“Perfect” by Pink—Morgan’s ringtone—startled Morgan out of her sleep. It took her a moment to focus on her phone and another moment to manage to answer it. “Hello?” she asked groggily.
“Are you asleep?” asked the voice on the other end of the line.
“If I were asleep, how could I answer a phone?” Morgan replied. Her brain was still fighting the post-nap fog. The voice sounded familiar…
“I’ve got the address where the party’ll be. Do you have something to write on?”
“Kellen?”
“Yes. Now, are you ready for the address?”
Morgan fumbled around on her bedside table. She found a pen and a crumpled receipt. “Okay, go.”
Kellen rattled off an address and Morgan transcribed it. She even read it back to check for accuracy.
“Okay, then,” Kellen said. “Party starts around eight, but I probably won’t get there until nine or so.”
“Okay,” Morgan said. She suddenly remembered something. “Oh, Kellen?”
“Yeah?”
“I… um… was wondering if I could bring someone?”
“Your friend Ris? Yeah, I said that was fine.”
“No. Another friend.”
Kellen sighed. “Morgan… this isn’t really open-invitation.”
“But you know him,” Morgan said quickly.
“Him?” Kellen sounded intrigued. “Cheating on me already?”
Morgan was taken aback. How could she be cheating? It wasn’t like they were dating. She took in a breath and released it. “You met him at the coffee house last night. Corbin Starling, the guitarist in the band?”
Kellen chuckled softly. “Corbin Starling, huh? Well, I guess that’d be okay. He is a musician, after all.”
Morgan couldn’t tell if he was being sarcastic, so she decided to take his words at face value. “Great. We’ll be there around nine, then.”
“See you.”
Morgan ended the call and set the phone back on her dresser. After a moment, she picked it up again. She’d need to call Corbin with the details. She scrolled through her contact list and called Corbin’s number.
“Don’t Stop Believing” by Journey sounded in Morgan’s room, making her jump. She looked toward the source of the music and was shocked to see Corbin curled up and asleep in the papasan Ris usually occupied.
Morgan ended the call. She got out of her bed, grateful to find she felt steady on her feet, and walked over to where Corbin slept. She shook his shoulder gently. When he didn’t rouse, she shook him a little harder.
Corbin mumbled incoherently for a moment before opening his eyes. The look of confusion he wore shifted slowly to recognition as he sat up, stretching. He smiled at Morgan. “You’re looking better.”
“What the hell are you thinking?” Morgan demanded. “If my dad came home and found you here in my room, he’d flip.”
Corbin waved away her concern. “Don’t worry. He’s working late tonight.”
Morgan stared at him incredulously. “What are you now, the great and mighty psychic?”
“No, he left you a note on the fridge.”
Morgan bristled. “What are you doing wandering through my house?”
“I went to get you something to drink, remember?” Corbin pointed to Morgan’s bedside table where a full glass of water sat. “You were asleep by the time I got back.”
Morgan softened, remembering the pre-nap conversation. “Well… why didn’t you leave after that?”
Corbin shrugged. “You… didn’t want me to.” In response to Morgan’s confused look, he continued. “Every time I went to leave, I heard you.” He tapped his temple. “You kept calling me back.”
Morgan shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He picked up a book off the papasan that Morgan recognized from her bookshelf. “I got to catch up on my reading.”
Morgan rolled her eyes. “Well, Kellen called.”
Corbin sat up a little straighter. “Okay. I should call Clare.”
“Yeah,” Morgan agreed. “I’ll copy down the address for you.”
“You could probably just give it to me,” Corbin said. When Morgan raised an eyebrow, he added, “Since I’m inviting Clare, I’ll be picking her up. And since she’ll want to bring you, she’ll insist I pick you up, too.”
Morgan shrugged. “Fair enough.” She went to the bedside table and picked up the receipt with the address on it. “He says it starts at eight but that he won’t be getting there till around nine.”
Corbin nodded as he took the receipt from her. His phone was already in his hand, and he punched a couple of buttons before bringing it to his ear. After a moment, he smiled. “Hey, Clare.”
Deciding she didn’t want to hear the conversation, Morgan made her way to the living room. She sat down on the couch and checked the time. Six o’clock. Her father must be pulling a very late day if he wasn’t home by now. Though uncommon, it wasn’t unheard of for Dylan to be at work until ten o’clock at night.
A few minutes later, Corbin joined her in the living room. “Clare should be calling you in a few minutes,” he informed her, smiling. “She sounds really excited.”
Morgan just nodded.
Corbin shifted from side to side. “Well… I think I’ll get going now.” He paused. “If that’s okay with you.”
“Why wouldn’t—” Morgan paused, an embarrassed smile touching her lips. “I don’t think I’m going to mentally call out to you, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Corbin smiled, too. “Okay, then. I’ll see you tonight.”
“Yeah,” Morgan agreed.
Corbin started toward Morgan’s front door and she followed. When he opened the door, Morgan called his name.
Corbin turned. “Yeah?”
Morgan looked at the floor. “Thanks for… you know.” She glanced up at him.
Corbin nodded. “You’re welcome.” He stepped out the door. “Bye.”
“Bye,” said Morgan as Corbin closed the door behind him. She stared at the door for a moment before turning toward the kitchen. She was suddenly very hungry. On her way to the kitchen, her phone started ringing. When she answered it, she heard Ris’s excited voice on the other end of the line.