Afterthoughts: A Charity McAdams Novella (The Charity McAdams Novellas) by Elizabeth Storme Read Free Book Online Page A

me for twenty-four hours and then, when he does f inally speak, that’s all he has to say .
    The message was sent over two hours ago and I’m pretty sure he will be sleeping by now. I skip over his message and go to th e ones from Ashley. I know she’ s still awake but I’m not sure I have the energy to talk about any of this right now. I text her back that I just got home and need to sleep. I don’t get a response and decide to shut off the phone and turn out the lights.
    In the dark I try to force myself to close my eyes and go to sleep but my mind is restless. I am physically and emotionally drained but it feels like my mind could ramble on forever.
     
    ***
     
    Morning comes all too quickly and before I know it , I am trudging back to work. I think I dozed off once or twice last night but for the most part it feels like I spent the night tossing and turning, my wheels spinning.
    I’m the first to arrive at the café so I unlock the doors and let myself in. I stash my purse and jacket in the back room and go about the morning routine. Luckily, I have been doing this long enough that I can do everything in my sleep, which is convenient because that’ s pretty much my mental state right now.
    About twenty minutes before opening I hear the bell on the front door jingle.
    “I need a mocha stat! ” Ashley announces , as she steps inside.
    On autopilot I turn and begin to prepare her drink, the usual. “What are you doing here so early? I thought we were doing lunch today?”
    “Yeah, I’m gonna have to take a raincheck on that. I have a big order that I am working on, it’s supposed to go out tomorrow, and my next shipment of supplies is on backorder so I gotta go into the c ity to pick up some things . I’m heading out now but thought I would at least stop by and say hi, see how your night went.”
    I set the coffee cup down in front of her. I stare at her as she takes a big gulp, not sure what to tell her.
    “Charity? Are you ok?” Ashley asks. “You look like hell.”
    I shake my head, trying to clear the fog. “Sorry, I’m just really tired. I couldn’t sleep last night.”
    “Did you talk to James when you got home?”
    “No, it was really late. I figured he’d be asleep. He did text though, he asked if we can talk.”
    “Uh-oh,” Ashley says, concern showing in her eyes. “That’s never good.”
    “Gee, thanks, Ash.”
    “ Sorry. I mean who knows, it could be fi ne , ” she says, not convincingly.
    I shake my head, “I don’t know. I don’t know what I want to say. Things are complicated,” my voice trails off.
    “Complicated how?” Ashley asks before taking the final sip of her drink.
    “Well, something happened last night. I, uh, saw someone at the airport.”
    “Someone, who?” Her eyebrow rises suspiciously.
    “Brandon. Brandon was there.”
    “Brandon was there?! You can’t be serious!” she yells.
    I shush her and lower my voice, “Would I really joke about something like that? I drove him here and dropped him off at the Beverly Inn, like five blocks that way!” I hiss, gesturing at the wind ow .
    Ashley looks horrified. “You drove him here? Why on earth would you do that?”
    I quickly explain the situation, leaving out most of the details of the conversation we had on the drive. Her expression only changes to become more horrified as I go along. Not a good sign. I mean I know it was bad , but was it really this bad?
    “You kissed him?!” She shouts.
    Apparently , it is that bad…
    “ Shhh !” I pull at her jacket until she sits back down again. “Calm down. It’s not that bad. He is only here for the next week, then he’ ll go back to LA and everything will go back to the way it was before.”
    I hope.
    Ashley considers me skeptically. “Charity , I’ve known you for like , your whole life. There’ s no way you will just forget any of this ever happened and go on like normal.”
    I know she’ s right but maybe if I keep telling myself that it will all be