Love & Other Possibilities

Chapter 10 - Ross

     I arrive to work early, trying to get my baring before Winter arrived. I'd thought about her all night, worried that I'd done the wrong thing leaving her alone with that guy, especially after my chat with Erika. 
     I hadn't especially liked what she had had to say on the subject of Winter and I, but a part of me knew it was somewhat true. I was fascinated by her - her and her weird humor, excellent music taste and gorgeous eyes. But I always had been able to manage that - keep it in check. Plus I had Molly to preoccupy me - a thought that instantly made me feel horrible right now. I felt like a cheater even thinking about Winter when Molly was out there planning our future together.
Not to mention I was so much older than her. Sure, 9 years wasn't anything crazy that had never been done before, but it was still a bit of a gap. She was at the age that she was still figuring out her life, and I was... well past that. It didn't help that I first met her when she was 18 - part of me had to remind myself that she wasn't a teenager anymore, she was a grown woman.
I shook my head, making myself a cup of coffee, trying to sooth my nerves. I knew I had to try and ask her about that guy, had to make sure she was really okay, but I had no idea how to do that. I'd already seemed like a creep yesterday. God, I was in a mess.
     "Oh, hey."
     I turned on my heel, the sudden sound of a voice jolting me from my thoughts. Winter stood in front of me, and My brow furrowed when I saw her.
     She looked exhausted. I would bet she hadn't gotten any sleep since I saw her last. Her eyes seemed jumpy and faraway, and her skin looked paler than usual, like she'd just seen a ghost.
     "Hey, how's it going?" I asked her warily, stepping aside from the coffee maker to give her access. 
     "Fine." She replied, her voice even.
     "You don't seem fine." I replied firmly.
     "No really, I uh... jut didn't get a lot of sleep last night, is all." She looked up at me as the coffee maker began brewing. "Erika came over and we hung out for a while. Stayed up a little too late, I think." She smiled at me. Lies. I could tell - she was lying through her teeth.