Page 35 of Touch in the Dark

“It’s fucking freezing, you’re both crazy,” Adam tells me as he grabs a handful of nuts and tosses them in the direction of his mouth, he misses a fair few of them and they fall all around him.

“You’re picking that shit up,” Jordan points at him.

“We won’t exactly be slumming it. Can you honestly see Archer travelling in a tiny van and taking a tent with us? We’re getting an RV, think smaller version of the tour bus. And we’ll fly somewhere warmer.”

“I see a Deliverance type scenario coming your way.”

“How do you jump from travelling in an RV to…” I wave a hand. “That,” my face screws up in disgust. “Besides, we’re not going fucking canoeing.”

Adam and Jordan laugh.

We call it a night soon after, when Adam gets a text from Stone to let him know he’s on his way back with Jenna and she’s a little tipsy, he’s grinning like crazy. Jenna is hysterical when she’s drunk. I opt to wait for them so Stone can give me a ride home. I’m waiting in the hallway when they arrive. Jenna launches herself at me and gives me a tight hug. I hug her back looking at Adam in surprise.

“What’s this about?” I laugh at her when I pull back.

“You’re just so good,” she says. “Isn’t he, babe, he’s such a good guy. Nice and sweet and he loves his grandma sooo much.”

“Jen, I think we need to get you inside and into bed,” Adam takes her out of my arms.

I grin as she makes kissy faces at him, but then she whips her head back and prods her finger against my chest. I step back, it hurts, she has bony fingers apparently. “What was that for?” I ask.

“Because you’re stupid.”

“How’d I go from being good to stupid?”

She shakes her head, but that makes her stumble.

“Whoa, come on, Slugger let’s go get you some water, and a bucket,” he adds under his breath.

“She is gonna be so hungover tomorrow,” I laugh and step around them as Adam puts an arm around her waist and leads her to the door. Stone is standing by the elevator looking amused. The guy very rarely cracks a smile, it just goes to show how funny this is that even he can’t contain his grin.

“Elsa is so smart and beautiful and has a kind soul and you are so perfect for her. I told her you need another chance.”

“What?” I turn back to Jenna.

“Okay, inside,” Adam says, pulling her into the apartment. He looks back at me, silently apologising. “She’s drunk man, you know she’s a sucker for romance, don’t read too much into it.”

“Yeah, sure,” I watch as he leads her inside and closes the door.

Guess Jenna was out with Elsa tonight, which means she is still in New York. There was talk of her doing more work here, but I didn’t want to ask. So, they’ve been talking about me? I flash back to a few weeks ago when we were standing together in that hallway. I know I wasn’t the only one to feel something, even if I did try and push it into the back of my mind.

“I’m not planning on standing here all night.”

“Oh, shit, sorry,” I walk over holding my hands up at Stone. “Appreciate the ride.”

“No problem.”

We stand and wait for the elevator to return. I tap my fingers against the side of my thigh, looking up at the lights above the doors. I glance at Stone.

“Don’t,” he says.

“Don’t what?” I ask innocently.

“Try and get me involved in this shit. I make sure you guys are safe, that no dumb schmucks harm or harass you, I don’t give advice, I don’t spy, and I don’t care.”

“Got it,” I grin. The elevator arrives and we step in. Stone hits the ‘G’ button. “But they were talking about me, right?”

“Fuck off.” He didn’t even turn his head to look at me.

---