Page 66 of Awestruck at Dusk
“Happy Birthday, Miss Murphy,” he replied, holding the door open for David and me. I summoned a smile and thanked him as I ambled toward the elevator.
“David, I’ll walk up on my own. I’m good,” I said to him. He raised a brow in return, probably not believing Iwasgood. And I know I must’ve looked like shit, but I wasn’t feeling ill anymore, just exhausted. “I swear.”
“Okay.” He waved his keycard for elevator access. “Happy Birthday, Miss Murphy.”
“Thank you, David. And … thanks again. For everything.”
Talking to him earlier had been helpful. He’d listened to me, and I also got to know him better. I hoped he and CJ could work things out.
“Anytime, Miss Murphy. Have a good night.”
I stepped into the elevator and said, “You too, Dr. Scott.”
The elevators shut as David laughed, making me smile. I texted Nina next to let her know I was coming up. It was best not to knock on William’s door. But she replied quickly, saying she’d meet me in a second.
As I walked out of the elevator toward my apartment, William’s piano filled the hall.
Nina opened the door and stepped out. Zara followed her. She had changed into a comfy outfit, although her hair and face were still done. “Hey, sis. Feeling better?”
William’s piano came to a halt.
“Yeah, thanks. And don’t worry. I’ll just take a shower and go to bed,” I replied. “I’m sorry you had to come, Nina. I feel like I probably wasted your time.”
“Don’t be silly. Come on. Let’s go,” she said, herding me toward the door. “I’ll make sure you’re good before going to bed, and then I’ll leave.”
William was now leaning against his doorframe, his piercing blue gaze directed at me, testing my resolve. I swear I picked up a bit of annoyance on his pretty face too.
“You’re welcome to stay if you want to,” I said to Nina, trying not to look into William’s eyes. I knew how easy it was to get lost in them. He still watched from a distance without emitting a sound.
“Or I could have the guys drive you back to your place,” I offered Nina as I opened my purse, looking for my keys. “Shhhhit.” I let my forehead rest against the door, feeling defeated.
“What’s wrong?” Zara asked as I listened to her steps approaching me.
“Nothing. I—gave my keys to Cecile,” I replied with frustration. “Aaron carries a copy, but he left just now to drop Nathan off at his place. We’ll just have to wait for him to return.”
William disappeared into his apartment as Zara said, “Doesn’t Nate live a few blocks away? I’m sure Aaron will return in a few minutes. Why don’t you come inside and wait for him to arrive?”
I parted my mouth to reply when William stepped out from his apartment and marched toward my door holding a set of keys in his hand. He unlocked my door and opened it just a tad for me to understand and process the fact that, yes, he’dactuallyunlocked my apartment.
“Your father gave me this set of keys—for emergencies,” William explained, walking away. I hadn’t asked for an explanation—yet. But I was going to, of course, and he knew that.
I was in shock and unable to believe my father would trust someone with keys to my apartment after what happened.
“Yeah, I made that same face when he first suggested the idea,” William said, sliding the keys inside his pocket. “He made me sign a bible of paperwork, as you can imagine.”
“What kind of paperwork?” I asked. Nina and Zara remained still—attentive.
“Could you guys give us a couple of minutes?” William said to them.
“Sure,” Nina said quickly, walking toward my apartment. Zara crossed her arms at her chest and shot William a side-glance but followed Nina into my apartment and shut the door behind her.
This was the last thing I needed right now—anotherconversation with William. I’d walked up to my apartment feeling hopeful after Nathan left, having decided a lot of things. But it was impossible to keep moving forward with my decisions and realizations if William kept showing up in front of me with that look on his face.
I took a few steps away from the surveillance camera’s reach. I didn’t need this interaction to go on the record.
William parted his mouth to speak, but I took the floor instead. “I just wanted to say I loved the show. It was great. Thank you.” I didn’t know how this conversation would end, but I wanted to make sure he knew how much it meant to me that he did that for me. “You were great up there, by the way.”
“I’m glad you enjoyed it,” he said with a relaxed side-smile.
