Claire's face was set in annoyance as she stabbed a mushroom with her fork, muttering unintelligibly.

Maybe it's just Monday blues, I thought to myself, watching her from across the Thai restaurant table. 

"Is everything okay, Claire?" I ventured, smiling at her cautiously. 

"It's work," she complained, tucking her straight blonde hair behind her ears. "I have to fly out to DC tomorrow."

"Washington DC?" I asked stupidly.

"That's the one," Claire said with a humourless laugh. "My client is having a crisis. My boss sprang it on me this morning. I tried talking him out of it, but he wouldn't budge."

"How long do you have to stay there?" I asked, several questions competing for attention inside my head.

"Three days," she muttered. "The flight's at nine in the morning tomorrow. I'll be back on Thursday evening."

Not knowing what to say, I chewed my food in silence. 

"I'm so sorry about this, darling," she sighed, her eyebrows furrowed in indecision. "I'm not sure what I should do. I can't leave you here all by yourself for two nights. But if I take you with me to DC, you're just going to be alone in the hotel room for most of the time. I don't know if that's any safer."

Two nights alone in Claire's house. 

My heart thumped with excitement when Jason's name popped into my head instantly.

"It's safer for me to stay here," I rushed to say. "Can I please stay?"

Claire stared at me, her gaze sharp and knowing. My skin prickled at the thought of her realising my true intentions.

After a long silence, she nodded in resignation. 

"You can stay," she sighed. 

"Thanks," I gushed, doing my best to conceal the ecstatic smile that was threatening to take over my face.

"Oh, I need to buy some supplies for the trip," Claire said a few moments later. "I'm going to the supermarket after work. Should I do that before I pick you up, or will you come with me?"

"I'll come with you," I said. 

"Okay," Claire smiled.

Approximately fifteen minutes later, Claire dropped me off in front of Java Lava before driving back to work. I straightened my shoulders and smiled, eager to tell Jason about Claire's trip. 

A tinkling sound announced my arrival as I pushed through the café's door. Jason and Emily were busy attending to a middle-aged couple. I walked over to the billing counter, scanning the café's length and breadth as I waited for my turn. To my relief, the stern café manager was nowhere to be found. 

A few moments later, the couple headed towards one of the tables. I stepped forward, offering Emily a greeting before turning to Jason.

"Hey," Jason said, breaking into a genuine smile when he noticed me. "What can I get you today?"

"Hey," I replied. Digging into my backpack, I produced a five dollar bill. "Can I have half a chocolate muffin, please?"

Jason typed on the computer keyboard before handing me my change, which I dropped into the glass tip jar.

"Half a chocolate muffin," he announced with a wink. "Coming right up."

While Emily operated the coffee machine, Jason reached into the well-lit glass display to fetch one of the oversized chocolate muffins.

"Here you go," he said, splitting the muffin into two even halves. 

"So," I began, accepting my half with a smile. "Claire has to go to DC tomorrow. It's a work thing."

Jason rested his elbows on the counter and regarded me curiously, not looking very excited by the news.

"She's going to Washington DC for three days," I explained deliberately. "And . . . I'm not."

His eyes widened as he asked, "You're not what?"

"Not going," I grinned. "I'm not going."

"You're going to be alone in the house for three days?" he asked as understanding dawned on him.

Standing on tiptoe, I leaned over the counter until my forehead touched Jason's temple. The addictive scent of coffee that clung to his skin made me giggle, silly and delirious.

Jason smiled indulgently when he asked, "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just . . . I won't be alone," I said in a hushed tone. "Not if you're there with me."

***

"Claire," I grumbled. "I'm not going to need that much cereal."

I shook my head at Claire's shopping cart, laden with several boxes of breakfast food along with many other groceries. She waved her hand dismissively as she walked along the aisle, examining yet another carton of muesli.

"Seriously," I complained, hurrying to catch up with her. "You're preparing for an apocalypse."

"You will need this, darling," she laughed. "You can't even drive anywhere to buy food. What if you get hungry and there's nothing to eat?"

"I can get pizza delivered, remember?"

"You can't just live on pizza for three days, Lee."

"Well, Jason could bring me something," I said quietly. 

"All the more reason to buy this," Claire insisted, dropping the box of muesli into her cart. "Jason needs to eat, too."

Surprised that she didn't disapprove of Jason coming over to her house, I smiled at her.

Forty minutes later, Claire was finally satisfied with her purchases. Boxes of food and supplies were stacked on top of each other precariously, her shopping cart threatening to overflow. As she headed to the billing counter, I ran towards the freezer section and grabbed a tub of cookies-and-cream-flavoured ice cream. The frigid container elicited a flurry of memories of Jason, a wave of goosebumps breaking on my arms.

I smiled to myself as I headed towards Claire. On my way, something in the cosmetics section caught my eye. I stopped and stared at the small canisters arranged in perfect rows. Picking up one of the black cans, I studied the three words printed on its front: Temporary Color Spray.

Without hesitation, I grabbed one of the canisters and rushed towards Claire.

***

"Are you sure you have everything?" I asked, resting my hand on Claire's compact black suitcase.

"Yes, I do," she nodded. "Thanks for helping me pack, Lee."

"It's no problem," I replied with a smile.

Stifling a yawn, I turned to look at the gorgeous antique clock that hung on the wall in Claire's bedroom.

10:05 PM.

"Well," I sighed, hefting myself off Claire's bed. "I better go to sleep."

"I should, too," she nodded. 

Planting a light kiss on her cheek, I said goodnight before walking out of the luxurious master bedroom.

"Wait," Claire shouted suddenly. "Lee!" 

"Yeah?" I called, rushing back into her room.

"It's here somewhere," she mumbled, rummaging through her oversized purse.

"What is it?" I asked, accepting the brown paper bag that Claire was holding out to me.

"I know that Jason might . . . spend the night here," she said in a smooth, measured tone. "So, I stopped by the pharmacy before I picked you up."

Oh.

Mortified, I gaped at the paper bag and muttered something like, "Blgnh."

"Lee, it's nothing to be embarrassed about," Claire said, her green eyes alight with amusement. "Jason is a nice boy, and I'm glad you won't be alone while I'm away. I just want you to be prepared if you are ready to --"

"Okay, thanks," I rushed to interrupt her, my cheeks flaming. "Goodnight! Bye!"

Ever since the day Jason and I had watched Snakes on a Plane together, I thought a lot about spending the night with him. 

And I was definitely ready.

But I was not ready to talk about it with Claire. 

"Lee," she called, grabbing my arm before I could run out of her room. "You can talk to me about anything."

I was touched by her willingness to help and her concern for my wellbeing. But I couldn't stop myself from thinking bitterly, You can talk about anything except your divorce with my dad, Claire.

I shook my head to clear it, reaching forward to wrap my arms around her.

"I know," I said, my voice muffled by her enviably straight hair. "I've got this, Claire. Thanks."

Before she could reply, I said goodnight and hurried out of her room. I bounded up the stairs, dropping the paper bag on my desk as I entered my cozy bedroom. 

I spent the rest of the night fidgeting on my bed, my eyes glued to the pharmacy bag. After what seemed like hours, I finally drifted off to sleep, only to have dreams that fed my feverish excitement like fuel to a fire.