Page 33 of Just Watch Me

Sky:Oh god. He ordered a margarita the size of my head [facepalm emoji]

Me:LOL. You’re going to be dragging your boss out of there later

Sky:there’s a mariachi band here, and he just asked if he could play the trumpet. I might not survive this level of embarrassment

Me:aww poor baby

Sky:Sigh. Can I come over after this?

Me:like you even have to ask

Sky:think they’d notice if I sneak out now?

Me:lol probably. You should see it through. You’re celebrating! You’ve earned it!

Sky:always the voice of reason ;) I’d much rather be celebrating my cock in your ass though

Me:[wide-eyed emoji] maybe it’s not such a bad idea to sneak out early

Sky:nah, you’re right, I should stay the whole time

Me:asshole!

Sky:[demon grinning emoji] just needed you to suffer with me

Me:I repeat: asshole

Sky:…is where my tongue will be tonight

Me:[sweating emoji]

I was relieved that Sky had his little wrap-up celebration with his colleagues because it gave me time to enact my plan, though I might need to make a pit stop to rub one out after his texts.Jesus.

When he didn’t reply further, I set my phone on the couch next to me and returned my attention to my laptop.Huh. I don’t feel anxious.That realization rocked me more than leaving work with a new job. Maybe the anxiety hadn’t come because deep down, I knew it was the right idea.

Sky texted not too long after that he was on his way back from dropping off his trashed colleague. I hoped he hadn’t had much to drink because the conversation I wanted to have should be done sober.

I tidied my already-tidy apartment while I waited for him. After I retucked the sheets on my bed, there was a knock on my door. I took a calming breath before letting him in.

Sky lit up when he saw me. “Hey, J.” He stepped into my place like he owned it. I loved the large presence he had and how comfortable he felt there. Sky cupped my neck and pulled me in for a kiss. It was the first kiss absent of the undercurrent of goodbye.

“Hey. How was it? Feeling fully celebrated?” I asked. He tasted faintly of beer but didn’t smell like it. He must not have had much to drink.

“Fine for the first hour, but there’s always a correlation between alcohol and fun. More alcohol means less fun—for me anyway.” He smirked. “Or it could be that I’m growing weary of the routine.” His eyes darkened for a moment as he stared off into the middle distance.

Any lingering doubts about my plan fled at his tortured expression.

He blinked it away and smiled. “What have you been up to?”

I grabbed his hand and led him over to the couch. “I’ve had a busy evening of planning.”

“Yeah? What are you planning? How you’re going to enjoy my body all weekend?” He waggled his eyebrows, then his expression turned sad. “I mean, tonight, I guess. Since tomorrow I need to finish packing up my place and take some stuff to the secondhand store before they come to pick up the furniture. Are you sure you’re okay with me staying here tomorrow night?”

I glared at him. “You know I am. Stop being weird about it.”

We’d already talked through how I would help him move out of his place and made some loose plans to video chat once he settled in Orlando, but now I had hope forafterthat. I wanted to give him that hope, too, if it was what he wanted.

I can do this.

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