Miss Matched [COMPLETED]

20. Simon

"Si, can you be my Uber?" Tayla's voice is hushed.

I check the display on my phone. 1 AM. "Where are you?"

"Ruby's house. But I had too much to drink, and I can't drive. And I need to get home to Pixie. I can call a real Uber. Sorry. I shouldn't have called." She stifles a laugh. "I already told Ruby I ordered an Uber, and Ruby has gone to bed. I'll just—I'll just order one."

"No, no." I sit on the side of my bed and rub my face. "I'm coming. I'll get you. Can you text me Ruby's address?"

"Bring Rex?" There's a hopeful slant to her voice.

A heavy silence rests between us on the phone line. She's asking me to stay at her place without saying the words. More time with her is a win, so I'm not saying no. But her slurred speech suggests a level of drunkenness that might signal regret in the morning.

"I really need a Rex fix," she says.

"Yeah," I say. "I'll bring him. I'll get there as quick as I can." Hanging up, I throw on some clothes and whistle for Rex. I'm out the door within five minutes and on my way to the address Tayla sent.

Middle of the night booty calls have to be a good sign, right? Rex's head is on the console between seats, and I scratch his ears while I turn down Ruby's street. Ahead, at the end of a spacious driveway, is Tayla, barely upright. She's going to regret however many bottles of wine she split with Ruby tomorrow. Hopefully, she doesn't regret calling me too.

I park in the driveway, and Rex perks up at the sight of her. He pants and whines, and when she climbs into the car, he frantically licks the side of her face. Me too, buddy. Me too.

"Rex." I give him a gentle shove off her, and Tayla giggles.

"Aww," she coos, scratching under his chin. "I've missed you too."

He licks her palm and stares at her adoringly.

"You okay," I ask as she clicks her seatbelt.

"Yeah, yeah." She waves me off. "Just like, got a bit carried away talking to Ruby about stuff."

Stuff. Sounds loaded. Do I dare? She tends to be brutally honest when she's had a drink or ten. Might want to tip toe. "You spent the night with Ruby? Was Dean there?"

"Conference or something." She stares out the window. "I had dinner and drinks with Ciro, actually."

My hands flex on the steering wheel, my knuckles whitening. "Find any more dogs?"

She cocks her head in my direction. "Nope. The dinner and drinks were good, though."

Jealousy, hot and fierce spikes in my gut. So, what is this? He got her warmed up on their date, and I'm her best follow through? The thought is bitter on my tongue, and I press my lips together to keep it in. Even if it's true, she wouldn't like me saying it.

"Does it bother you I went out with him?"

My jaw is clenched, and I shift my focus from the road to look at her. "You're going to feel like shit tomorrow."

She shrugs. "Won't be the first time I've gone to work with a bit of a hangover."

When we get to her house, I pull into her driveway and unlock the door for her to get out. If she wants me to come in, she's going to have to say it. "Here you go."

She gazes at me for a beat. "You're not coming in?"

"Do you want me to come in?"

"Isn't that how a booty call works? I snap my fingers, and you drop your pants?"