Page 115 of The Scientist
He laughed. “I might just do that.”
The phone shifted, and I got a glimpse of something truly frightening behind his head.
I gasped. “What is that?!”
His brows pinched together. “What is what?”
“That abomination on your headboard!” I cried.
He looked back and started to choke on his laughter. There were pictures of large, ornate birds carved into the wooden frame of the headboard.
“I don’t know how you’re going to sleep! I’ve still got nightmares from my close call.”
His mouth pulled into a half grin. “I think I’ll be alright.”
“If you say so.” I made a face of disgust. “Where is everyone else tonight?”
“They all went out to the bars downtown.”
“You didn’t feel like joining them?”
He shrugged. “Not my thing.”
“A drink might help to calm those nerves.”
“No, I just need a good night of sleep. I told them I was heading in early and not to bother me, because I was going to take a sleeping pill to get some rest. I want to be ready for tomorrow.”
“Do those work for you?”
“Yeah, they usually knock me out. But I try not to take them too often unless I really need it, like tonight.”
“Well, I’ll let you go so you can get some rest,” I said. “Although, I don’t know how you will with that atrocity hanging over you all night.”
He chuckled. “I’ll call you after the presentation tomorrow.”
“Okay. I’m off to spend a little me time before bed,” I said with a wink.
His eyes darkened. “What does that mean?”
“Just that I’ve got a great visual to use now, and I don’t want to waste it.” I raked my eyes over his chest one more time.
“That is definitely not helping me calm down before bed.”
I laughed. “Good luck tomorrow.”
He let out a heavy sigh. “Goodnight, Hadley.”
“Night, Lex.”
I stayed up for a few more hours working on the song, but still wasn’t able to get very far. I started thinking about Lex, hoping he wasn’t too nervous for this presentation. I wished I could be there with him. He had invited me to come along, but I didn’t feel comfortable leaving my mom for that long. Once she was better, though, I thought I might have more freedom to travel with him. I knew we were in that frenzied stage of dating, but I never seemed to be able to get enough of him. I’d always heard absence made the heart grow fonder, but in my case, absence made the heart grow hornier.
???
I had my morning routine nailed down now. After waking up, I’d head downstairs and grab a tennis racket from the hallway closet before slowly opening the door to the kitchen to make a sweep for any feathered intruders. Once the perimeter was secured, I would make a cup of coffee before getting ready for the day.
Today was no exception.
Tennis racket in hand, I crept into the kitchen, ready to swing at the first thing that moved. I never left the windows open anymore, because once you have a brush with death, you’re just never the same. After a quick sweep of the perimeter, I determined that the home was avian-free, so I lived to fight another day.