Page 37 of One Last Rainy Day
“Huh,” he says in a way I know he’s calling bullshit. “That’s a shame. I would’ve loved to have heard those details.”
“Some dreams just aren’t good enough to remember,” she offers, even I can tell she’s lying. Not a second later, she catches me where I stand, watching them in their early morning spoon. It’s when her eyes widen and then narrow that my suspicions are confirmed. “How long have you been standing there?”
“Do you live here now?” I counter. “Because if so, we’re out of milk...Sean, a word.”
Sean’s sparkling eyes dim as he groans in protest. “This can’t wait?”
“If it could, I would’ve spared myself your pillow talk.”
Cecelia cuts in. “It’s fine. I need to get going anyway.”
She lifts the sheet closer to her chest and frowns at me. “Do you mind?”
Unmoving, I motion dismissively. “Take your time.”
Sean chuckles. “Come on, man. It’s too early for your shit.”
Snaking her arm out, Cecelia snags her shorts from the floor and tugs them on beneath the covers while shooting daggers at me. “You’re a real asshole. You know that?”
After managing to get her shirt on the same way, she stands and slides on her flip-flops.
“While you’re out, grab some coffee too, and don’t be cheap.”
Rolling her eyes, she looks back down at Sean and plants a knee on the bed, hovering within reach. “See you at work?”
“Yeah,” he whispers, “andafter, so don’t make any plans.”
“All right.” She dips and kisses him, and he cups the back of her head, making it last, no fucks given about the audience. Her eyes flick to mine before she pulls away. After grabbing her purse from Sean’s dresser, she moves toward the door, and I give her just enough space to squeeze through. She attempts to get past me without contact and fails.
“Sweet dreams,” I utter low enough for her to hear when she pushes past me. Her eyes flit to mine briefly before she stalks toward the stairs. Turning back to Sean, we sit in silence until the front door closes and her car starts.
Sighing, he moves to sit at the edge of his bed before grabbing his jeans from the floor. “You just can’t help yourself, can you?”
“Sounds like a question you need to direct to your mirror.”
He fastens his jeans before walking over to his dresser, rolling on some deodorant before snatching and pulling down a fresh T-shirt. “So, what couldn’t wait?”
“Youreally dofeel for her.”
Sean pauses before tucking his wallet into the back pocket of his jeans. Grabbing his keys, he looks over to me, the answer clear in his eyes as Tyler appears at his door. “Good, you’re both up.”
Sean runs a hand through his hair. “What the fuck is up with you two assholes creeping into my room so early this morning?” His eyes scour Tyler with concern. “You just getting in, man?”
“Yeah. I’ve been working on ourcrateissue.”
“And?” Sean prompts.
“Let me rephrase, we’ve got different problems,” Tyler says, his exhaustion apparent.
Sean tucks a fresh pack of smokes into his jeans. “So, basically, business as usual? Oh, happy fucking day.”
Tyler nods. “And it’s just getting started.”
“Mind if I get a coffee and have a smoke first?” Sean asks.
“No time. I’ll meet you outside.” Tyler exits the bedroom and heads downstairs, and Sean glances over at me, resuming our conversation.
“Yeah, I do feel for her, and I’ve been honest about it, so that makesoneof us.”
