Page 55 of Where We Stay

The phone continues vibrating in my hand.

Ground yourself.

I force my eyes away from the screen.

Blue coffee cup.

Brass bell.

White tiles.

Red scarf.

Black boots.

Coffee.

Cinnamon.

Vanilla.

I name everything silently, trying to drag myself back into the room.

“Blair?”

Dean’s voice cuts through the noise.

I look up.

He has moved closer, but he doesn’t touch me. His hand hangs loosely by his side while his eyes search my face.

Not impatient.

Not annoyed.

Concerned.

“Are you okay?” he asks quietly.

His voice gives me something solid to focus on.

The phone stops ringing.

The sudden silence feels almost as loud.

“Uh, yeah.” I shove the phone back into my bag. “Sorry. I’m just tired. It’s been a big week.”

Dean’s brows pull together. “You looked like—”

“Vanilla latte for Blair!” the woman behind the counter calls.

I turn away before he can finish.

“That’s me.”

My hands are still trembling as I collect the cup.

I need air.