Page 110 of Pyg

“Good for you,” she muttered and turned over the slip of card. Something was also scrawled on the reverse.

Please come, I’ll explain everything.

Alice looked around, assuming the woman who’d been brazen enough to track her phone was probably watching her from somewhere. She tucked the card amongst the flowers and dropped the bouquet on the doormat.

Inside, Alice watered the yucca and popped it on the dining table to bask in the remaining daylight.

“Welcome to Chez Alice.” She touched one of the waxy green leaves. “I hope you’ll be happier here.”

In the bedroom, she switched her blouse for a comfortable sweatshirt, tugging her cast through the sleeve and tracing her finger over the words Ash had written in black marker.

Handle with care x

Ash would be starting her shift soon, so Alice tapped out a quick text, even though she was trying to heed Maggie’s advice and put a little distance between them. Her phone pinged with a response right away, and a stupid grin tugged at Alice’s lips.

It’s been a VERY quiet day without you in it. In other words, I’ve missed you. Can’t wait to hear your news. I’ll call you on my break X

A car horn honked outside.That’ll beMarkus. Lazy prick.

Alice spritzed on some perfume and scrunched her curls. On her way to the front door, she paused, then dashed back to the kitchenette to grab a bottle of wine from the fridge; the one Maggie liked. Three loud knocks sounded on the front door, which she opened to Markus.Impatient prick.He grinned and presented the bouquet to her.

“Thanks, you shouldn’t have,” she said flatly.

“Er, I didn’t, they were out here and…”

Alice rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I know.”

“Waste not, want not. If you don’t want them, I’ll give them to Maggie.”

“Yeah, whatever,” she said, locking the door behind her.Cheap prick.

Markus glanced over as Alice slid into the passenger seat. “Need any help with your seatbelt?”

“No, why would I?”

He shrugged. “Because of your arm. Sorry, I was just trying to?—”

“Not every woman needs a man to save her, Markus.”

Markus huffed and shifted the car into reverse. TalkSport radio chattered in the background as they navigated the rush-hour traffic, a blur of traffic lights and taillights, then fading skies yawning over dusky fields as they rolled out of town.

Markus pulled up at the gate, but instead of pressing the button to open it, he cut the ignition. After a minute or two, Alice looked at him.

“Aren’t we going in?”

“In a minute.”

“Oohkay.” Alice widened her eyes and looked down at the bottle of wine she’d wedged between her knees. Markus unclipped his seatbelt and twisted around to her.

“What?” she asked, shaking her head.

“I know you don’t like me very much, Alice. And yes, I understand it’s for good reasons.”

Alice scoffed and traced her finger through the condensation on the bottle.

“Just hear me out, alright? I fucked up a couple of years back. Big time. I nearly lost Maggie over it, and fuck…” He slapped the steering wheel. “We all make mistakes, right?”

Alice speared him with a death stare. “You don’t deserve her.”

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