Echoes of Unrequited Love

Chapter 38

I wanted to crawl into a hole and die.

“Sorry.” I said to Darren beside me, fiddling with a water bottle, mortified. “I’m usually not such a lightweight.”

Darren’s eyes crinkled with a smile, but there was a teasing lilt in his voice, “Maybe the driver drives in a terrible way.”

Great, now I felt even more embarrassed.

Back in the car, Darren pointed at the wristband in my hand and casually mentioned, “It’s dirty.” I retracted my left hand nervously, staying mum.

He was just giving me a heads–up, but what he didn’t know was the gnarly scar hidden beneath the wristband.

Dirty, he got that right.

I thought to myself, dejected, it’d been dirty for a long time.

Half an hour later, at my request, the sedan stopped at the entrance to my complex.

I thanked Darren and turned to leave when suddenly a jacket landed on my shoulders.

In an instant, the subtle scent of ambergris filled my nose, accompanied by Darren’s gentle voice in my ear, “It’s chilly with the night dew, take it slow.”

The booze had hit me and the breeze made me shiver, so I didn’t refuse the offer.

I staggered down to my building, and before I could step inside, I heard Cecilia’s sweet and sticky voice.

I was just too nervous today, didn’t do

tone of self–blame was kind of

practice makes perfect,

deep, raspy voice, with its honest

Cecilia’s

longer and headed to the staircase on the

ask, “Aren’t you coming up,

looking out at the bright

it was perfect for lovebirds to whisper sweet nothings

Chacher 33

was to thank, because that night. I actually slept like

much so that I didn’t notice Hogan’s call

last night at ten, not long after he’d dropped off

my temples, out of politeness, I sent

what’s

Hogan to reply instantly with [Wrong number.]

I knew it.

tapped my fingers, then deleted the message and headed to the bathroom.

notification sound chimed again. Hogan had sent

a ways to go

didn’t reply

went dead.

for work, and as my eyes swept over the couch,‘t noticed Darren’s navy