While You're Awake Read Online Free Page B

coffee
shop.”
    The leftover tension in
the cab melted away. “Angel Boy, huh?”
    She didn’t open her eyes,
but her smile remained. “Yeah. I still don’t know your actual name.”
    “Keegan. But I think I
like Angel Boy better.”
    She scoffed and peeked
over at him, apparently noting his raised brows and amused expression as she
replied, “Don’t let it get to your head.”
    “I’ll try,” he murmured,
throwing in a wink.
    She gave a short laugh,
followed by a long yawn. With seemingly great effort, she slowly sat up and
rubbed her eyes. “I better get going before I fall asleep in your truck. For
the second time in one day.”
    He tapped her wrist as
she lowered her arm. “You sure you’ll be able to make it home okay?”
    “Yeah.”
    Color me not
convinced. But she was a grown girl—not to mention a very new acquaintance.
She could make her own choices. Still… “How’s your head?”
    She reached for the door.
“Fine. Only a little tender, but the headache’s gone.”
    “Promise me you’ll get
some sleep tonight?”
    “I’ll try.” She slid out
of the truck and poked her head back in. “Thank you so much for everything.”
    It bothered him that the
smile and humor had fled her weary face. He drummed his thumb on the steering
wheel, imagining her returning to her empty house—empty except for the threat
of the bees that obviously terrified her.
    As she stepped back to
shut the door, he called out, “Hey.”
    She waited.
    “If you need someone to
talk to tonight, you’ve got my number. I’ll probably be up for a while catching
up on The Office .”
    It was hard to tell in
the dark, but he thought he saw her eyes light up. “Hmm. Well, at least I know
we’d have something to talk about.”
    And with a deceptively
perky wave and the slam of the door, she was gone.
    ∞∞∞
    [Unknown number]: You
still awake? This is Tired Girl, BTW.
    [Angel Boy]: On my 3rd
episode. I’m strangely addicted to this awkward humor. Shouldn’t you be asleep?
    [Tired Girl]: Sounds
like the years I was addicted to American’s Funniest Home Videos. Please don’t
judge. I wish I were asleep.
    [Angel Boy]: Did you
try warm milk? A cold bath? Or whatever the cure is.
    [Tired Girl]: Haha.
I’ve tried it all. Nothing works.
    [Angel Boy]: Not after
the bees?
    [Tired Girl]: Yeah. It
helps though, to know your uncle’s coming.
    [Angel Boy]: I called
him earlier. He’ll come out tomorrow morning around 10.
    [Tired Girl]: Oh
that’s wonderful! :) Thank you!!
    [Angel Boy]: You’re
welcome. It’s no problem.
    [Tired Girl]: I should
let you get back to your Office marathon. Good night, Angel Boy. Thank you
again!
    [Angel Boy]: Good
night, Tired Girl. It’s going to be fine with the bees. I mean it. You’ll be
OK. Will you come in for coffee tomorrow?
    [Tired Girl]: I’ll be
there bright and early.
    [Angel Boy]: Not too
early! See you then.
    [Tired Girl]: Yes sir.
Good night. :)

Chapter 4
    Keegan’s text messages had
helped Ava sleep for a few hours of the night, and for that, she was incredibly
grateful.
    If only she hadn’t woken
up at four in the morning, heart racing as she stared into the darkness and
shook her head, trying to dislodge the echoes of buzzing. The details of her
dream faded quickly, but the phantom sounds hovered restlessly around her.
    After lying in bed for
another two hours, she got up and showered. The coffee shop opened at 6:30, but
she didn’t know when Keegan was working today. Besides, she didn’t want to seem
overeager and pathetic.
    Even though she certainly
was both.
    At 7:30 she gathered up her
laptop and purse, leaving behind the specters of loneliness and fear.
    When she entered Coffee
by Angels, she immediately sought out the young man with the dark golden hair
and kind eyes. Keegan looked up from where he bent over a frother, made eye
contact, and winked. His grin spread slowly, like warm milk blending with
strong coffee. Ava breathed in deeply, letting the tension melt away