She’d stood me up, and it had been crickets since. That wasn’t normal, even when she was enthralled with a new boyfriend. She’d only forgotten me one other time, and the apologies had started immediately, with flowers. I was going to ask for chocolates this time, but evidently I wasn’t going to have the chance.
My phone was silent.
It was a little after noon when I ventured downstairs. My body was exhilarated, but exhausted at the same time, so no exercise for me. I planned to head out for a little exploring. I hadn’t felt like meandering the streets since I’d moved in, and it was past time for that to happen. I was coming back from the mailroom when I saw Dawn peeking through the door. She was watching someone in the lobby, so I cleared my throat.
She didn’t startle, but turned her head. Her eyes went flat. “Oh. It’s you.”
I gave her a look. “I thought we were friendly…ish?”
She looked back, raising up on her tiptoes. “I’m mad at you.”
Huh? “At me?”
“Yeah.” She gave me another dark look. “You.”
“Why?”
“You introduced them.”
“Who—” Sia and Jake. The light bulb clicked on as I heard laughter coming from the lobby. Male laughter. Female laughter. Laughter I recognized. “Sia and Jake are out there?”
“Things were going according to plan until you brought her to the dinner.” Her nose wrinkled. “Thanks a lot for that.”
I blinked. “I had no idea, Dawn. I thought you liked Sia.”
She lifted a stiff shoulder, peering through the door again. “I was seduced by her. Not many understand the frustration when you don’t use a stitch square. The results can be catastrophic. Sia understood.” Her eyes narrowed as she turned back to me. “But I’m on to her. Did you bring her intentionally to take him away?”
I had no words for a moment. “Uh.” I shook my head. “Dawn, you’re a little scary right now.”
“I’m the building’s shut-in. I have a lot of time on my hands.” She looked back for a moment and then announced, “We have to hide.”
“Wha—”
She grabbed my shoulders and pushed me backward, steering me along the way. We were moving fast, then we stopped.
“Wher—”
“Sssh!”
“…I don’t know where it is. I didn’t check it after the game, but I brought it down when we were swimming. I know I did, but I don’t remember having it after that.” Sia’s voice grew clear as she walked past us. “I should stop and see Addison. I have this feeling we were supposed to do something together this weekend.”
“Really?” Jake’s voice wasn’t as clear. They were moving beyond the door. “We could ask her…” They were out of earshot.
I waited, but Dawn never opened the door. I reached for the knob. She grabbed my hand and hissed, “They’re coming back. He’s getting his mail, just like you.”
“Were they out all night?”
She inched forward. I couldn’t see her face. “They were at brunch just now, but I think they stayed at her place.”
“How would you know that?”
“Instagram. Hello? You never post on yours, by the way. You should post more.”
“Duly noted.”
Sia’s voice approached. “…it’s bugging me. I remember having it before we went swimming.”
“I don’t know,” Jake said. “Maybe. We were both buzzed, but it would still be down here. Or Kenneth would’ve given it to us if someone else found it first. It was late when we were down here.”
“I know.” I could hear the confusion in her voice as they walked past again. “Let’s buzz Addison’s place. Maybe she found it and is holding it for me?”
“Maybe.”
So Sia still didn’t remember our plans last night. And they were buzzing my place while I was trapped in a dark closet with Dawn. I started to move forward again, reaching for the door, but she blocked me.
“No. They could come back.”
“Dawn.” I grabbed her arm. Two could play at this. “Either move, or I will move you.”
“Just wait. Okay? They’re going to come back and look for you.”
“Really?”
“Yes,” she snapped at me.
“And why do you think that?”
“Because you don’t go anywhere, like me. If you’re not in your place, they’ll know you’re down here.”
“Oh, good grief.” I needed to get a life. Now. “Move away from the door. I want to talk to them.”
“Just wai—” A ping sounded in the closet, followed by a myriad of bells ringing.
I knew that sound. “You have Sia’s phone!”
“No, I don’t.”
But she did. The sounds kept coming, which Sia had set on purpose. She never wanted to miss something. Dawn pulled it out from wherever she’d had it hidden. It lit up the closet, and I saw enough to grab it and push past her at the same time.
“No!” She came after me.
I hit the accept button for the text message and read the message from Jake: Where are you, phone? If someone finds this, please call my number.
I’d had enough. I hit the call button and lifted it to my ear.
“No!” Dawn tried to grab the phone from me.