Page 23 of Midnight Wishes

People Watching | Conan Gray

By Friday night,Alex was ready to admit he was an addict. But since his drug of choice dictated her own availability—and seemingly had little interest in providing him a fix—he seemed doomed to be left in withdrawal.

The soft click of Erik’s bedroom door opening above him pulled Alex’s attention from the depths of the freezer. Of the ten different meals Maggie had stacked in there, nothing sounded appealing.

Next came the jingle of Celine’s collar as she hopped up from her cushion in the corner of the kitchen. Before she could go in search of him, his brother stepped into the room, immediately giving her the ear scratches she had been hoping for.

Traitor.

‘Hi.’ Surprise was evident in Erik’s tone.

Alex returned the greeting absently, once more focused on his search for food. He supposed he could cook something. It had been ages since he’d allowed himself the time. But he’d duckedout of post-work drinks early, claiming he had emails to catch up on. Hedid, but as soon as he’d got home, the thought of opening his laptop again had made him feel ill.

The option of cooking fell away after a quick glance in the fridge. In Maggie’s meal prep frenzy, she had cleared out anything resembling a fresh vegetable, with the exception of the carrot, celery, and cucumber sticks he often snacked on before gym.

‘You’re home,’ Erik continued, suspicion deepening his voice. ‘I don’t think you’ve been home on a Friday night since you hit puberty.’

Alex shrugged. Partying with the guys from work lost its appeal with each outing. The last time he’d enjoyed it had been the night he met Sarah. And admittedly it hadn’t been entirely fun for a while before that. No one he knew in the art world had anything going on that night. And he didn’t really have the sort of friends he could enjoy a simple conversation with over dinner. Besides, it might do him good to be alone with his thoughts for the night. Even if it felt as though his brain would explode if he didn’t get any external stimuli soon.

Erik was still speaking. ‘Zoe is working at an event at Neon later. Some influencer’s book launch. Do you want to come?’

Neon.

That was where they’d met. Where she’d kissed him. Where he’d become inexplicably drawn to her. He wondered if she’d be there. But that wasn’t the only question of the evening.

‘You’regoing to a club? The place with deafening music, too many people pressed into a tight space, lights flashing every half second?’

Erik looked entirely relaxed, as if he wasn’t about to launch an assault on his senses. ‘I took a rescue tablet. I have ear plugs to dull the sound. And I’ll be with Abby.’

Right.

Because his fiancée was so completely his perfect match that she helped ground and regulate him in any situation. Not for the first time since Erik and his lifelong best friend had finally admitted their feelings for each other, Alex felt a pang in his chest.

Abandoning his hunt, Alex straightened and shut the freezer. ‘You’ll really do anything for her, won’t you?’

Erik smiled in a way Alex had never had cause to. ‘Yeah. But even before we were together. You know that.’ Then his smile sharpened into a more familiar expression. One Alex had felt on his own face plenty. ‘Plus she got this dress that I’ve beenbeggingher to wear—’

‘And I’m the one with a reputation,’ Alex muttered.

Erik only grinned. ‘Come out with us. You haven’t done anything fun all week.’

That wasn’t strictly true. Busy coordinating the biggest corporate merger of his career, his weekhadbeen back to back meetings followed by visits to the gym, before dragging himself home to continue running numbers and responding to emails. But there had been Wednesday…

He was exhausted. Tired to his bones.

But if she was there… While the idea of a night out with the boys might feel like a death wish, sparring with Sarah could be just the energiser he needed. There was no way to ask if she’dbe going without showing his hand, but it was worth taking the chance.

‘Yeah. Okay. But we’re stopping for food first.’

Chapter 14

SARAH

Slut! | Taylor Swift

Why did hehave to be at the party? And why did he have to look so good?

With his stupid legs clad in stupid dark denim and stupid white sneakers on his stupid feet and his stupid tattooed arms on display where they poked out the stupid rolled sleeves on his stupid forest green shirt. And with the stupid purple and white lights illuminating the club looking so pretty flashing across his stupid golden hair.

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