Catching Red Eyes - NYC

Chapter 75

I was jolted awake by my alarm going off and it felt foreign. I shifted and hit the snooze and put the covers back over my head. I hadn't been woken up by an alarm in weeks and wanted nothing more than to go back to sleep. I let myself doze off for the next few minutes before my alarm went off again.

"Fine, I'm up," I said to the inanimate object.

I pushed back my covers and swung my legs out. I looked outside and thankfully it was sunny which I knew would help my somber mood. I opened my bedroom door and the apartment was quiet. I switched on the coffee pot and walked into my bathroom. I turned on the shower and waited for the water to get warm. I smelled the coffee and wandered back into the kitchen.

Grabbing the coffee, I headed back into the bathroom. The water was warm and it felt nice on my sleepy skin. My mind wandered to Harry but at the same time I felt happy to be back in some kind of routine even though my day hadn't really started yet. The coffee was hitting my bloodstream as I switched off the shower.

I had about an hour to get ready as I pulled open the hallway closet. The clothes fell to the floor as they did before and I grabbed a few things and went back into my bedroom. I picked a light pair of jeans, white tank top, beige blazer, and a pair of tan flats. I let my hair air dry as I applied light makeup and grabbed another cup of coffee. As I was about to pull back my door, I remembered I didn't need to haul a cab or take the subway anymore. As the thought entered my mind, I spotted the black SUV.

I made my way to the vehicle as Marsh climbed out and opened the back door. I jumped in and felt the cool air blowing from the vents.

"Good morning, Ms. Emerson. How are you today?"

"Good morning. I'm fine, thank you. How are you?"

"Fine, thank you."

The SUV pulled away from the curb and we were on our way. I opened my phone and sent Harry a good morning text. It was the afternoon there now, but I knew Harry would understand. I sipped my coffee and watched New York pass by. We turned down the familiar street where M&G Productions was and I waited for Marsh to open my door. When the door opened, I was thankful to only see a few photographers with cameras.

Marsh took me up to the double glass doors and I was welcomed back by Maddy yelling at someone on the phone and Marc and George were missing. Maddy motioned me to her desk and I jogged over to her. She then handed me a thick envelope that I recognized as Marc and George's expenses and I carried them to the back office.

I spent the morning categorizing receipts into an Excel spreadsheet. I didn't look up until I heard a quiet knock. It felt good to be at work again.

"Hey, Maddy," I said, smiling at her.

"Shit, sorry girl. I had a million phone calls to make. How are you?? I've seen you and your fiancé all over the news. Way to tell us!" she said with a sly smile.

"It's just a promise ring," I told her. I felt like a broken record now.