Damaged (new adult romance) (Never Leave Me, #2) by Eileen Cruz Coleman Page A

novel you’re working on?” I took a chance at changing the subject and focusing on her.
    “Please, don’t even try it.”
    “Try what?”
    She sighed. “Okay, I’ll help you stall talking about Reece, but only for a few seconds and then, you’re talking whether you like it or not.” She sighed again. “Let’s see, work is good. The senator whose name you can never remember is good and my novel, well, that’s going splendid. I’ve already written two thousand words this morning. And before you ask me what it’s about, I’ll just tell you. It’s a political thriller, duh. I live in D.C. I work for a senator and I’m obsessed with the news, what else would it be about?” She inhaled and released a long breath as if she had just finished given a speech and needed to take a break to gather her thoughts.
    “It could be about zombies , and vampires, and other creatures,” I said, remembering my conversation with Reece about his novel.
    “ Ha! Very funny.” she grabbed a throw blanket which was sitting right next to her. Covering herself with it, she said, “All right, your turn. I’ll ask you the same question again. Why are you up so early?’
    “Can you at least turn down the volume?” I asked, rubbing my eyes.
    She pointed the c licker at the TV. “There. Done. Now spill.”
    I exhaled and then said, “I have a date.” Too late, I spoke the words.
    She jumped off the couch. “Wh at? With Reece? I should wake Lisa. She should know this.”
    “Calm down,” I said, grabbing her arm and forcing her back on the couch. Why oh why did I tell her? Oh, yeah, honesty, that’s right. I wanted, needed to be honest about something.
    “So, is he coming here? And why so early?” Her eyes were beaming.
    I exhaled again. “Yes, he's coming here. He's taking me to his parents' cabin in Southern Maryland."
    “ Southern Maryland? Where the hell is that? Oh my God, he's planning on killing you," she said.
    “ Don't be stupid. Southern Maryland, is well, south of D.C. His parents live in Calvert County.” Truth was, I had never been to Southern Maryland, although I did know it was still pretty rural. Some restaurants in D.C. prided themselves in only serving fresh and organic vegetables grown in Southern Maryland farms.
    Frowning, she said, “ Okay, whatever, so you're spending the day with a stranger in a cabin in God knows where.”
    “Yep, sounds about right,” I said with a smirk.
    “Is he at least hot?” she said.
    I cleared my throat and then bit my lip.  
    “ Well?” she said, staring at me.
    “Very hot,” I said.
    “ I think I'm jealous. When is he coming? I want to meet this mysterious hottie.”
    Reece hadn't said when he would be picking me up. All he had said was that he would pick me up in the morning. I was beginning to feel a bit dumb for waking up so early.
    “I don't know,” I whispered.
    "What do you mean you don't know?" she stood and made for the kitchen. "I'm getting another cup of coffee. Want one?"
    I was glad she couldn't see me blushing. Here I was waiting for my Prince Charming to appear and I didn't even know when he would be arriving. Wait, did I really just refer to Reece as my Prince Charming? Don't answer. And please, if I may add, don't tease me about it.
    I stood to look at the time on the stove clock. It was now 7:30.
    "He'll probably call me before he comes," I said.
    “Why didn’t you both just agree on a time when he asked you out? That’s what normal people would have done,” she said, pouring the last of the coffee into her mug.
    “Yeah, well, who says I’m normal?” I am anything, but normal. Hell, I’m so abnormal that I almost come full circle back to the normal starting point. Not sure that makes sense, but I think you get the picture, right?
    Making her way back into the living room, she said, “Yep, you’re pretty much a weirdo. Okay, well, what say you and I watch the news together until Mr. Hottie calls or gets here, because if you think I’m