One of Those Faces (54)

I shot Iann a quick text as we walked to her apartment.

(8:50 p.m.): Erin’s dragging me out tonight.

I’d seen him only in passing while I picked up the pieces of Erin. He’d kept his distance, checking in here and there and never being the first to bring up Jeremy.

Once we were at Erin’s apartment, she disappeared into her enormous walk-in closet. “Try these.” She pulled three dresses from the back and tossed them to me.

I discarded a tiny blue one with a tear on the waist and a red satin one on the bed. I shimmied on a black nylon one-shouldered dress, then tugged at the hem until it rested at the middle of my thighs. Erin was a little shorter than me, so this was probably the farthest down it would go.

Erin emerged in a skintight red dress that skimmed her narrow thighs, a pair of black strapped heels in her hands. “Your legs are so pasty, Harper.” She ran her fingers through my hair. “You look like a doll. You don’t curl it like this, do you?”

“No.” Outside of the humid summers, I didn’t really mind my long, curly hair. It mostly behaved during autumn and winter.

She continued to survey me. “You’re so pretty, except for this.” She pressed against the scar on my neck.

I turned away from her and pulled my boots back on.

She scrunched her nose. “You’re wearing those?”

I resisted the urge to glare at her. “Yes.” I couldn’t fathom how she didn’t fall on her face in heels, especially when she was drunk.

Iann (9:32 p.m.): Have fun!



The bar Erin chose overlooked the river, and the cheapest drink was twenty-two dollars.

I shifted in my seat, pulling my skirt down, the backs of my legs ripping from the leather seat.

“What drink are you going to get?” Erin’s eyes greedily raced over the menu.

The twenty-two-dollar drink was some weird hipster concoction. Surely a single shot would be cheaper. “I don’t know,” I muttered. She hadn’t outright offered to pay yet, and with the mood she was in, she probably expected me to foot the bill.

“Oh my god,” she purred, dropping her menu onto her lap. “Look at that guy.”

I followed her eyes across to the entrance, and the air left my lungs.

Danny was shaking hands with an older man who then turned to leave. Danny reached down to the table and shuffled his papers together, glancing around the room, his eyes settling on me. He smiled and waved.

Erin’s head whipped around to face me. “Do you know him?” Her voice was accusatory.

I was speechless as Danny grabbed his notebook and walked over to us, holding my gaze the entire time.

“Hey, what are you doing in my part of town?” he asked with a grin before glancing at Erin.

Erin didn’t wait for me to respond; she stuck out her hand. “Hi, I’m Erin.”

“Danny,” he responded, quickly shaking her hand and letting it drop.

“How do you two know each other?” Erin asked, surveying him.

Danny and I exchanged a look. “We were in the same class at Northwestern,” he said, simply. “What about you?”

Erin put a hand on my shoulder. “I practically saved her life when she moved here. She works at my shop.”

My muscles tensed under her touch. “Her father owns an art studio that I teach at,” I corrected, shrugging her hand off.

Danny glanced between the two of us with an awkward grin. “Well, let me get you both a drink. What’ll you have?”

“Scotch, neat,” Erin chimed.

He looked at me. “Rum and Coke?” he asked.

I smiled and nodded.

Erin’s eyes lowered over his body as he walked away. “Is he single?”

Blood rushed to my face. “Erin, no.”

She whipped her head around to me. “He’s not single?”

My heart quickened. “No, well, I don’t know. But I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

“Why not?” She stuck out her chin as if she was daring me to say Jeremy’s name.

“You’ve been going through a lot lately. Maybe you should just take it easy.”

Her eyes widened. “Oh my god, you’re interested in him, aren’t you?”

“No!”

She smirked. “You can’t put Danny on hold. What about Iann?”

I glanced around the room. Thankfully, Danny was out of earshot. “I’m not interested in Danny. He’s an old friend, though. I don’t want things to get weird between everyone. I’m just worried about you.”

She wasn’t buying it. “Well, Iann or Danny, whenever you decide which one you don’t want, let me know.” She rolled her eyes.

Danny was on his way back with the drinks.

He placed our drinks on the table and sat down in front of his.

“We’re going dancing later. Do you want to come with us?” Erin asked with a wicked smile. “Harper’s boyfriend is coming too.” She wasn’t merely asking him out—she was twisting the knife.

Danny raised his eyebrows at me. “Ah, yes, the imaginary one. How could I say no?”

Erin glanced at me. “What?”

I pressed my glass between both hands. “I’m not sure if Iann can make it.” I didn’t relish spending my first outing with him since Jeremy’s death at a loud nightclub. Or introducing him to Danny.