SOME HOURS LATER, Devon was standing at the base of the John Hancock Center, one of the tallest buildings in the world, in downtown Chicago. Looking straight up the glass structure made her stomach flip-flop. The wind was particularly vicious in the Windy City, and Devon was pretty sure the building was visibly swaying.
“You want me to go up there?” Devon asked Hadley and Garrett incredulously.
“It’ll be fun,” Hadley told her reassuringly.
Not that Devon had ever had a particular fear of heights, but tempting fate didn’t seem like fun by any stretch of the imagination. Her face must have shown her disbelief because Hadley wound her arm around Devon’s, pulling her toward the entrance.
“Come on, Dev,” Garrett said, taking the lead. “You’ll like the bar, and you can’t even tell it’s swaying when you’re up there.”
Devon’s face paled.
“Garrett!” Hadley said, swatting at him.
He chuckled and ducked away from her.
“I want you to have a good time, and you’ve never been here. I mean, when are you going to be in Chicago again?” Hadley asked her.
Devon bit her lip and diverted her eyes, avoiding the question. She still needed to figure out how to have that conversation with Hadley.
“Plus, I’ve been working so much this week, and we haven’t really spent much time together. Come hang out with me like old times,” Hadley pleaded, widening her eyes.
“I want to hang out with you. I’d just prefer to do it somewhere…I can’t die,” Devon said, looking back up at the building.
“You won’t die!” Hadley rolled her eyes. “Garrett and I will be there to take care of you in case you feel like you might die. Plus, Brennan will be there, too, I think…if we can pin him down to anything. I mean, you like Brennan, right?”
Devon swallowed. “Yeah, he’s alright,” she said dismissively.
She had spent the last week in Jenn’s Restaurant, eating burgers and occasionally taking shots of tequila. Brennan had been there every day, except Monday, just like he had said. He had usually left her in peace while she went through pictures on her phone or scribbled away in her notebook. Sometimes, he had come over to talk to her, but only when it had seemed she was deepest in thought over something else. She had the hardest time pinning down what it was about him that she liked so much.
“Well, see, this will be perfect. The building has been standing since the ’60s. I don’t think we’ll have a problem tonight,” Hadley told her, shoving her inside.
Garrett veered them toward the elevators, and they waited a couple minutes for it to reach their floor.
How long do I have to be in that thing? Devon wondered.
When the elevator doors finally opened, they rushed inside. Devon looked around skeptically while Hadley pressed the button for the 95th floor. The elevator shot up like a bullet, leaving Devon’s stomach floors below them. Her ears popped uncomfortably as she tried to ignore the headache that was a constant on her temples since she had awoken from her nightmare.
She closed her eyes, feeling the pressure all around her as the elevator ascended, and then it slowed, coming to a gradual stop before pinging open on their floor. Devon tentatively walked out into the Signature Room at the 95th, the John Hancock Center bar and restaurant. She half expected the ground to shake beneath her, but it was completely solid, no swaying or anything. She felt better about that at least.
The room was open and spacious. A long bar took up the far wall, and black tables and chairs were already crowded. The real view lay beyond the bar itself. Floor-to-ceiling glass walls showed off a spectacular view of Chicago and Lake Michigan as far as the eye could see.
Garrett gestured to the right, claiming it had the better view, and they nudged through a small crowd to gain seats near the window. Devon walked right up to the glass and stared out at the city lit up a thousand feet below her. She drank in the sight, wanting to remember what it felt like to be on top of the world.
Devon pulled out her phone and snapped a few shots, wishing she had something better to take pictures with. Her camera phone just wasn’t doing the view justice, but then again, maybe nothing ever could.
“Want me to take a picture of you?” Garrett offered, standing next to her.
Devon shook her head. “No, thanks. The view is good enough.”
“You have something against getting your picture taken?” He crossed his arms, turning his attention away from the window to her.
“No, I just don’t need my face plastered in front of something so exquisite. How could I ever measure up?” She gave him a soft smile.
Garrett had been unconditionally kind since she had arrived. He had allowed her to stay in the guest bedroom of his apartment for an entire week. He had taken care of her when she had been sick, and he had shown her around the city. They had gotten lunch a few times before he had to go to work. One night, she had fallen asleep while watching reruns of Whose Line Is It Anyway? After he had gotten home late from work, Garrett had woken her up and ushered her into bed. They had repeated their excursion to the park complete with Popsicles another time when Hadley had been working. Devon found that even though she hadn’t spoken to Garrett about why she had left, he had pried open her shell, and she was able to relax around him. She knew why Hadley liked him so much.
“I think this blonde runs a little too deep,” Garrett said, deflecting the question.
“How original. A blonde joke,” Devon responded, rolling her eyes.
“I doubt you have one picture of yourself in Chicago. How will anyone believe you were actually here?” Garrett asked.
I hope no one ever does, she thought.
Devon just shrugged. She couldn’t tell him that.
“Have it your way. What do you want to drink? I’m going to the bar,” he told her with a smile.
“Gin and tonic would be great. Do you need some cash?” she asked, reaching into her purse.
“On me.” He held up his hands to show he wouldn’t accept any money from her.
“Thanks, Garrett,” Devon said sincerely.
Where did Hadley find this guy?
With a heavy sigh, Devon watched him walk away. She wished she could tell someone what she was going through. But how could anyone understand? Hadley would have a field day, and Devon wasn’t ready for that kind of freak out. She didn’t really know Garrett, so he wasn’t an option. She knew she should try to talk to her mom, but Devon had been avoiding her calls all week, hoping her mom would get the hint.
Each time Devon really thought about it, she felt sick to her stomach. How can I tell anyone if I can’t even decide whether or not I made the right decision?
“I can’t believe it’s already been a week,” Hadley said, coming to stand next to Devon. “Where does the time go?”
“Well, you have a job,” Devon said.
“Ugh, don’t remind me,” Hadley said dramatically.
“You love your job.”
“Yeah, well, it’s still a job,” she said with a shrug.
“Garrett’s pretty great,” Devon said, changing the subject.
“Dev, he’s more than pretty great. He’s like so freaking amazing. And let me just tell you,” Hadley said, angling her body to look directly at Devon, “he’s beyond impressive.” She raised her eyebrows and smirked.
Devon laughed at Hadley attempt at being discreet. It was so unlike her friend.
“Plus, seriously, he’s an animal in bed. I just…I’m blown away,” Hadley told her.
Now, that sounded more like her.