From Darkness (Hearts & Arrows Book 3)(14)

But it wasn’t Josie’s fault; it was his own. She’d been an innocent bystander who ended up with shrapnel through the heart, though he hadn’t fared much better.

Tori walked into the kitchen, yawning, and broke him from his thoughts. Her blond hair was in a knot, and he shook his head at her pajama pants that were covered in ponies and rainbows.

“Morning,” she said as she patted his shoulder.

“Mornin’.”

“I can’t believe Lola’s still asleep. What is it? Seven?” She shuffled across the room and reached for the coffee pot to pour a cup.

“You’d better knock on wood. The days when I wake up before her are a cherished thing. Two-year-olds are all fine and dandy as long as they’re not in your face at six in the morning.”

Tori stirred her coffee. “Yesterday, she got about an inch away from my nose and whispered, ‘Mommyyyy.’ I almost head-butted her when I jumped. Our kid can be a real creep.”

“Yeah, well, a couple of days ago, she managed to knee me in the balls when she was climbing into my bed at five thirty. That has to be the worst way to wake up, and it was an unfortunate first. Hopefully, the last.”

Tori leaned against the counter and laughed. “Oh, man. I would have loved to see that.”

“I bet you would have.”

She stretched her neck and sighed. “Sorry I was so late last night. This new job is killing me. Thank goodness the pay is amazing.”

“It was fine. Lola and I watched Cops.”

“You did not, Jon.” She looked about ninety percent convinced.

He leaned back in his seat and smiled sideways at her. “We watched Yo Gabba Gabba! It was like being on drugs.”

“Oh, come on. DJ Lance Rock is amazing. I think you should dress up as him for Halloween. We’ll get you an orange spandex jumpsuit and a giant fuzzy hat.”

“In your dreams.” He took a bite of his eggs and made a face when he remembered they were cold. “What’d they have you doing so late?” he asked as he put his fork down and pushed his plate away.

“It’s not easy being the low man on the totem pole at Prince and Smith CPAs,” she said with an eye roll. “I have the coffee order memorized for every lawyer in the office. I’m an expert paper shredder and bringer of bagels. I’m also learning quite a bit about auditing between my grunt duties.”

“Aren’t you glad you got your degree so you could haul coffee into a corporate skyscraper for a bunch of assholes?”

“In heels, mind you.”

“How long until you blow a gasket and pour coffee in someone’s file cabinet?”

“Never, I hope.” She sat across from him at the table. “I’m trying to keep my mouth shut.”

“You don’t keep your mouth shut about anything else, so I can see how this would be difficult. I can see you now, serving coffee to a guy named Eugene with that look you get when you’re trying not to cuss somebody out.”

“You’re so understanding.” Tori patted his hand. “The pay’s too good to screw it up. It’s just ironic that I quit waiting tables so that I could work in a real profession and ended up waiting offices in heels and a lady suit.” She took a sip of her coffee and flicked a wad of paper. “Looks like you’re going strong this morning.”

“Easy there. That happens to be my heart and soul you’re mocking.”

“You’ve been writing that letter for a month.”

He sighed and leaned on the table. “I can’t get it right, and I can’t give it to her until it’s perfect.”

“There’s no such thing as perfect. Just dump out your guts, sign your name, and give it to her,” she said simply.

Jon rolled his eyes. “I can’t just hand it to her. She’d probably light it on fire in front of me and blow the ashes in my eyes.”

“And then kick you in the nuts.”

“It’s like you can see into the future,” Jon fired back.

Tori shrugged. “Just go over to her house. She lives, like, a block away.”

“Yeah, thanks again for that. It’s hard enough to be back in New York, never mind sharing a parking garage with her.”

“What? I get to pick where my apartment will be. My parents live two blocks away, and I liked this place. Sorry.”

“Liar.”

Tori giggled. “No, you’re right. I’m not sorry.” She picked up her coffee and made the dopey face she always used to make fun of him. “Why not just call her and say something like, Hey there, Josie. My heart has a major boner for you that it can’t get over. I’m sorry I’m a stupid idiot and didn’t say goodbye when I ran away. Also, I love you. Does that help?” She took a sip of her coffee, looking over the rim at him with expectant eyes.

He snorted a laugh. “You make it sound so easy.”

“So, when did you see her?” Tori asked as she put her coffee down.

“How do you know I’ve seen her?”

She looked bored. “Jon, you get that same schmoopy look on your face every time you think about her, and this morning when I walked in, you had it on again. I know you too well for you to get anything past me.”

“You’re relentless. You know that?”