Chapter Fourteen
Rain drummed on Alexandre’s car. He was comfy and dry, but he couldn’t say the same for the half-dressed, waterlogged people emerging from Livinpalooza and being herded onto buses. So this was the startup world.
Alexandre squinted. He could barely make out people’s faces in the driving rain. How would he ever find Mei? Then he spotted a familiar petite figure cutting her way through the crowd.
He rolled down the window. “Mei!”
She looked around.
Alexandre got out and ran toward her. “Mei!”
She turned in his direction. When she saw him, she waved wildly. Alexandre broke into a sprint. When he reached her, Mei threw her arms around him. Alexandre held her tightly. They stayed there for a moment as the rain fell and people shouted around them.
Mei looked up and grinned. “Am I glad to see you!”
It took all of Alexandre’s willpower not to wipe the water from her cheeks. Mei’s sweatshirt was soaked through. He took her bag and pointed to his car. As they jogged over, he held Mei’s shoulder, then quickly withdrew his hand when he realized what he was doing.
Inside the car, Alexandre handed Mei a clean bath towel and an insulated tumbler. “Coffee with a splash of oat milk.”
Her hair hung limply in her face, and her saturated clothing clung to her skin. Still, she managed a grateful smile. “Just the way I like it.”
“I remembered from the beach house.” Alexandre started the car and slowly merged into the sea of vehicles crawling to the campground exit.
Mei laughed self-consciously. “Sorry I’m a wreck. I’ve had quite a morning. My tent flooded. I woke up in a small lake.”
“Wait, what?”
“You’re probably used to camping in the rain, but I can’t deal with this.”
“No one is used to camping in a hurricane.” Alexandre gestured to the water rushing down the windows.
“This is the edge of Theo! When I woke up and heard the storm, I knew Livinpalooza was over. Then I saw that Theo was over New Jersey.” Alexandre gripped the steering wheel tighter, remembering the panic he felt when he read the hurricane update.
“I can’t believe Livin didn’t evacuate us sooner.” Mei’s eyes widened. “I hope my teammates are okay!” She pulled out her phone and started texting.
Alexandre swallowed his ire. Now was probably not the time to rant about Livin’s abysmal leadership.
Mei read something on her phone and shuddered. “My colleague Tamiko was on a bus back to the city, but now they’re taking everyone to nearby hotels.”
“What a mess.”
They finally reached the exit. Alexandre turned slowly onto the main road.
Even with the headlights on and the windshield wipers at top speed, he could only see a few feet ahead.
His apartment was much closer than Ali and Luc’s.
Would it be weird if they went to his place?
He didn’t want to put Mei in an awkward position.
“So,” Alexandre began hesitantly, “my apartment is about twenty minutes away. Ali and Luc are almost an hour from here. Do you want to come to my place? Or stick to the original plan?”
Mei stared at the rain battering the windshield. “Maybe head to your place?”
Alexandre caught the uncertainty in her voice. “Are you sure?”
Mei nodded. “Yeah.”
“Okay.” In his pocket, his phone buzzed.
“Ali just texted us: ‘The rain is so bad! Go to Alexandre’s. He’s way closer.’ ” Mei leaned back in her seat. “Well, thanks for getting me and dealing with an unexpected houseguest. I’m sure this is the last thing you want to do in a hurricane.”
Alexandre frowned at Mei’s self-deprecating tone. He hadn’t thought twice about coming early to get her. He was more than happy to have her company, he realized with a prick of guilt.
He glanced her way. “I have one request: Stop acting like you’re a burden. Like I’ve been forced to do you a favor. I’m glad you’ll be riding out the storm with me.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Mei was quiet for a moment. “I have a hard time letting people help me.”
Alexandre let out a wry chuckle. “That makes two of us.”
· · ·
They sprinted into his apartment as the wind picked up. Alexandre set Mei’s bag on the floor and removed his jacket.
Mei shucked off her sopping sneakers. Her eyes roamed her surroundings. “Nice desk! Wow, you do have a lot of outdoor stuff.”
Alexandre smiled. Besides Luc, no one had visited his place. Alexandre hadn’t realized how much he missed having company. Even with the still-bare walls and lack of furniture, his modest apartment felt warmer and cozier the minute Mei stepped inside.
“I love how that couch is now yours.” Mei pointed at the small yellow sofa. “Reminds me of good times when Ali, Luc, and I all lived on the Upper West Side.”
“I didn’t know you lived there.” Alexandre hung up her jacket.
“When I was growing up, I went to the Museum of Natural History all the time. Then I lived in Morningside when I was an undergrad. I used to think I’d end up living somewhere in the West Seventies or Eighties.
” He hadn’t thought of that in ages, but now he could see himself renting a studio in an older brownstone and going for daily runs in Central Park.
“I always wanted to live on the Upper West, too, and for a while I did. Now Joey and I are in Queens.”
Maybe Alexandre was imagining the note of wistfulness in Mei’s voice. Was she not thrilled about living in Queens? Or being with Joey?
He realized they were still in the entryway. He quickly ushered Mei into the living room. “Make yourself at home. Do you want to shower while I cook?”
“I would love a shower.”
Another idea popped into his mind. “How about a bath?”
“Seriously?”
Alexandre couldn’t tell whether Mei loved or hated his suggestion. He shrugged. “They’re great after a long day outside. Or a few long days.”
The corners of Mei’s lips turned up.
“I usually take baths after skiing. Or a hard run. Or an especially grueling lab.”
Now Mei was laughing.
“I even have scented Epsom salts,” Alexandre added.
“Okay. That sounds amazing.” She lifted her eyes teasingly. “And I’m not going to make a big deal about how you’re being too kind.”
“Good.”
In the bathroom, Alexandre tweaked the taps until he found the perfect temperature.
Then he poured in the salts. The fragrant aroma of mint and eucalyptus filled the room.
He glanced around. What could make the bath a little special?
He reached for his liquid soap and trickled it into the running water.
Success! Bubbles floated to the surface. The pine scent mingled nicely.
Alexandre strolled back to the living room. “Your bath is ready.”
Mei followed him to the bathroom. She eyed the tub, then pulled him into a side hug. “This looks amazing. No one’s ever run me a bath.”
Alexandre’s body tingled where they touched. He released her reluctantly to retrieve her backpack and fresh towels.
“Take your time,” he said. “I don’t think we’ll be going anywhere.”
“That’s fine with me.”
The wind howled. Mei shivered.
“Well, I’ll get the food started.” Alexandre stepped into the hallway and closed the bathroom door behind him.
In the kitchen, he chopped mushrooms, red peppers, and herbs for a frittata. Other than trying not to think about taking off his clothes and climbing into the tub with her, cooking while Mei bathed in his apartment felt perfectly normal, as if they’d established this rhythm ages ago.
Alexandre pressed his lips together. Was that a good or bad thing?