Page 7 of It's Complicated

“Thank you. I didn’t want to be alone tonight.” She squeezes me harder for a second and then lets go. “You’re the best friend in the world.”

Kill.

Me.

Now.

3

LORI

The next morning I wake up sprawled in the middle of Jace’s California King bed in a starfish pose while my best friend is relegated to a tiny corner of the mattress curled up in the fetal position—keeping as far away from me as he always does when we share a bed.

I never understood if he’s afraid I might try to cuddle him—Jace doesn’t exactly strike me as a cuddler, or if he just values his personal space too much.

I search the room with my eyes, not exactly sure what woke me until his buzzer goes off again.

“Jace.”

No answer.

“Jace, someone’s at your door.”

He sleep-mumbles something unintelligible and turns onto his back, his head lolling toward me on the pillow. He looks cute with the hair falling on his forehead and the stubble darkening his square jaw. Jace lets out a loud snore, making me giggle.

“All right, buddy, I’ll go see who it is.”

I throw the blankets away from my body and shuffle barefooted to the entrance hall.

I press the intercom button. “Yes?”

“Oh, good morning, miss, are you a guest of Dr. Barlow?”

“It’s Lori, Peter, good morning.”

I greet the day-shift doorman.

“Ah, Dr. Archibald, hello. Just a heads up, Dr. Collymore is on his way over.”

“Thank you, Peter.”

Aiden is coming over? Shoot. What do I do? How do I look?

I check my reflection in the hallway mirror and it’s not good. My hair is a bird’s nest. I’m wearing one of Jace’s oversized T-shirts, and icky, crusty mascara is smeared all over my face. A knock on the door makes me jolt, then panic. I lick a finger and furiously try to remove the worst black stains.

I’m not ready.

I put a hand in front of my mouth and exhale. Eww. I need to brush my teeth. But I can’t, not enough time.

Aiden knocks again. “Jace? Are you there?”

Crikey, crappity, crikes.

I’ve almost resigned myself to welcome Aiden into the house with morning breath when my eyes land on a tin of mints resting on Jace’s hall console. I grasp the metal box to get one, but of course, in my clumsiness, the lid pops free and all the breath mints tumble to the ground, except for one.

Yeah, score! I pop the white candy in my mouth and fling the door open, leaning against it sideways in what I hope is a sexy-casual pose.

“Aidenberry.”

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