Chapter 54

DAHLIA

The first thing I registered was sunlight, no. A distant sound I guess. It was as if I was still in my dream. The sunlight was warm and stubborn against my eyelids. Then came the distant vibration of my phone somewhere near my ear—that was the exact sound I was referring to. Sebastian’s name lighting up the screen like a pulse. I groaned softly, one hand blindly patting around until I answered.

“Good afternoon, sleepyhead,” his voice came through, low and amused.

Afternoon?

I blinked fully awake, bolting upright. “What—what time is it?”

“Past one,” he said, clearly too pleased with himself. “You know I kind of underrated you. Now I know why you always come late to work.”

I didn’t say anything because I was embarrassed. I don’t understand why I always oversleep whenever I sleep over in his house.

“Don’t keep me waiting.”

The line went dead before I could even form a coherent response.

Waiting? It can’t be work, right? It’s