Page 27 of Here's to Now

“Yeah?” comes her soft reply.

“Why were you crying last night?”

She’s quiet for a long time, so long I’m certain she’s fallen asleep. Then she talks.

“Jealousy.”

“Jealousy?”

“Yes, Polly.”

Chuckling, I squeeze my arms around her, letting her have her non-answer. I can’t expect her to open up when I’m not.

“Goodnight, Gaige,” she mutters after a few moments of quiet.

“Goodnight, Haley.”

There’s a brief moment where I internally panic when I wake up in an unfamiliar bed, wrapped around an unfamiliar woman for the second night in a row.

An old fear grips at me, the one from years back where this was my normal. I can’t have this be my normal again. I have to get my shit together forthem.

“Gaige?” A warm voice hits my ears and I relax, remembering where I am. Not a random person’s bed. Not a quick fuck. No. I’m safe, somewhere I’m comfortable.

“Haley, hey. Good morning,” I tell her quietly.

“Why are you awake? It’s, like, five AM.”

“I’m an early riser.”

“That’s it. We can’t do this again. I need to sleep until at least six. I don’t care if I feel more rested now than I thought I could possibly feel at this hour. Nope. I don’t care one bit.”

Her sleepy seaweed-green eyes meet mine. “Is this the crazy you warned me about?”

“Not even close,” she whispers jokingly.

Even this early in the morning, she’s fun. I like fun. Ineedfun. “You’re going to be a great friend, Haley,” I tell her seriously, spontaneously.

Her smile falters, and I wonder what I’ve said to make it do so. Is it friendship that scares her off? Or something else? Her lower lip juts out for just a moment, a small crease forming between her brows. Then suddenly, she smiles again. Blindingly. Beautifully. Brilliantly. It’s captivating, bright, and real.

I like real.

“I think I’d like that.”

Nikki,

Your feet arefreezing!Wear some damn socks next time, woman.

Gaige

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