Page 96 of The Anatomy of Matchmaking

Is she with Sylvester?

I know she was out most of the evening. Maybe she was with him.

Hana was here for two hours. The entire time, I kept thinking about Maddison and her ex. Now that he’s in town, my jaw keeps clenching, and this headache I have won’t quit.

I roll to my back and rake my hand through my hair. The blankets over me feel too hot. A tangled mess. I reach my arm up over my head and let it fall onto the pillow.

I really need sleep.

My alarm is going to go off in four hours, and the ER clinic doesn’t care how tired a doctor is. People have accidents and need to be patched up. That’s how it works. Tomorrow will be no exception.

I squeeze my eyes shut.

It’s no use. I can barely keep them closed.

I give up the battle with an angry woosh of breath.

The blankets claw at me as I turn to my side. I grab my phone, and before I can second-guess myself, I fire off a text to Maddison.“Hey. Are you still up?”

I set my phone back on the nightstand, but it beeps before I take my hand away, so I yank it back and read her response hungrily.“Yeah, you?”

A smile tugs my lips. I roll to my back and look up into the blue glow as I type.

Nick:You think I can text in my sleep?

Maddison:Haha. How was dinner with Hana?

I bite my lip.

She knows Hana stopped by?

Nick:It was alright. She brought over a Margherita pizza from Alberto’s. It was weird, though. She barely ate.

Maddison:Maybe she was nervous. Her dress sure was cute. She’s pretty.

Nick:I guess.

Maddison:She is. She told me she’s an early bird, though, which worries me a little. You’ve always been a night owl.

Nick:You’re a night owl, too. Hence, the two a.m. texting.

Maddison:Right, and not everyone’s like us. Some people go to bed with the sun. Ya know, that ball of gas one hundred billion miles away.

Nick:91 million, actually,

Maddison:Ah. Right. I stand corrected. Maybe her sleep patterns would wear off on you, though, if you guys were to get married. And I mean for the better. It’s not healthy to be up this late when you work an early shift. What time do you have to be at the ER?

Nick:I really don’t want to think about that right now. Also—not gonna think about marrying Hana. We’ve only hung out a few times.

Maddison:Got it. Sorry.

Nick:Why are you up?

Maddison:My thoughts are spinning. Can’t seem to settle down. Glad you texted. I was going a little stir crazy over here. Sometimes the night time feels magical, other times, it’s sort of spooky. Night hours sort of amplify things. I guess I’m a little lonely.

Nick:I know what you mean.

I turn to my side and set the phone down on the mattress. With my head propped in my hands, I watch the screen for her reply.

---