“Rise and shine, sunshine.” I groan when I hear Shae’s voice. Pulling up the covers, I try to hide from the sunlight.

“Go away. I’m dying,” I state.

“Don’t be so dramatic, from what I got to see last night, you’re perfectly fine.”

Flashes of the night before come at her mention and I sit abruptly, causing the room to spin.

“Ow.” Grabbing my head, I try to will the pain away.

“Here, take this.” Shae hands me some ibuprofen and I swallow them down with some water.

“How did I get here?” I ask. Some parts of the unpleasant night still a blur.

“Mr. Tall, dark and handsome brought you home.”

“Who?”

“The guy who I almost called the police on, thinking he might’ve done something to you.”

“I still don’t know who you’re talking about,” I confess.

“Tall guy, brown hair, blue eyes and muscles for days. Ring any bells?” At her description the image of a guy I bumped into at the restaurant comes so vividly that I gasp.

“Oh no. Please tell me you’re joking.”

Shae smiles as she says. “Nope.” with an extra pop at the end. “He told me what happened with that jerk.”

“Oh, God.” Knowing it wasn’t one of my brightest moments, I’m mortified that the handsome stranger witnessed the big commotion I was responsible for.

“Relax. The important thing is you’re okay and he was there to help you out. When I came home and you weren’t here, I got worried. And when he told me what that guy did,” Shae pauses and shakes her head in disgust, “I’m glad you’re okay. That’s all that matters.”

“He told you everything?” I question.

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry I made you worry. I was an idiot.”

“Don’t say that.”

“It’s the truth. I barely knew Craig and I agreed to have dinner with him. I should’ve waited, like Cordelia suggested. I suck at this.” I’m ashamed of my poor lack of judgement.

“It’s not your fault. I should’ve warned you about scammers.” Squeezing my hand she adds, “let’s forget about this. Tell me more about this guy.”

“I don’t even know his name,” I confess. “I do remember there was another guy with him but that’s all.”

“Was he handsome?”

I laugh at her question, leave it to Shae to have me laughing when I should be admitting defeat and going back home. “I guess? Honestly, I can’t even remember.”

“Well, this guy was alone.”

“I wonder how he knew where I was staying.”

“You told him. I was about to lose my shit when I saw you passed out, but he assured me you were alright and then asked me to let him explain what happened. After we put you to bed, he stayed a while and filled me in on the details. Although something was weird.”

“What?” I inquire.

“He kept glancing back to your room, like he was hoping you’d wake up.”

“Maybe he was worried I would make another scene,” I mumble.

“I doubt it.”

“It’s a shame I don’t know where I can find him, I’d like to thank him for what he did.” Not two minutes later, the sound of the doorbell makes me jump and Shae goes to answer. I can hear her talking and then calling for me.

I quickly get out of bed and pull on a pair of sweatpants and put up my hair in a bun.

“You have a delivery.” Shae points toward the door where a delivery guy is waiting.

The guy hands me a device for me to sign and then gives me a small package. After I thank him, I close the door and move to sit on the couch.

“Who is it from?” Shae asks, curiously.

I inspect the package, “It doesn’t say.”

“Open it,” she orders.

“What is this?” I mumble. Holding the top of the line device in my hand.

“That’s an iPhone, Hannah,” Shae quips.

“Ha, ha.” I roll my eyes and put the phone back in the box.

“Aren’t you going to use it?”

“No, I’m gonna return it. It has to be some sort of mistake.”

“The guy had your name,” Shae reminds me.

“The only people who know I’m here wouldn’t send me a new phone. It doesn’t make sense.”

When I’m about to close the package, the phone rings and we both still.

“Answer it.”

“No.”

“We won’t know who it is from if you don’t. Here, hand it to me, I’ll do it.” Shae volunteers and I pass the phone to her.

“New phone, who dis?” Shae giggles. “No, this isn’t she. Yes, she’s here.” Hearing only one side of the conversation, I gesture for her to tell me something but she ignores me. “Who wants to know?” A smile spreads across her face as she says, “hold on.”

“Who is it?” I whisper.

Holding her hand out toward me, she says, “You’re gonna want to take this call.”

Taking the phone from her, I hesitate before speaking.

“Hello?”

“Hannah.” The deep voice sends chills through my body and once more, I’m unable to speak.

“It’s him.” Shae mouths and I nod.

“Are you there?” the stranger asks.

I swallow hard before answering, “yes.”

“It’s Tristan. We met last night.”

“Tristan,” I repeat, liking the way his name sounds.

He exhales, “Thank you for taking my call.”

“I don’t understand,” I admit. “Why did you send me a phone?”

“Yours broke when you dropped it.”

“Oh. Well, thank you. You didn’t have to do this.”

“I did. It was the only way I could get in touch with you.” Before I get the chance to say it’s too much and that I owe him a lot already he speaks. “I want to see you. Can you meet me in an hour?”

“Why?” I’m unable to hide my curiosity.

“Because I have a proposition for you.”

“What kind of proposition?

“Meet with me so we can discuss it.”

No matter how tempting it is, after what happened with Craig, I wasn’t jumping at the idea of meeting with a stranger.

“I’m sorry, no.”

“What is he saying?” Shae mouths and I hold my hand up, asking for her to wait.

“You don’t have to be afraid of me, Hannah. I’d never hurt you,” he states.

“You’re still a stranger. I really appreciate your help and if I’m being honest, I don’t remember half of what happened last night. I’m sure you’re a good person, not many would’ve intervened for someone they don’t know, so again, thank you, but the answer is still no.”

Shae throws her arms up, exasperated at my reply.

“I understand.”

“If you give me an address, I’ll send back your phone,” I offer.

“It’s a gift. Keep it.” As I’m about to object he adds, “until we meet again, take care, Hannah.”

The call ends and I stare at the phone. Knowing I made the right decision doesn’t lessen the disappointment I’m feeling.

“What just happened?” Shae asks.

“He wanted me to meet him.”

“And you said no?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Why?” she whines.

“Because…” I pause, not wanting to admit that the reason I refused to see Tristan is that I’m ashamed of myself. “I just don’t see the point. I’m thankful he helped me but it’s over and done.”

“Hannah, when a hot guy walks into your life like a white knight in shining armor and wants to get to know you, you don’t say no,” Shae says, exasperated. “You fucking ride that horse reverse cowgirl style.”

I burst out laughing. “That doesn’t make any sense.”

“Let me put it in simple words for you. Hot guy wants you, you want hot guy. Hot guy asks you out. You accept and bang the shit out of him.”

“Just like that?”

“Yep.”

“It’s not that simple, Shae.”

“You like steak?”

I don’t dare ask what this has to do with anything so I just nod.

“Well, Tristan is one fine piece of meat and you just threw it away without tasting it first.”

“Maybe I saved myself from a major case of heartburn,” I tease, playing along.

“That’s why we have Tums.” Shae counters.

“Ugh, I’m going to shower. I feel like a zombie and smell like one too.” I stand and place the box over the table and walk toward my room when Shae shouts.

“If brains is what you fancy, you should’ve said so, steak hater.”