Ethan had told me to look out for a small black Toyota. So there I was, standing outside the gigantic hotel building and nervously looking from left to right, waiting expectantly.
The cold evening air was beginning to get worse and I wrapped my arms around myself, regretting why I had chosen a halter neck dress of all unfortunate days.
Minutes later, headlights flashed twice, and the car slowed down as it approached the hotel gates and I exhaled with relief. Finally, Ethan.
It stopped in front of me and the window rolled down.
"Miss Maya?" He asked.
He was not Ethan. My heart sank.
"That's me," I responded in a shaky voice.
"Ethan asked me to pick you up," he leaned over to open the door as he spoke. "Come on in."
Not hesitating any further, I stepped off the sidewalk and got into the car, closing my eyes briefly to relish the instant warmth from the car heater.
"Are you alright, miss?"
This time, I got a better look at his face. He had a boyish, adventurous look and I could tell he couldn't be any more than thirty. If Ethan could trust him to pick me up, I had nothing to worry about.
"Yes. Please, call me Maya," I said and noticed him glance briefly at the hotel before zooming off.
"Maya. Noted. I'm Toby, Ethan's friend. He's on his way back to town tonight, probably a few hours away."
So he wasn't even in town when I called, yet …
"Okay," I responded hoarsely, unsure what else to say. I didn't do too well with meeting strangers, and I had definitely not expected to see someone else while in such a vulnerable state.
But wherever we were going, I didn't care. I was away from Rowan and that was what mattered most.
It seemed almost unreal; me walking away, but Rowan had pushed me further than I could bear and this was the only way out now.
From the corner of my eye, I noticed the driver reach to the backseat and I became alert.
Well, not until he presented a paper bag in front of me and said, "Ethan also said you might need this. It's spaghetti alla bottarga."
If my heart had not already melted when Ethan responded and remembered me right away, it had completely dissolved now. That was my favorite dish, and he had perhaps guessed that because I always took it as lunch back in art school.
Not used to people remembering details like that about me, the gesture moved me to tears as I took the bag.
"Thank you so much," I managed to say with a cracked voice and then breathed in the aroma. The rich, delicious smell made my stomach leap with delight, and I was more than ready to dig in.
Tired from the whole day, I must have dozed off while Toby drove around because I felt a light tap on my arm and my eyes blinked open.
"We're here," he said and got out of the car.
I wiped my eyes and looked around. The darkness had begun to set in but I could see the apartment just a few feet away from the car and Toby walking towards it. I quickly got out, holding the food bag close to me and came up beside him.
"This is Ethan's apartment," he said before I could even ask and then pushed open the door.
"I'm not sure he has anything better than his silly books to keep yourself occupied till he arrives but I hope that helps a lot," Toby's tone was sarcastic but there was a hint of adoration lying under. He and Ethan must be good friends.
I thanked him one more time, took the key and locked the door while he drove out.
Only then did I take a good look at Ethan's apartment.
It was a comfortable enough space for a young man and I could tell already that he was not the colorful type. The living room was a wide space with walls painted a soft off-white. The kitchen was at the far end, separated by a narrow countertop.
A simple gray sofa sat against the wall, facing a modest flat screen TV mounted above a wide bookshelf.
I walked towards it and ran my fingers over the rich black wood.
Ethan had always been a reader. Back at art school, he usually brought a book along with him and read them during breaks.
I scanned through a few and noticed he had a wide collection of thriller and crime books, judging from the summaries at the back of them. Finally, I moved to the kitchen to eat my spaghetti, moaning and sighing after every bite at how perfectly seasoned it was.
I was halfway through the delicious meal when I heard the screech of tires outside the door. My ears spiked up and my body tensed, my first thought being that Rowan had found me.
But when I heard the soft click of the door unlocking rather than a thunderous bang followed by Rowan's angry voice, I relaxed and stood, waiting expectantly.
The door pushed open and a tall figure stepped in, wearing a thick black hoodie and matching sweatpants.
Ethan pulled the hoodie off his head and a soft gasp escaped my lips.
He stood rooted to the floor for a few seconds, his eyes slightly widened as though he wasn't sure this whole thing was actually real.
"Maya," he breathed out softly and I felt the sharp sting behind my eyes all over again.