Page 10 of Exchange of Heart

‘I’m not an assistant you can order around, you know.’ I climbed out and grabbed the metal handle of the umbrella, the only defiant act I could think of. ‘Why don’t I take the umbrella and give it back to you next week?’

His eyes widened and his fingers tightened around the handle in a death grip for fear that I might rip it from his hand. ‘No, I might need it before then.’

I prepared to argue that it was almost summer, but this freak thunderstorm ruined my point. ‘I’ll drop it off to you tomorrow, then.’

He shook his head and tugged the umbrella closer to himself. ‘You don’t know where I live.’

‘Use your words like a big boy and tell me.’

‘I don’t want to te—’

White noise filled my ears from the piercing crack that split the air and searing heat singed my palm wrapped around the umbrella. My gaze darted to Corey with frantic panic, alarm bells ringing in my head as I realised I couldn’t release my grip.

‘Let go,’ he muttered.

We stood under the umbrella, both our hands welded to the metal stem as it got hotter by the second.

‘I’m trying,’ I cried.

‘Not you, I was talking to myself.’

My eyes widened as I stared at our hands wrapped around the metal stem, imagining us stumbling into the emergency department because he’d accidentally spilled super glue over it. I didn’t want to be stuck with Corey! I pulled harder, earning my hand no extra distance, and terror flooded my mind with neither of us able to let go.

Just as I considered sawing his hand off, we were released and stumbled onto our asses while the umbrella fell to the ground between us. I inspected my scorching palm where a single red line curved from my middle finger to my thumb. In front of me, Corey stared at the identical mark on his own palm.

‘What was that?’ he asked.

I shook my head, a million explanations flying around my mind in a panic.

‘Are you okay?’ He reached for the umbrella, hesitated, then left it on the ground.

Neither of us were game enough to risk another electrocution by touching it.

I stood and straightened my dress, then brushed my drenched hair from my forehead. ‘I’m fine. Thanks for the ride. I’ll see you next week.’

I climbed the five flights of stairs to my apartment, staring at the mark on my palm. How long would it take for this physical reminder of that strange experience to disappear? The odds of being struck by lightning are a one in twelve-thousand chance, so did that make me lucky, or unlucky?

Inside, my black cat, Lucky, curled into my lap and I decided that was my answer – lucky. I could only hope my luck continued as I tried to figure out how to reclaim my promotion. Then again in two weeks when I kicked Corey’s ass at our finals. Crap, it might have given him luck as well.

I tried to focus on a plan to take Freddie’s role, but I couldn’t quite shake the jitters from my body. It was like my soul was jiggling inside, fidgeting and twitching. Desperate to try something new.

Like the role of a Senior Financial Analyst.

I was trying, soul.

I was trying.

CHAPTER FOUR

Corey

As much as my brain tried to remain in a hibernated state, my throat scratched and screamed at me. Dehydrated didn’t even touch the surface of how desperate I was for water. I stumbled out of bed, cupped my hands under the bathroom tap, and lapped it like a thirsty dog.

Something brushed my arm as I leaned forward. I threw my hands to the sides, water flying against the vanity mirror. I swatted the air beside me, but there was nothing for my hands to grasp. I leaned forward to cup my hands under the tap again, and the invisible bastard made another move. With a karate-sounding hiya, I flung my arms around in a not-so-karate kind of way. More like a drunk octopus that would make my Muay Thai teacher glare at me in disbelief. I lifted my gaze to the mirror, and the high-pitched scream that came from my mouth sounded like a woman being robbed.

I blinked as Nora’s brown eyes copied me. I closed them and rubbed my fingers against my eyes because I clearly wasn’t seeing properly. When I opened them again, the scattering of freckles over her nose and her long fucking hair reflected back at me. My hands grabbed my soft, rosy cheeks. Next, they moved to my head and stroked the black hair now flowing from my scalp. I moved them down until they stopped to cup the two bulges at my chest.

Breasts.