The next morning - there was coffee and sugar waiting for me on the counter next to a note.
I smiled and lifted up the scratch paper and read Austin's messy handwriting. I picked up the lukewarm mug of coffee and put it in the microwave as I read what Austin had left for me. As the microwave went off, I read that Austin had to leave earlier than he thought and that he wouldn't be home until dinner time.
I stood next to the microwave with my back leaning against the counter as I drank the coffee and decided what to do with my day.
It certainly was quiet in the house without Austin here.
It almost felt too quiet.
After our close encounter got interrupted last night, neither one of us brought up how close we had gotten to kissing.
My fingers tightened around the mug of the now steaming coffee and the familiar aroma filled my senses.
I closed my eyes for a second and remembered the feeling of my breath hitching in my throat and the warmth that Austin's skin gave off as he was centimeters away from me. I could only imagine how his lips would have felt against mine.
My heart sped up just thinking about it and I could feel myself smiling like an idiot. If only Madison could see me now.
Opening my eyes, I knew what I was going to do with my morning.
Guzzling down my morning drink, I set the cup down in the sink, with the intention of washing it later, and grabbed my crutches and hobbled off into my room.
Keeping the door open, I tossed my old laptop from my desk to my bed and hopped over to my bed.
After getting comfortable, I opened the laptop lid, typed in my password, and opened up FaceTime.
Hearing the dial tone, I leaned back against the pillows and waited for Madison to pick up.
"Hey bitch," she shouted through the microphone and I laughed as her face came into view.
"Hey," I said with a smile, "how are things back home?"
"Let me tell you what," she said and sat up more in her chair. A tell tale sign that she was about to spill some very in-depth gossip.
I laughed and listened to her rant about a new customer that had been hitting on her at the restaurant.
"Was he cute," I asked as soon as I got a minute to get a word in ten minutes later.
Madison shrugged, "He's no Brad Pitt but for Grapevine, he was pretty cute."
"Did you end up giving him your number," I asked.
Madison nodded, "I mean, he tried so hard. I couldn't say no."
I rolled my eyes. Madison had always had some attachment to someone, even if it wasn't ever serious.
She was the boy crazy one out of the two of us.
"What happened to the other guy," I asked.
"Which one," Madison asked.
I scoffed, "The PhD student."
Madison's eyes widened in recognition and she nodded.
"I ended things. He was a great guy but not what I was looking for."
"Fair enough," I commented.
Suddenly, Madison's door opened and Del walked in.
"Bailey," he said and leaned down to the camera, "I thought I heard your voice."
"Hey Del," I said at the same time Madison said, "Get out of my room, dumbass."
Del rolled his eyes, "How's California?"
I smiled, "It's amazing, we've done so much already. Austin took me to get burritos from a food truck the other day and they had French fries in them. How weird is that?"
"Sounds like your having fun," Del said shortly.
"I am," I said and kept the smile on my face.
"When are you coming back," he asked.
I shrugged, "I'm not sure. My knee's not healing as fast as expected so that's delaying everything."
"Can you come to visit?"
I shrugged, "I'm not sure. Austin's really busy with his work and I don't know when we would have time to get away right now."
"You could come on your own."
I scoffed, "Not possible, I physically can't make it on my own. Plus, I'm not going to ask Austin to fly me home and back without him. That's not fair."
Del sat at the computer with a strange expression on his face until Madison rolled her eyes, clearly having had enough of our awkward silence, and physically pushed him out of the room, closing the door behind him.
"So, you and Austin have done a lot?"
I could feel my cheeks turn red and I smiled, "Maybe."
"Oh my god," Madison said and leaned closer to the screen, "is that his jacket?"
I blushed even more, "Maybe. He might have given it to me last night."
Madison squealed and I almost hit the mute button on the computer.
"Holy shit, calm down," I said and quickly added, "I haven't even told you all of it yet."
"There's more," Madison asked excitedly.
I nodded.
"We almost kissed."
Another loud squeal rang out and in that instant I was glad Austin wasn't home to hear the dying cat-like noises.
"What," she shouted, "when did this happen?"
"Last night," I said.
"Why didn't you kiss," she asked and leaned even closer to the computer screen than she had been before.
I sighed, "We got interrupted by the pizza guy."
"I need all the details right now," Madison demanded.
I laughed.
"Well I found out that I wasn't healing on track with the plan so I was in a pretty shitty mood but then when we got home, Austin suggested ordering in and watching a movie."
"Cute," Madison commented.
I smiled, "So we ordered pizza and he pulls up Mamma Mia - which I still don't know how he knew I loved it so much. Then after the Dancing Queen scene Austin leans forward, takes off his jacket, and gives it to me."
"What a man," she said and I nodded, clearly agreeing with her on that.
"I know, right," I said, "then we magically got really close and he put his hand on my face and I could almost feel his lips on mine when the doorbell rang."
Madison stared at me with wide eyes, "Fuck me, that was adorable."
I groaned and threw my head back.
"What if I mess this up, Mads?"
She scoffed, "How could you?"
"Well," I said softly, "I haven't really dated anyone since high school, let alone kissed someone and now I'm daydreaming about kissing my sort of roommate who just so happens to be a celebrity."
Madison chuckled, "I'm pretty sure he's been thinking about that kiss too."
"I doubt it," I said, "it was probably just a heat of the moment thing."
She scoffed, "No way. Is he there right now?"
"No," I shook my head, "he went to work this morning. He left a note by my coffee."
"He made you coffee," Madison asked.
I nodded.
"And he left a note?"
I nodded again.
"Girl," she said, "he's into you."
"He can't be."
"Why not?"
I sighed, "I have so much baggage. My dad's dead, my mother abandoned us, I am legally the guardian of a teenager and I can't even walk without the help of stupid crutches."
"He's got a lot of baggage too," Madison said, "he's a celebrity so he knows how to deal with pressure."
I shrugged.
"It's not like he would have asked you to come live with him if he didn't know what you came with."