Bait (Wake, #1)(43)

I really wanted to call him. I wanted to hear, from him, what happened. I finished my glass of wine, poured myself another, and went to the guest room where I'd be staying.

It was getting late, but it would still be pretty early in San Francisco. If that was where he was even going. I considered texting, but I wanted to hear his voice. I wanted to hear his voice when he told me what was going on.

I dialed his number.

He picked up on the second ring.

“Finally,” he said, then sighed on the other end of the line. Texting was fun, but actually calling on the phone felt so much more intimate. Faintly hearing him breathe healed something that was wounded in me.

“Hi.”

“I was hoping you'd call.” I heard his relief over the line.

“We need to talk and I thought this was better than sending messages back and forth.” The day before I’d been excited to actually hear him and I’d planned to call him for that reason. That was before her. That was before I said yes to Grant. But, my want for Casey hadn't changed.

“Are you staying with your brother?” he asked.

“Yeah, how was your flight back? Are you in San Francisco?”

He had to sit next her on the flight to California and it must have been awkward. Clearly, she wasn't a very big fan of mine.

“I didn't go back.”

He didn't go back? He didn't go back.

“Where are you?” My heart raced.

“All depends. Do you want to see me?” he asked.

Of course I wanted to see him. I wanted to talk to him. I needed to tell him how I felt. I needed to get things off my chest even if I was clearing the air with the wrong man. Nora and Reggie were right. I had to know.

“Yes,” I told him, “I really do.”

“I came back to the Omni, but it’s pretty late,” he said.

“I don't care.”

He laughed and it sounded exponentially better than my imaginary Casey-laughs, causing the thick sludge that coated my gut over the past day to clear away.

“Send me your brother's address and I'll come get you.”

Did I really want to do that? I needed advice.

“Okay. I'll text you.” Then I hung up, not waiting to see what he'd say.

When I walked into the living room I heard Reggie speaking. Nora was by the door and he was standing close to her. It appeared like either they'd just been kissing or I interrupted them right before.

“I called him,” I announced. “He didn't leave Chicago. He wants to meet with me. To talk. What should I do?”

They looked at me and Reggie took a step away from her. She straightened her dress, flattening the front with her long, slender fingers.

My brother walked to the back of a chair not far from where they stood.

“Do you want to talk to him?” he asked, but his face didn’t indicate his preference. Perhaps he didn't have one. Maybe his preference was the same as mine.

“I really do,” I said. I stuck a fingernail in my mouth again, but I didn't have anything left to bite. My fingers were puffy and sore from worrying on them. “I think I'm going to see him. What's your address?”

“750 Lake Shore Drive. Is he driving or sending someone for you?” Reggie asked.

“He's riding over in a cab to get me. We're going back to his hotel. The Omni.” My voice sounded sure and confident. I wanted to go and so I was. There wasn't anything complex about it.

“After you send him the message you'll have about twenty minutes. I'll meet you at the elevator in a few. I'm going to walk Nora to her place down the hall.”

She was already standing in the open doorway and we smiled as we waved goodbye.

I needed to clean up. Brush my teeth. I did a quick wash in the spare room's bathroom and decided it would just have to do.

When I came out of my brother's apartment, I saw him standing at the end of the hall leaning against the wall waiting for me.

He looked flushed and tense. There was definitely something going on with them. I didn’t want to be nosy, but I liked the idea of them as a couple.

As we rode down together I told him, “I like Nora.”

He did this huff thing, something that my dad often did. It was funny seeing him do it and made him seem so much older, more grown up.

“I like Nora, too,” he said as we walked through the marble lobby.

We stopped in entrance way and watched a cab pull up.

“He's a good guy, right?” he asked. Brothers.

“I think so,” I said.

My skin was tingling with anticipation. We had only agreed to talk. We were only going to talk.

“I'm not this kind of girl, Reggie. I don't do stuff like this,” I said softly.

“I know.” He looked at me. “That's what makes me kind of like him, too.” Then he nodded at the street. My eyes followed his to the man who made my skin prickle with anticipation.

I'd felt it earlier, but with everything going on, all I could see was them together. He stepped away from the taxi, wearing a loose green T-shirt and cargo shorts. He looked like a wild mess, but it was all him.

His hair was crazy and he had a few days’ worth of stubble. Yet, at the same time, he looked as new and fresh as could be. When he saw me standing inside the door, he gave the most gorgeous full-faced smile. In my mind, Christmas trees lit, kittens played with yarn, and I was polyamorous. Everything was right.