Page 40 of Shielding Aubree

"No," he chuckled on the other end of the call. "I know what it's like to be tired and days start to blend together."

"I'm sorry. I'm a mess."

"So," she heard him hesitate, "are we not seeing each other tonight?"

"I'm gross!" She winced. "I'm not fit for company."

"You're gorgeous."

"And you're too nice."

"Aubree, if you'd rather do this another day, I'm okay with that."

She opened her mouth to say something. What? She didn't know.

"If you don't want to see me at all, that's... that's okay, too. I'm not going to push."

"No, I do." She groaned, hating that she'd make a mess of things. "I'm just a mess. And exhausted to boot. I don't think I'd be able to stay awake much longer. I thought it was almost going to be time to crawl into bed. On Friday!"

She drew her legs up onto the couch and dropped her forehead onto the heel of one hand. "I’m messing this up. I'm so sorry, Ruben."

"Hey, don't apologize, Aubree. I'm not going to pressure you to do anything."

Tears blurred her vision. "I've been working all week on these cases, and I thought I could get it all done before I fell asleep on Friday. Which apparently was last night. You really should find someone who isn't... what does Pablo call it? A Hot Mess."

"Are you hungry?"

As if on cue, her stomach growled like a snarling cat.

"That's not fair." Aubree grumbled at him. "I think I'm always hungry."

"So that's a yes?"

She chuckled a little. "Yes. I'm hungry, but-"

"Why don't you let me bring you by something to eat and we'll reschedule if that's something you want to do."

"I don't want to disappoint you." She bit into her lip worrying that he'd take one look at her and go running for the hills. "I'm a mess and I think I've been up longer than twenty-four hours."

"Do you have something you can eat, Aubree?"

She looked up at the half kitchen in her studio apartment and tried to remember what she had in her refrigerator or in her measly pantry. Aubree wanted to get up and check, but her back was aching. Searching her memory she couldn't rememberthe last time she'd gotten supplies. Her mother had offered to go shopping for her, but Aubree, determined to be a grown woman had told her she didn't need the help.

Great Expectations? No, she'd had the Best Intentions and messed it up.

"No." Oh God she hated to say that out loud, but what else could she say. "I'm a mess."

"So can I bring over something for dinner?"

Her stomach growled again. "Please?"

"What do you want?"

"I'll let you choose," she felt her cheeks heat up. "I feel like I'm ruining your night."

"Not at all, Aubree. I just want to spend some time with you. If it's just having a meal, I'm happy with that."

"Do you have any allergies? Or foods you can't stand?"

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