Torn (Dark Desires Duet, #1)

Chapter Twenty Nine

Two and a half months later

With a final layer of cherry red lipstick, I fluff my hair and step out of the house for the first time in months. It feels good to have the sun shine down upon me and smell the wetness of the snow.

I get in my car and drive to Alisha's bakery. It's time I got back to work.

In twenty minutes I reach there and almost parallel park. Oh well. My phone rings and I sigh, picking up the FaceTime call.

"Hey, T."

"Hello, wifey! You look gorgeous. Give Skye a kissie."

Laughing, I blow the little girl a kiss and smile. Quickly waving at me, she mouths "school" and rolls her eyes, scurrying away. Tara shouts at her to take her lunch bag and faces me. "Why are you so dolled up? Hot date?"

I scoff. "No, I'm working again. In fact, I'll be late if I don't go in ten minutes."

Tara's face softens and leans back on the couch, hand tucked behind her head. She and Skye stay together for now. Leo is holed up in his place with actual security guards. Just in case there is someone carrying on Benedict's work.

"How are you?" She asks me.

I suck in my lips. "Babe, stop asking me the same question every single day. I'm fine."

"Yeah, right. You weren't okay for a whole month where you barely ate, hardly moved around. I finally had to come and babysit you."

Glaring at her, I take a swig of water from a bottle. "Well, you know how I am. It's either one extreme or the other."

"I know you better than you know yourself, Miss Elyse."

Laughing, I wave to her. "Well, we'll meet this weekend. We have lots to plan for Kier's and Julian's wedding. It's only two weeks away. They chose the perfect time to get married- during Christmas."

She nods and claps excitedly. "I know right? Well, bye, babe."

"Bye."

I hang up and gather my purse, bottle and phone in one hand and open the door with another. My slipper gets caught at the edge and I tumble out, everything falling down.

Cursing horribly under my breath, I stuff all the items back into my purse. I spot a piece of tissue from Fog It Up, the hookah bar that I frequent.

A number is scrawled onto it, with the name 'Bryce' under it. A smirk stretches across my face. That hot neighbor of mine? Would it be weird if I called him?

Shrugging, and with a mental fuck it, I dial his number and he picks up after a few rings.

"Hi," I say casually, hoping my crazy idea will work out.

"Hey," his deep voice rumbles. "Who is this?"

Nerves claim me all over. I've never called a guy to ask him out. Ever. It's anxiety inducing and I get tongue tied a bit.

"I, uhm, it's Kathryn. Your- your neighbor. The one you met at Fog It Up, a couple- couple weeks back?" My voice rises at the end, making it a question.

Bryce chuckles and my stomach sinks into the street. Ugh, this was a bad idea.

"I was waiting for your call, gorgeous. You sure know how to make a man wait."

I laugh nervously, my whole face going red. "I was wondering, I mean, I was hoping that maybe- maybe you and I could, you know meet up?"

Without a second of hesitation he replies. "Yeah, sure. How about I pick you up tomorrow and we can go to Señor Taco at seven?"