The Muse's Undoing

Matthew, operating on almost no sleep, has to make a round trip to the Bronx before his shift this evening, and my thoughts are mostly following him around the apartment. When I hear the knock on my door and he heads over to answer it, I assume he ordered food.

But it’s not just food.

“Oh, hey!” I hear a too-familiar voice ring out.

Gavin turns his head to peer down the hall and see what I can see from here. Raven. In my apartment. At eleven a.m. With Matthew shirtless.

Matthew, acting like a true doorman, tells her good morning and steps out of the way. I can feel his glare from here.

Ravenna bops down the hall, coffee and a paper bag in hand, taking in the scene. She’s dressed like she just got back from a run except she’s not sweating. Her cleavage is stuffed into a black sports bra, and her leggings stop mid-calf. Expensive white sneakers and a ponytail complete the look. “I didn’t realize you’d have company.”

“You could have texted,” I say.

She only grins. “I would have brought more food.” She comes around the table, plants a totally unnecessary kiss on my cheek, and sits down beside me. “What are we working on?”

“Raven, my assistant Gavin, Gavin this my neighbor, Ravenna Gallo.”

“Oh, of course. Ms. Gallo. Nice to see you,” he says politely because he knows everyone even if they don’t necessarily know him.

I catch Matthew looking at me. He’s not happy.

“I was just coming to check on you since you weren’t feeling well last time. You look like you’ve bounced back. Bagel?”

“Uh…sure.”

“I took a chance,” she says. “Figured you were a lox man.”

If looks could kill, Matthew’s gaze would stop my heart where I sit. I force a smile at Raven and take the bagel she’s offering me. I admit, I don’t know how to handle this. Gavin looks like he’s ready to pop some popcorn.

Raven puts her hand on the back of my chair and waits expectantly for me to take a bite, like she made the bagel herself. Matthew clears his throat and walks into the bedroom. Raven watches this with a look of confusion on her face.

“Did he spend the night?” she asks.

“He works today,” I say obliquely. “Busy schedule.”

“That’s sweet of you. I’m not close with my sister at all. She’s married. Two kids. Lives in Ohio, much to the annoyance of Mom and Daddy.”

She calls him Daddy? Of course she does.

“I hear Ohio’s pretty,” Gavin offers.

“It actually is!” Raven says like the fact shocked her. “And their house is gorgeous. It’s only missing the white picket fence, but they do have a pond. It’s an ideal vacation home. I mean—it’s not the Hamptons, but I can see why she loves it. Is it hard to have a kid in the city?” she asks me.

“Um…” All I can think about is Matthew and what the hell he must be thinking. I can’t help it if Raven decided to take casual up a notch, but if our positions were reversed, and someone he’d been sleeping with showed up with his favorite breakfast, I’d be breaking things by now. “You’d have to ask Nicole. If you’ll excuse me for just a minute. I need to grab something out of the bathroom before he gets in the shower.”

She scoots her chair back so I can get up because she was sitting that close. I try not to look like I’m in a hurry, but he’ll be out the door before I know what hits me if I don’t stop him. As suspected, he’s fully dressed, backpack on his shoulder, and shoving his feet into his shoes when I come into the bedroom and close the door.

He glances up at me with furious eyes. “That’s casual?”

“I didn’t invite her.”

“That’s my point,” he says, shoes on.

“I can’t have you leaving like this,” I say.

“I can’t stay like this, either.”

“Matty.” I approach him, putting a hand in the center of his chest. “She’s background noise. I don’t want anything with her.”