I awaken to my phone ringing. I roll, fumbling to reach it on the bedside table. The sheets tangle around my legs keeping me from answering it in time. Kicking the sheets down, I finally grab it, peering at it to see who it was. “Unknown number.” I frown at it and wait to see if whoever it was leaves a message. I glance at the other side of the bed, smiling at the memories Charlie and I made last night. He left early this morning to catch a flight for filming. The last several weeks have been glorious. If I’d been asked at Halloween if I could imagine myself in a relationship, I would have given an emphatic NO. Yet, here I am, two weeks from Christmas and I’m absolutely in love.
My days are spent with my work, and my nights are filled with Charlie. Most evenings find us staying in, sharing a meal we cook together, cuddling as we watch a movie, read, or listen to music. We’ve gone out here and there to see a play or musical. He’s kept his word about keeping me safe from prying eyes. I know it’s only a matter of time before photographers snap a pic to sell. So long as he’s with me, I know we will weather any storm it stirs up.
My voice mail dings, pulling my attention back to the phone in my hand. I open the message and listen to some guy ask me to call him back for an interview. Interview? For what, I wonder. I delete the message and flop back onto the pillows. Charlie won’t be back until after the holidays. He has appearances to make in the states, then he’ll be traveling to Perth to see his family. He invited me to come along but I declined, citing my new job and the important account I’m handling. Reluctantly, he accepted my decision, knowing I value my work and being able to pay my own bills. He made me promise that if anything came up and I couldn’t reach him, I was to call Ben. Before he left early this morning, he put a number of contacts into my phone, “just in case.”
My mind drifts back to this request for an interview. Perhaps it’s another company reaching out to see if I’d be interested in a job with them? If it is, the guy should have left better information. I put the call out of my mind and get ready to go out for errands.
All bundled up, hat pulled low over the tops of my ears, I make my way to the market. It’s a pleasant walk and I spend far too much time browsing the various stalls before heading over to grab groceries for the next few days. As I’m exiting the market, a headline at a newsstand catches my attention.
MATT MURDOCK SPOTTED CONSULTING MYSTERY CLIENT AT NIGHT
Underneath, is a very clear photo: Charlie escorting me into my building. My face is turned to look at him, smiling, his hand protectively placed on the small of my back.
FUCK
