Page 76 of Eleanor & Grey
If I could have lived in a world where I believed in angels, I’d have talked to my wife every day too.
After Lorelai was asleep, I stayed a bit longer, holding her against me.
She needed me that night, but perhaps I needed her too.
* * *
I woke up still in Lorelai’s bed, a bit confused about my whereabouts. I sat up a little as my body whined and groaned from being twisted up in such a tiny bed.
What time is it?
How long have I been asleep?
I had no clue, though it did seem like the best rest I’dgotten in over ten months, even if my body felt bent out of shape.
I walked to the kitchen to find Eleanor making a cup of coffee from the Keurig.
She turned around and jumped slightly when she saw me standing there. “Oh, Grey—er—Mr.East. Good morning.”
I narrowed my eyes.
It’s morning?
“What time is it?” I grumbled.
“Seven. I was about to get the girls up to shower,” she explained. “But then I saw you sleeping with Lorelai and figured I’d let you both rest a little longer.”
“Seven?! Shit!” I moaned, running my hands through my messy hair. I couldn’t believe I’d slept in that long. I never slept in. I was late and didn’t have time to get my morning run in. “You should’ve woken me,” I snapped, even though it wasn’t her job to make sure I was up. Still.
Shit!
“Sorry, I just figured you were already dressed for work and went to lie with her for a little bit.”
“Why would you think I was ready for work?” I barked, irritated at her, but I didn’t even know why I was irritated. Sometimes my emotions ran wild before I could catch them.
“Well, you know...” She gestured toward me, and I looked down at my outfit.
My wrinkled, five-hundred-dollar suit that I wore to bed last night. I wore a five-hundred-dollar suit to bed like I had no cares in the world.
“Oh. Sorry,” I grumbled, because I felt like an idiot. I turned to walk away, and she called back to me.
“Mr.East, just really fast,” she said, her voice low and a bit timid.
“What is it?”
“I just wanted to apologize for my email response last night. It was very unprofessional.”
I narrowed my eyes, somewhat taken aback by her apology. I hadn’t expected one at all. “Oh, well, yes. It was unprofessional, but it isn’t a huge deal.”
“It is, though. I honestly didn’t know you were serious about calling you Mr.East until you replied to my next email. Therefore, my response was meant to be comical, but obviously it didn’t come off that way. I crossed a line I shouldn’t have crossed, and I apologize for that. I feel like you’re giving me a huge opportunity with this job, and it means a lot to me. I don’t want to blow it, and I’m sorry if I was rude or snappy. I take this position seriously, and I hope you know that.”
I nodded once because I didn’t really have anything else to say.
“And Mr.East?” she said as she combed one hand through her hair.
“Yes?”
“I am sorry, you know.”
