A/N: Ok, I really meant to work on my Monday fic, or my AndyAllison fic, but instead, John freaking pushed everyone out of the way and demanded his sequel be written. So, here it is.


Cold As You
Chapter 1


Taylor is sitting on the couch in my office. She must not realize I can see her perfectly from here. She's smoking a cigarette and chewing on her thumbnail. Most of the black nail polish has already chipped off. I pop the door open and she nearly jumps off the couch. After the surprise passes she gives me a look.

"Boo," I say sarcastically. She rolls her eyes.

In the moment it takes me to set down the armload of paperwork her face has gone back to nervousness. Her knees are pulled up to her chest, her beat up Docs on the cushions. She takes a drag and blows the smoke through her nose as she starts biting her thumb nail again.

"What?" I ask. Something is bothering her. Obviously.

"Nothing," she says. She's paler than usual.

"Spit it out." Whatever it is, it's bad. Maybe pizza boy knocked her up. Shit.

"Uncle Brian and Aunt Sarah are having a dinner party on Friday," she finally says. That's it? "I would really like it if you could be there."

"Yeah," I say, too relieved to refuse. Taylor sighs and nods, then jumps off the couch and nearly runs out of the building. I don't blame her. On my days off I'd run from the garage too.

Travis opens the door and puts my cell on the corner of the desk.

"You left this in the pit," he says. "It just rang." Sure enough, I have a voicemail. I lift it to my ear and press the '1' button on the way.

"Hi John, it's Claire. I need to talk to you, so give me a call back."