PHONE SWAP | drew starkey

14: FRIENDS

Drew is late. Obviously.

  According to the time displayed over a candid photo of Drew grimacing (she still hasn't changed it back to normal, not even after Holden noticed it), it's only thirty-five minutes past noon. Addie sits at the corner table of Waystone with a cup of warm coffee sitting in front of her, trying to kill time.

  On a shelf behind her, there's a nice green plant. Addie doesn't know anything about plants, but she does like the way this one looks – it fits the creamy brown of the coffee shop walls. It was actually Marianne who introduced her to the spot, and Addie hadn't been a lover of staying in for a coffee until then, but the girl made her fond of the European tradition. She was only happy that Drew seemed to be fond of it, too.

  Plus, there aren't many people inside with her right now. Most already came in the early hours of the morning or will come in the afternoon or evening, after work. Addie presumed that'll make Drew feel less worried about being recognised.

  Before she met him, Addie didn't think Drew would be a little... awkward, to put it that way. She spent some time thinking about it, then chalked it up to the circumstances of their meeting. As much as she's still aware that he's an actor, and not an unsuccessful one at that, she reckons he must be aware that she is someone who's seen his work. That's the whole reason why they met in the first place.

  So, Addie has decided to take it upon herself to eradicate that barrier between them, one way or the other. She banned Marianne from acting like Drew is the Drew Starkey from Outer Banks instead of Addie's acquaintance Drew, and she asked the same from her other friends.

  It sounds easy. It's supposed to be easy.

  When she sees Drew walk into the coffee shop and smile at the waitress, then glance around, looking for Addie, she takes a deep breath and gives him a small wave.

  Addie will make it easy.

  'Hey, sorry I'm late.' Drew plops down onto the chair with ease. He's wearing a fitted black T-shirt and a light blue baseball cap that he takes off and puts on a table, throwing around a subtle glance, before his eyes set on Addie.

  She smiles at him. 'Don't worry, I expected you to be.'

  His shoulders visibly relax a little, and he nods at the cup in front of her. 'So, you got coffee already?'

  'Yeah. Sorry, I wasn't sure how long I'd be waiting here and I didn't want to seem rude by just sitting here, not buying anything. I wouldn't want the girl to get in trouble because of me.'

  'No, it's fine, don't worry. Is there a menu?'

  'Yeah.' Addie leans over and reaches for the menu that's propped on a holder on the empty table next to them, then hands it to him. 'We didn't get one.'

  'Right.'

  Drew shuffles through the pages of the menu with a slight wrinkle between his brows. Addie notices how they're almost straight, one a bit thicker than the other, and something about that makes the corners of her lips tug ever so slightly upwards.

  'Are we getting just coffee or do you want something to eat, too?'

  'I planned on getting food when I'm back at my place,' Addie admits. 'But you're more than free to get something, I won't mind.'

  'Alright. I'll be right back.'

  He gets up with a tap to the table, and he's off to the counter. The girl working behind it doesn't freak out when he approaches her, so Addie figures she doesn't recognise him.