All This Time

28 ⦿ in which i almost have the last word

Living with Wolf is completely different than living with Levi. For one, Wolf isn't nearly as pleasant in the morning, and he lives up to his name when he snarls a "What's so great about mornings?" when I mumble a good morning to him on my way to the kitchen.

With a sigh of gusto, I brace myself for his prickly disposition as I open the fridge, scrutinize its contents, and then pull a strawberry yogurt out. Ever since the bombshell he dropped on me yesterday, we've been walking on eggshells with each other. And by that, I mean it's mostly me tiptoeing around him, and him crashing through the eggs with all the finesse of a bull in a china shop.

"Don't finish the milk!" he shouts from the bathroom a second before the door slams shut.

I wince. Yeah, mornings are definitely not his forte.

While peeling back the lid of the yogurt cup, I check my phone, scrolling through missed text messages and emails with a pinky. Apparently the text I fired off to Levi started a chain reaction; I also have messages from Graeme and Xander, both of whom express similar surprise at Wolf's rash decision.

And then there's Brett. I wince, reading her scalding litany of messages.

Brett: I couldn't believe it when Xander told me. Please say he's shitting me. 11:45 PM

Brett: So I texted Levi and he said he doesn't know anything more than Xander does. DO YOU NEED TO BE RESCUED? 11:56 PM

Brett: I SWEAR TO THOR AND CHOCOLATE THAT I WILL LAUNCH A ONE-WOMAN RESCUE MISSION. 11:57 PM

Brett: Where does he live? I'm coming over. 11:58 PM

Brett: Jesus Christ, Charlotte. Reply to me, woman! 11:59 PM

Brett: I'm going to bed. Text me. 12:50 AM

Brett: Are you awake? 12:52 AM

Brett: YOU BETTER NOT BE SLEEPING WITH HIM RIGHT NOW. 12:53 AM

Brett: Ok, I'm sleeping for real. <3 12:55 AM

Brett: I can't sleep :( 1:49 AM

Brett: I'm googling him. 1:50 AM

Brett: OMFG CHARLOTTE DID YOU KNOW HIS NET WORTH? 1:55 AM

Brett: He used to date Diana Carnegie? She's THAT Diana? 2:12 AM

Brett: Wake up. 2:13 AM

On cue, my phone starts ringing and after a glance at the Caller ID, I pick up. "Hi, B," I say with a resigned sigh. "I'm sorry about last night." My apology is rendered useless because she begins to screech the second I answer the phone.

"CHARLOTTE!" she exclaims, and my name is drawn out like I'm hearing it in slow motion. "Why didn't you pick up?" she continues furiously, but before I can answer, she's answering her own question. "You were with him," she decides, and I can picture the scowl that's bound to be on her face. "Wolf." She makes a rude noise in the back of her throat and I can hear her heavy breathing. "Well?"

"I was," I start to hedge, but she cuts me off.

"AHA!" Victorious, she crows. "I knew it." Then, with a tinge of judgment coloring her words, she asks, "Well, how was it?"

"Not like that!"

"Oh." Disappointment laces her words. "Then like what?"

"We just talked." There's silence on the other end. "Brett?"

"I'm here," she says. "Just...processing."

"Right." I spoon some yogurt into my mouth. "We can talk at work."