Annie stepped out of the shower, still shaking from the events of her trip to Cuba. She'd slipped away from Simon's under the guise of having to get up early. She didn't want to think about what he'd done. What that might mean. She just wanted to sleep off the long trip in the comfort of her own bed.
She was almost there, when the phone rang.
"Hello?" she rasped from her place under the covers.
"Hi Annie?"
"Auggie?"
"Yeah, remember me?" his voice carried an edge. "The guy who gave you a Corvette?"
There was no mirth, no sweetness. She was immediately very awake.
"What's up?" she tried.
"I'm just wondering where you've been these past few weeks," his voice had a mocking casualness. "Have you been busy?"
She suddenly remembered the beer. She was supposed to meet Parker. She was awful, oh gosh.
"Aug, I'm so sorry..."
He was quiet on the other end. She could practically see him clenching his jaw, at a loss for constructive words.
"I just got back from-" she stopped herself before she said Cuba. She couldn't afford to be in that kind of trouble right now. "...From a really big trip."
"An assignment?" he asked quickly.
"No." The word fell from her mouth like a stone, cold and hard and full of regret.
"Oh," he said, closed off once more.
"Auggie, I really am sorry. I would still love to meet Parker," Annie cleared her throat and swallowed hard. "Please. Give me one more chance."
The phone filled up with his sigh. "You know, this has been a really rough time for... Parker. With this whole full disclosure, fresh start thing. It's not easy, and it's important to have people in your life you can trust. It sucks to think there's someone there when there isn't."
Annie got the feeling he wasn't talking about Parker at all.
"I know, Aug. I can't apologize enough."
"If you still want to meet Parker, you're welcome to come over for dinner tomorrow night."
"What time?" Annie sat up and grabbed a pen and the back of an envelope off her dresser, poised to take down a reminder.
"Seven thirty at my place."
"I'll be there."
