Page 75 of Before Dawn

Just as I settled in, my phone vibrated.

Mikkel.

I smiled before I even opened the message.

For the past few weeks, we’d been texting every day, and I didn’t mind one bit. Yesterday, he surprised me with a playlist of Lana Del Rey songs he thought suited me—including a few love songs. He titled itSongs for You, and I grinned like an idiot when I saw it. The cover was a mix of Lana’s pictures and soft florals, and it felt so thoughtful. I was genuinely taken aback by how much he noticed the little things.

I’d hesitated to give him my number at first, unsure if his interest would fade. But it didn’t. If anything, he grew more consistent, more engaged.

I couldn’t remember the last time a day felt complete without hearing from him. He listened to my endless voice messages, responded to every detail. He watched all my vlogs and even sent some back. If it weren’t for his constant traveling—England, China, California, Seattle—I was sure we would’ve hung out by now.

The sound of a spoon clinking against a cup pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked, realizing I’d been staring at his name on the screen the whole time. Shaking off the daydream, I opened his message, already knowing it would make me smile all over again.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Good morning, Red.

Me:Good morning, Mikkel.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:How’s your morning been so far?

Me: Productive! Locked in a job, got my nails done, and now I’m sitting in a café, living my best life.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Congratulations on the job, Red. Proud of you.

Me:Thank you!

Me:How’s your morning?

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Spent all day vetting potential hires.

Me:Didn’t you just get back from China?

If I thought traveling between San Francisco and New York was exhausting, I couldn’t imagine how wiped he must have been, hopping between back-to-back trips. And then heading straight into work like he was immune to exhaustion? His dedication was impressive—annoyingly so. Something told me he wasn’t just hardworking; he was relentless.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Duty calls, cariño. Hitting the gym later too.

Me:Aren’t you tired?

@mikkelsuarezofficial:I’ll sleep when the work is done.

Me:Mm-hmm. If you say so.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Can I see your nails?

Me:*attachment*

@mikkelsuarezofficial:These are gorgeous.

Me:Thank you! I think they might be my favorite set yet.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:Mine too. But maybe I’m just biased toward anything you like.

Oh.

Okay.

A warmth bloomed in my chest, spreading all the way to my fingertips. He was smooth—too smooth.

@mikkelsuarezofficial:I want to take you out Saturday.

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