah. He’s... he’s sweet.”

Sloane grins. “Well, don’t keep him waiting. Go on, text him back. I promise not to peek.”

I laugh and pick up my phone, my fingers hovering over the keys. How do I balance these two sides of myself? The Chloe who’s drawn to Jack’s warmth and safety, and the one who craves the excitement and freedom of my alter ego?

Goodnight, Jack,I type. Sweet dreams to you too. And don’t worry, no eggnog-drowning here. Just some holiday cheer with a friend. Looking forward to our date.

I hit send and put my phone away, turning back to Sloane with a smile. “Now, where were we? I believe you were about to tell me about your family’s infamous eggnog incident of 2018 again.”

Sloane’s eyes light up mischievously. “Oh, you’re in for a treat. Picture this: My Uncle Fred, who fancies himself a mixologist, decided to ‘improve’ on Grandma’s secret recipe...”

As Sloane launches into her tale, complete with dramatic reenactments and colorful impressions of her relatives, I find myself laughing harder than I have in months. The weight of my secrets, my conflicting feelings about Jack, and my worries about work all fade into the background, if only for a moment.

By the time we stumble out of the bar hours later, my sides ache from laughing and my head is pleasantly buzzing from the cocktails. The crisp night air hits us as we step onto the sidewalk, and I shiver, pulling my coat tighter around me.

“Well, that was fun,” Sloane says, linking her arm through mine as we walk. “We should do this more often. But now I’m going to go home and find you on Dark Secrets.”

I nearly trip over my own feet. “Oh Jesus.”

“Night!” she shouts as she leaves before I can protest any further.

---