EPOV

I simmer in silence, noticing how little Doe hasn't come in to clean my room for three days now. I wonder what's up, and think about my options. If I go and complain to the hotel manager, she'll get in trouble and be triple as pissed at me. I sit back on the bed and watch the news while I have a smoke, the volume almost turned all the way off.

My phone breaks the silence, vibrating against my thigh violently. I smile before I accept the call and hear the ocean crashing on the background as I put the phone to my ear.

"E, when are you coming home? We miss you."

"Miss you too, Ali. How's Persephone? I hope she's not being too much of a pain in the ass with me gone."

"Nah, she's okay. A little sad when I go to bed, though. She goes right to your room and sleeps on your pillow." I smile at the mental image that brings up.

"You doing okay, Ali? Not getting into too much trouble, I hope?" She snorts into the phone and it makes me laugh. She knows what I'm talking about.

"Of course not. I'm the perfect example of good, decent and virtuous behavior, brother dearest."

"Is he ever going home?" I ask her. I know her boyfriend likes to stay over, and I kinda like him, although I don't like the things they might do to defile my apartment.

"Jasper had night shift this week. So I haven't seen him much."

"You on the beach?"

"Yeah, it's so nice and sunny. How's New York?" I shudder as I look outside. Rain's been pouring for two days straight, with icy winds and slick, slippery sidewalks.

"I can't wait to be back, to be honest." I sigh.

"Client's been giving you hell?"

"Shadowing is a lot of work, Ali." I tell her. My sister thinks I'm just following a client out here who's screwing behind his wife's back.

"I bet... Be safe, E."

"Always am."

"See you soon! Percy says hi, by the way."

"Tell her daddy misses her as well." Alice laughs at the bond I share with my Rottweiler often, but she knows the dog means the world to me.

"I will, bye."

My phone taunts me as I hold it in my hand; a picture of me and my dog on the lock screen.

I have her number now, I muse.

Fingers tap the keys on the screen a number of times, and I keep deleting every message I write up.

I let out a frustrated grunt before I stopped being such a damn pussy and typed up the one that I ended up sending out to her.

Little Doe, AA tonight?

I made sure I checked the time of the meeting tonight, and there was one at nine p.m.

Her reply was swift, considering she treats her phone like a bag of dirt.

Didn't you say it was a cult?

I grin as I type up my reply.

I did. But I want to see you again to ask when I'll get fresh towels again.

I could just imagine her eyes narrowing at my message, nibbling that luscious bottom lip of hers.

What time?

Meet me outside at 8:45.

Just when I think she won't reply anymore, she does.

FYI, this is not a date.

She makes me snicker. Sure, it's a date, because I'm going to want to kiss her again when I see her.