Blue (The Spectrum Series: #3)

Chapter Twenty-Two

The sidewalks in New York City are well disguised battlefields. But instead of weapons of mass destruction in civilian hands, though that is a sick issue in this country, hefty cameras are slung around tourists who swap out camouflage uniforms for I Heart NYC t-shirts and old-fashioned fanny packs. I weave through people in business suits and the occasional drunken man proclaiming the end of the world, mildly used to the strange mannerisms of the city.

I shiver for at least a minute of my walk to the diner. I regret not wearing more layers; my pea-coat and beanie aren't keeping me as warm as I'd hoped. I knew I'd face different weather compared to Georgia weather, but I wasn't expecting merciless wind that apparently floated in from freaking Antarctica. I pull my coat tighter around my waist and pray the performers dressed in costumes that undoubtedly keeps them nice and toasty are taking the day off. Finn's been waiting on me more than half an hour.

I text Finn that I'm almost at the diner then pop in my treasured headphones. The city is a lot louder than my hometown in Georgia, where the only noise I suffered through was from my rowdy, city-folk neighbors that didn't know plates shattering and makeup sex noises amplified in the quiet Georgia air. To block out the obnoxious drills of daily street construction noises and the sound of grown people bickering over who skipped who at food trucks, I wear my headphones all day out here, especially when I jog. The men out here are ridiculously lewder.

I scroll through one of my many music playlists and settle on Paul McCartney's My Love. Blue flashes across my eyes as I stop at an intersection with a crowd of people. At first, I think of his adorable dimpled grin as he teased me, catching me admiring him while he slept, but then Catherine's request makes a surprise visit and my nerves flare up.

I have no clue why she thinks I have the power to change his mind about going to his little brother's birthday party, even if she thinks we're involved...sexually. Which we sort of are, but that's not the point. Blue has countless girls chasing his tail for his affection and they get it often; I've overheard the girls he conquered brag about his 'mind-blowing' moves in bed, in the co-ed bathroom. I get chills thinking about him sleeping with other girls, but I won't be naïve and assume he's stopped messing around with other girls. Girls who have about the same ability to make him do something he doesn't want to do.

"Get out of the way or go stand with the other tourists," a deep voice from behind me snaps.

Startled, I jump to the side and a man dressed in a dark suit scowls at me as he storms across the street with the crowd of people crowding the crosswalk. I avoid the stares of nosy people and join the herd of people crossing the streets and stuff my headphones back in my ears; the impatient taxi honking and a family of tourists arguing over which famous landmark they should go to next becomes too much. I exhale a sigh of relief when I push my hands against the glass door of the diner.

The bells above the door clang together, creating a lovely song from the metal birds. I'm barely two inches inside before I smell greasy food sizzling in the kitchen behind the counter where business men and college students eat in a quick pace to avoid arriving to work and class late. Even though I tend to order the limited healthy options to eat here, the comforting vibe makes me smile. Charming photographs of the family that owns the diner hang along the red and white tiled walls and the waitresses glide around taking orders with big smiles. I don't have to look around to find Finn. He's in our usual spot whenever we come here, the last booth along the windows in the front.

"Hey, I'm sorry I'm late. You invited me right when I was waking up and there was a line for stalls in the bathroom. I can buy you another coffee and your favorite, a breakfast burrito – all on me," I offer. But he is too kind to be upset with me and waves me away before standing up to wrap me up in a comforting hug.