The Fallback (18+)--Sample

8. Numb

"Freya!"

Tati's ass felt numb after the flight to Denver. The airport's bustling atmosphere only added to her weariness. It was like an oversized labyrinth, and she was glad that her friend had told her she would meet her at the gate. Otherwise, it was likely Tati never would have come out of the maze of workers and travelers at the airport. The personnel would someday find her body still clutching her carry-on like the frightened little child she felt like. Only she would probably be all bone and hair by then.

"Ana!" Everyone in the chat group still called her Ana with the exception of Grey who prided himself on always being the exception. He wore it like a badge of honor. Grey—contrary as always.

The two friends hugged. They hadn't seen each other in over three years, though they kept making promises to visit each other. It felt like a reunion of sorts.

"Girl, your ass has to be tired after that flight," Freya told her with a smile. "Let's go get your checked bag and get something to eat. Then we'll head to my place and catch up."

"So, how's that man of yours?" Tati asked her friend with a smile. A smile that wasn't returned.

"We broke up. Again," Freya said on a sigh. "I'm with Matt now."

"Matt? Again?" Tati frowned at her friend. She seemed to go back to Matt whenever she didn't have a ready lay at her disposal. "What happened with Devon?"

"Another stupid fight over where this relationship is going?" Freya told her as she rolled her eyes.

"Freya, you've been on and off with him for...well, a really long time," she stated as they walked through the cavernous building. "I don't think it's unrealistic for him to be wondering where this is heading to."

"And what about you?" Freya asked, changing the subject as she always did when it came to her rocky relationship with Devon. "How's that sexy bit of man meat you've been seeing?"

Cole was starting to become a permanent fixture in Tati's life. When she'd told him she was moving to her own place, he had immediately offered to help her so she wouldn't have to hire movers. He'd also volunteered several of his cop friends without their knowledge.

And the man had almost looked panicked when she had told him she was getting her own place. When he realized she was merely tired of living with her parents and her commute to work, he understood and was happy to see she was sticking around Seattle and only moving closer to her job at the Children's Hospital.

"He's doing okay," Tati said shrugging. "He's going to help me move into my own place in a few weeks. With his friends on the force."

"Men in uniform all over your new digs," Freya groaned with a sigh. "So hot."

"You can't have any of them," Tati warned her. "You have your own sex life to worry about." And Grey, not that you even realize it.

Tati sighed. It really was a shame she was visiting at the time she was. She enjoyed Grey's company, even if it was only over Skype, text, or in the chatroom, though the chatroom was slowly being winnowed out and the new phone app was being used more frequently. It was just more convenient for everyone as many were on the go a lot of the time.

"So, when do I get to meet everyone in person?" Tati asked Freya.

"Well, Matt is back at my place already," Freya told her. "Probably eating me out of house and home. Kay and Ash are God knows where, and Jonathan will probably come over after he realizes you've arrived. He wants to meet you almost as much as Grey. Speaking of which, what's going on with you two?"