Page 42 of Be With Me

Chapter 14

Ailee

Istood outside the apartment building in downtown Seattle. Butterflies jabbed their little antennae into the lining of my stomach, fluttering around in there trying to get out, and I almost lost my nerve and turned around.

I looked down at the paper in my hand. Tyler’s address was written on it. I had it so I could send him his payment when he modeled for me. Was it an invasion of his privacy to use it this way? Bad business practice? Probably. Pretty certain it was, actually. But we were way beyond being nothing but business partners. We’d been naked together last night. Surely, that had to count for something. Right? Gave me some different privileges?

Plus, I was really worried about him. Obviously, he had some kind of health problem going on. It could be anything—migraines, a tumor. But whatever it was, I was the one who irritated it. Or rather, our physical attraction to each other. He’d run out on me twice now, and both times we’d been engaged in activities that really got the blood pumping.

I’m not sure how long I stood out there. A few people walked past me, some entering the apartment complex, some headed out to wander the city. Like my own building, there was an exterior door to enter the complex, and you needed a key or a code to get in. Unlike mine, it held none of that small-town charm, but was pale and nondescript. It was in a good location though, close to public transit and a variety of stores.

I glanced at the number of his apartment on the paper again. It looked like his place was on the first floor. I took a deep breath. I couldn’t just stand out here in the cold all day. Walking up to the door, I looked for some way to buzz Tyler, but before I could let him know I was here, the door opened and a young guy walked out. He held the door open for me, unconcerned who was entering his building without access. Or, maybe I just didn’t look threatening enough in my jeans and bright tangerine raincoat.

I smiled my thanks and hurried inside. Tyler’s place was to the right and at the end of the hall. I rang the doorbell before I could second guess myself. Then I waited. A dog began to bark. Did he have a dog? I was about to pull a ding dong ditch when I heard him moving around inside.

The door opened and Tyler stood there. He cocked his head and smiled at me with a pleasant expression on his face. “Hello,” he said.

I frowned before I could stop myself. I could’ve sworn I’d just detected a trace of a European accent. He looked different. Softer. Swollen, maybe? “Hi,” I told him. “I’m sorry for just showing up like this. I should’ve called or something. But I just wanted to check on you.”

That pleasant smile faltered just a bit. He appeared confused.

“Your head?” I prompted, pointing at my own temple. “You ran out of my place the night before last? Said you had something going on with your head…” I trailed off, really scared now at the blank look in his eyes.

He facepalmed, a very un-Tyler-like move. “Yes, yes. Of course. Sorry, I’ve had a lot going on.” He tilted his head to the side, like he was listening for something. Then he smiled. Stepping back, he made room for me to pass him. “Would you like to come in, Ailee?”

Tyler felt out my name on his tongue. Like he wasn’t quite sure if that’s who I was. Something weird was going on. This wasn’t the Tyler I was getting to know, but it also wasn’t the Tyler I’d seen at Whole Foods with his sister.

“Please, Ailee, come in.” He held the door wider, my name spoken with more confidence that time.

I wasn’t imagining it. Even his voice sounded different. I stood in the doorway, undecided if I should stay or leave. Obviously, he was fine. He was alive. He was home. And if he’d wanted to talk to me, he would’ve called me.

Maybe I should just go.

A little brown dog came bounding around the corner, ears and tongue flapping in the wind. He ran right out to me and jumped up on my legs, and my heart instantly overflowed, filling the hollowness that had been growing in the center of my chest. “Hey, buddy.”

“Get down,” Tyler told the dog. He pulled the little ball of excitement off me and shooed him back into the apartment. “Sorry about that.”

The dog hung his head and slunk off into another room.

That’s it. I was going in. Just for a minute. “It’s no problem,” I told him as I stepped inside. “I love dogs.” Hanging my jacket on the back of a chair, I set off in search of the pup, determined to cheer him up. Whatever Tyler’s problem was with the dog, he needed to get over it.

I found him in the living room right off the kitchen, curled up in the corner. Sitting on the end of the couch near him, I patted my knee and invited him over to me. With a cautious look at Tyler, he crept out from his hidey-hole and sat at my feet. A few scratches behind his floppy ears was all it took to bring out his previous happy self. “So, why do you have a dog if you don’t like them?”

Tyler perched on the other end of the couch. It was very big and very brown and distinctly masculine, and for some reason I couldn’t put my finger on, he looked out of place sitting on the edge with his knees together and his hands on his lap. “I don’t dislike dogs,” he said. “I just try to get him to act like a gentleman when company comes over.”

The flags I had folded and put away last night flew back up the flagpole and snapped to attention. If it had been said in the teasing manner I was coming to expect from Tyler, I would’ve laughed. But he wasn’t teasing. Not at all. He was dead serious and sounded much like an uppity British woman.

What the hell was going on?

I turned my head, brushing my hair to the side so I could look at him. “Is this some kind of a game?” Please tell me you’re in a drama class and you’re method acting or something. Because if you’re not, this is too fucking weird.

“Excuse me?” He pulled back, affronted.

“Why are you acting like this?” I gave the dog one last head rub and stood up. “Do you want me to leave? Because if that’s the case, all you have to do is say so.”

He stared at me for a long time. I fought not to fidget as I met his gaze with a challenge of my own and waited for him to respond.

Finally, he gave a little shake of his head. “No, Ailee. I don’t want you to leave.” He squinted, like his head was hurting, and rubbed his temples. “Look, I’m sorry I’m being weird, but I’m not ready to talk about it yet.” He looked at me again, and I saw a flash of the man I knew in his expression. “Why don’t you stay and we can hang out. Do you have plans for today?”

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