Page 72 of Before Dawn

A slow, proud smile spread across her face. “I’m happy for you, and I’m really proud of you, Abi.”.”

Before I could respond, my phone buzzed with a notification from Mikkel. The moment I glanced down, a smile tugged at my lips.

“Who’s texting you?”

I quickly switched off the screen and set my phone in my lap, trying to sound casual. “No one. Just a notification.”

Her skeptical look told me she definitely wasn’t buying it. Azzaria could sniff out a secret from a mile away, especially if it involved a guy.

“So, a notification pops up, you start grinning, and it’s nothing serious?” she pressed, one eyebrow raised.

“Exactly.”

“Hmm,” she muttered, clearly unconvinced. “Whatever you say.”

I wasn’t hiding anything on purpose, but I didn’t want to jinx things by talking about Mikkel before we even had a chance to hang out in person. Some things needed to be solid before I let her in on them.

“Are you here to grill me, or are we gonna unpack?”

“Well then, let’s get to unpacking,” she said with a smirk, leading the way into the bedroom.

We spent the next three hours unpacking, but only managed to get through one and a half rooms. Between sorting boxes, we took a break for pizza—and I had to admit, Mikkel was right. The pizza here was the best I’d ever had.

As Azzy was about to leave, she paused by the door, purse in hand, and gave me a concerned look. “Are you sure you’re good to stay by yourself tonight?”

I pulled her into a hug. “I’ll be fine, and thank you so much for today.”

She hugged me back tightly. “You’re always welcome.”

I walked her down to the lobby and watched as she climbed into a car that Dillon had sent for her. I thought about tackling some more unpacking, but the pull of sleep was too strong—until a call from Aurora interrupted my plans.

“I was seconds away from falling asleep,” I groaned into the phone.

“Sorry! Are you free next Thursday at 9am?”

“What’s up?”

“Can you head to Book Culture? You just need to meet with the manager so you can start as soon as possible.”

“What do I need to bring?” I asked, now fully awake.

“I texted you all the details, but when you get there, ask for Adeline.”

“Got it, thanks.”

“And you’ll be there, right?” she pressed.

“Yeah, of course. I’ll be there,” I confirmed.

“Perfect! How are you, sis?”

“Exhausted,” I admitted, pushing myself out of bed. “Spent all day unpacking, and I’m still not done.”

“Take your time, Abigail,” she said softly, her tone calming.

“I’ve got to run errands tomorrow, too. Need to stock up on shower stuff and skincare,” I replied, mentally making a list.

“Didn’t Mom pack you a box with all that?”

---