Page 51 of Instigator

“Unfortunately.”

She yawns, stretching her arms over her head. “Did you sleep on the plane?”

“Not enough.” It was a five-hour flight, and I only caught about two hours’ rest, my mind too chaotic to sleep. “I’m going to go home and crash after this.”

“Mm. That sounds nice.” Her eyelids flutter shut, like she can’t keep them open, and a soft smile tilts her lips up.

I bite my cheek, considering. “If you want…”

She arches an eyebrow. “What?”

“What are you doing today?”

“What day is it?” She checks her wrist, probably out of reflex, even though she’s not wearing a watch. “Fuck, it’s Saturday, right?”

I nod.

“Nothing. Maybe watch the basketball game.”

She’s a season ticket holder to the Panthers, and they usually send the team a few tickets once or twice a season. The only worthwhile way to take in a basketball game is courtside.

“Well, if you want to come over, we can game for a bit.”

“In person?” She hides a smile in her coffee cup.

“I mean, if you’d rather do it from two different places…”

“No. That sounds fun.”

A waitress comes over to us, a stained apron around her waist and a coffee carafe in hand. She sets a chipped mug in front of me.

“What’ll you have?”

“You hungry?” I ask Ceci, who nods.

I don’t even need a menu. I get the same thing every time. “Coffee and a three-egg scramble with wheat toast, please.”

When I go to sleep and wake up for real, I’ll eat my oatmeal. I don’t trust restaurant oatmeal very much. It’s always overcooked from sitting in a steamer tray all morning.

“And you?” She looks to Ceci.

“Pancakes and bacon. Two orders of bacon, please.”

“You got it. Coming right up.”

Before she leaves, she fills my mug and tops off Ceci’s, and then we’re left alone.

“So…” She trails off, looking out the window, where the early-morning darkness is giving way to the first cracks of daylight. A streak of yellow and orange tinges the skyline above the cityscape.

“So, what?”

“This is weird, right?”

“No, Annie, this isn’t weird at all.”

I have the strangest urge to reach for her hand, but we don’t do that, so I fold my hands around my coffee cup and let the warmth seep into my skin.

She hums. “I really like that we can still be friends.”