Izzy had requested to borrow the truck to help deal with some chores at her aunt’s place.

Spencer didn’t have to pry on the reason, she easily gave it to him which assured him she wasn’t still too concerned about what he'd said outside Home Depot. He'd only offered to disregard the need of compensation because it seemed like the decent thing to do. It wasn’t remotely about morality of it, when Spencer wasn’t so keen on missing out another moment to have her in bed— which yeah, he knew was wrong.

Nonetheless, he was determined to at least try to do right by her. It had only ended up almost costing him the whole deal in one go. If Spencer didn’t know any better, he would’ve thought Izzy might’ve been upset at the idea he didn’t want to sleep with her. Which was fucking insane. Her company filled with fleeting glances and intimacy was clearly doing dangerous things to his ego.

Izzy had a problem with coming round his place late, which he was dying of curiosity to know why. It definitely couldn’t have been about being alone. She seemed very at ease in downing cans of beer and climbing him on his bed, so it had to be something else. In fact, there were a lot of things he wanted to question and learn about but he was far too scared he'd speak out of turn and fuck this up.

He wasn’t about to spoil this, seeing it was only a matter of time she wouldn’t need his wheels anymore. He'd seize every opportunity he got, so he phoned in Henley to ask for a day off. She easily agreed since apparently, he never took a day off and she was more concerned she'd be liable to be sued if her business were up to code.

Spencer wasn’t sure how it took his apartment only a few days to revert to the 'nuclear warhead state' as Beck so kindly put it. Izzy may have been honest when saying she didn’t mind it but he did so he made sure every nook and cranny was tidied before the scheduled time.

He saved some of the carrot cake he made in the fridge with the chilled whiskey, just on the odd chance Izzy was open to stick around afterwards. A decision made on wishful thinking, he knew that but where was the harm in it?

He sat on the couch with a good half an hour to spare, when his ringtone blared out. Well, shit. Calling in this early was just unheard of. Could Izzy have possibly been eager to come round, maybe? No, this was more likely going to be bad news.

Nervously, he grabbed his phone. He couldn’t decide if he was relieved or disappointed when seeing Julie’s name flash across the screen. His finger hovered by the icon to answer, then he paused. Why was he in any obligation to pick up? It was eight o'clock on a Friday, she was probably off clubbing at her favourite bars for happy hour.

Before and during when they were dating, it was always just to coax him to go and get wasted, nothing more.
The ringing died out before he could cave in. Welcomed silence lapsed the space for ten seconds and then there was a buzz. Against his better judgement, Spencer picked up his phone again and wasn’t surprised the text was from Julie. What did spike concern was how incoherent the message was.

Wh u hijkfs me???

He recognised a drink text when he saw one, usually from Alec or Beck's older brothers. Julie was far better at holding her liquor though, unless she was overdoing doing it which did happen on occasions of a bad day.

Spencer went ahead to dial Beck. Hopefully, if he was with her then Spencer could rest assured somebody responsible enough made sure she got home safe. Beck’s line went through on the third tone.

The instant he couldn’t hear boisterous music in the background suggested enough Beck was elsewhere but Spencer still proceeded to ask. Beck was on campus. Apparently attending one of the game nights the tech and art students hosted annually.

Spencer made plans to mock the guy later— right now, he had more calls to make. Most of Julie’s closest friends like her roommate were a bust but the girl generally made new friends every other day so going on an outing with ones Spencer didn’t know wasn’t uncommon.

It only meant he had to circle round the usual clubs. In entering the fifth, vibrant colours and braindead music identical to the former clubs pumped through the walls as he scoured the premises. He spotted a distinct crown of ash blond hair by the front. Her long, toned dancer legs dangled from the bar stool she was propped up on as she nonchalantly nursed something in a tall glass through a curly straw.

“Julie.”

Her cat eyes lazily met his and then they lit up. “Spence! Fucking finally!” Arms flung over his shoulder and a pungent wave of alcohol hit his nostrils.

Spencer delicately patted her and she easily withdrew, already mumbling off about something while he grabbed her drink. He dipped his finger and tasted it. Water. The bartender thankfully had noted Julie was far too gone and slid over a glass to sober on her own call, which Spencer thanked the woman for.

“Julie, did you not come here with anyone?”

She nodded. “Zeke and Ezra.” Yep, names he never heard before but he just felt the need to ask. “They went to dance, give me a sec. I'll introduce you.”

“Maybe another time.” He quickly stopped her as she wobbled out of her seat. In the short strapless she had one, it was likely she’d find many more people before her new companions.

There were even leering stares at corners and Spencer wasn’t about to expect the nice bartender to steer creeps away the entire night while working the shift. “I think it’s best you call it a night,” he said.

“What? No! Alec promised he'd come over and share more of this amazing herbal tea he got. It’s technically 'illegal' in most states because the plant it’s imported from is growing extinct but—”

“That all sounds wonderful.” He lightly held her by the shoulder. “Why don’t you tell me more about this outside, yeah? It’s kinda loud.”

Julie blew air out of her lips. “Maybe you’re just getting too old, grandpa.” Light teasing. That was an easy drunk Julie to deal with, it normally never ended with getting rowdy and clawed at in experience.

Proving so, Spencer didn’t have to persist more than just a few more times before she agreed to follow him. In the process, two guys showed up to intervene that were probably Zac and Elijah or whatever the fuck their names were. The pretty boy types, to no surprise and looked like they weighed the size of twigs.

It didn’t take more than Spencer pulling one up by the collar for the pair to run for the hills. He preferred no hassle but it still irritated him Julie couldn’t at least get eye candy that had some back bone. The raging hangover she’d have come morning would be punishment enough.

Even if he knew she’d resort to this again another time things didn’t go her way. Spencer was all the more mad at himself he couldn’t do anything other than sulk about it.

He was glad for the extra dollar bills in his pocket would mean the cab ride wouldn’t eat into his budget, but couldn’t fight off a nagging suspicion he was forgetting something as he relayed the address to the driver. Halfway, Spencer stopped upon recalling Julie moved.

Shit, where did she move to again? It was at the Regalia Avenue but what floor?

“Julie what floor are you staying?” He asked.

All he was met with was a quiet snoring, Julie sat in the backseats peacefully asleep. Spencer lightly nudged and shook her but there was no reaction. He fished into his pockets to call Beck who’d probably remember, only to come up empty. He'd lost his phone. Great.

Resigning, he directed the driver to his own apartment and let himself momently ease back into the seats. Still, that nagging itch wouldn’t let him fully relax.

It was only once getting inside his humble abode, that it hit him instantly. To be more specific, it was when he found all the lights on in his living room and sharp, copper eyes met his.

“Izzy.” He sputtered. He'd completely forgotten to call and cancel. Shit.

“I was wondering when you'd turn up.” Her eyes slid to the limp figure of Julie slung over his shoulder. An emotion he couldn’t quite place flashed by as she went on. “I tried to call but…” She nodded her head to the table where his phone he'd carelessly forgotten in his rush lay idle.

“How did you get in?”

“The door wasn’t locked.” Fuck, he forgot that, too. “I thought maybe you were getting robbed but there’s nothing in here worth stealing— besides your Xbox, maybe.”

The weight of the one hundred and eighty pound blonde leaning on him was starting to get to him so he excused himself to lay her down on his bed. He set a bottle of water and a bucket within arms reach if Julie happened to wake up then returned to the woman he was meant to have curled up in his sheets.

He'd noticed it then that Izzy had dressed up a bit. Her hair appeared more prim and curled from where they spilled over her sleeveless pantsuit.

The time was clocking into nine. She had to have been waiting here for nearly an hour. The one burning question he had was why, but too much of a coward, he only meekly said, “Sorry. Julie called and I should’ve just at least let you know first—”

“It’s fine. You were worried she was in need of help, right? I could smell the reek of liquor and I know how reckless Colleen gets when she’s white girl wasted. It’s not necessary to explain it to me, Spencer.”

Everything in her voice and expression was calm. He could trust she meant it. Izzy Montego wasn’t one to care for pleasantries or mincing words but it made him feel all the more shitty.

He would gladly take her being pissed. Keeping her waiting, just to be his fuck toy for an hour or so then he brought his ex home— god, what the hell was he even doing?

“I’m really, really sorry.” He hadn’t known what more to say. It was the truth.

She’d brought herself out here for nothing. There was no way he'd dare mention getting on with the deal with other company, who was his ex, in the next room and no part of Spencer felt comfortable imposing such indecency on Izzy.

Well hey, look at that— I do still have a moral compass.

The revelation did little to ease the big, gaping hole of guilt that was the pit of his stomach. He watched Izzy let out a sigh and rise to her feet. She picked up the handbag on the table and Spencer expected to see her leave next, but she reached inside the bag.
“Here.”

Spencer stared down at the item extended to him in her hand. It was a brown coloured bottle with some fancy sounding name branded across the label.

“It's cough medicine,” she breezily answered, reading his thoughts. He shot up his brows at her. “You’re to take two spoonfuls in the morning and again at night. Feel free to book an appointment at the doctors too, that never hurts.”

Spencer slowly blinked, catching her steely gaze begin to wander about the room and he looked down at the bottle. So that’s why she hung around? She'd planned to give me this?

Spencer found himself nothing short of dumbfounded. Several other feelings were bubbling in he wasn’t sure how to describe. It sort of ached but in the best way possible. He wanted nothing more than to pull her into a hug, but she didn’t seem to have appreciated the last one at the golf course.

Probably because he was behaving intimately outside of an arranged time. Though right now— would it be more acceptable?

He met her gaze and she was already looking at him. Izzy suddenly scowled. “Stop looking at me like that.”

“Like what?”

“Like you’re going to cry or something. This is already awkward enough.” She huffed, muttering something under her breath that didn’t sound quite like English. Wait, was she embarrassed right now?

The ache grew. It practically imploded in Spencer’s chest, leaving him quite certain he would drop dead at any second longer he looked at her but how could he not? When she treated him like this? Was she trying to drive him over the edge?

“See you later.”

Those were the trigger words that had Spencer shooting up from the couch and grabbing her arm as she turned to leave. Up so close and in contact now, it took all willpower not to put his arms around her.

He opened this mouth to say thank you. But that didn’t happen.

“I… You have no idea how badly I'd been waiting to see you. It’s been on my mind all day.” The words came out in a raspy, heated rush that made him want to swallow his tongue.

That could've all been interpreted wrongly. Or technically, it would be the right way and he'd have officially scared her off for good.

Heart pounding wildly, he held his breath as a series of emotions ran across Izzy’s face. All which he couldn’t focus on past his nerves and the irrationality in his actions lately, then her lips parted.

“Spence?” 

The groggy, small voice bled in the silence and both turned their eyes to the figure leant by the door. Julie was squinting, her flushed face and glazed look shifting between him then Izzy.

Faster than Spencer could even blink, a hand held the back of his neck and warmth tinged in lip gloss bloomed across his mouth where Izzy pressed hers up against. It seemed like time had stopped. He stilled on the spot until eventually, Izzy leant back but not before one, teasing lick and he met with a wicked gleam in her stare.

Spencer barely registered her parting farewell and she disappeared behind the door.

**

The scent of coffee woke him up and for one moment, all was peaceful as Spencer lifted his eyes. Then when attempting to sit upright, pain burst through his spine and he nearly keeled over. He took in his surroundings, recognising the crusty carpeting of the living room floor.

Right, Julie was in his bed so he'd gone to sleep on the couch which was an incredibly stupid idea. He tended to roll in his sleep and that habit had evidently kicked in. He knew he should’ve just went ahead and grabbed the futon Alec would use when he stayed over, but Spencer could hardly think straight after what happened.

Izzy kissed him.

It may not have been the first time but that only occurred when they she was fulfilling her end of the exchange. He'd been the one to initiate too and not to mention, she’d done it right in front of Julie. They’d agreed to keep it just between them, so why?

Had she been bothered by Julie’s presence? Did she think Spencer had chosen his ex over her? But that sounded too much like Izzy was jealous.

Spencer scoffed at the thought. Sure, as if someone like Izzy would by dying to spend her Friday nights in his dingy apartment and getting fucked.
She got you that medicine though.

Right, the medicine. The second must surreal thing Spencer could hardly believe had happened but he always knew Izzy was a thoughtful person at heart even if she gave people reason to doubt that at every turn. The gesture didn’t automatically mean there was deeper feelings behind it.

Hell, she could’ve just been concerned she might end up contracting something. It could’ve been out of pity. The kiss, too.

After he'd gone and acted like a clingy boyfriend— god, that was stupid. It didn’t sound so farfetched if she felt bad for him and offered that kiss to sedate him. In hopes he'd let her off the hook for the night?

Spencer’s gut twisted at the implication Izzy could think he'd force himself on her but he didn’t really know what went on in that head of hers. It wasn’t normal to agree to sleep with a guy you didn’t like just for doing you a favour. As much as he knew that, the second she was in front of him, touching him and making those crude jokes, all sense left him.

He was the one that wasn’t normal here.

“Morning.”

The sudden feminine voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he met with Julie, lean figure swallowed in one of his bath robes and holding a mug in his hands. Well, that explained the coffee he smelt earlier.

For someone who got shit-faced drunk, she looked right as rain. Julie was well experienced on how to recover the mornings after, though it wasn’t anything too quick.

“What time is it?” He asked.

“A little after nine. Don’t worry, I called Darwin to let him know you wouldn’t be coming in late.”

Spencer held in a wince as he fully sat up, rolling back his stiff shoulder joints. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“Of course I did. It’s Saturday, for Christ's sakes. Who in their goddamn mind chooses to work?” She rolled her eyes. “Also, sorry for not pulling you back on the couch but you weigh a fucking shit ton and I couldn’t risk breaking a finger. Gonna be playing the piano for this senior's choreo I'm helping her with.”

“No problem.” He'd registered the pillow beneath him so at least she kept his head from suffering any agony.

“And thanks for picking me up. I um, hope I didn’t wreck your date.” In the rarest moments, Julie could display genuine embarrassment.

This wasn’t one of them. If anything, she was beaming with curiosity so she hadn’t been too drunk to not recall Izzy. Unfortunately.

“It wasn’t a date…” Though, what the hell was he supposed to say to explain it? No matter what excuse given, Julie loved a good gossip and would spill it to Alec and Beck and everybody else within a ten mile radius.

Right then, his phone started to ring. Julie patiently waited, making herself comfortable on his couch so he took the pardoning, even if it would only spare him a couple of minutes and checked the caller ID.

Izzy

Spencer shot up to his feet, jilting Julie. “The fuck? What’s wrong?” She asked.

He didn’t bother to answer, not caring how conspicuous it would look as he retreated into his room and locked the door behind him. He gave a moment to collect him, breathed in and out and then answered. “Hey—”

“Is this Spencer Hull?”

Spencer stilled. The deep masculine voice to blare through the speakers had him slowly turning to make sure he read the screen right. It was Izzy’s number, no mistake.

“Uh, yeah?” He warily spoke into his phone. “Could I ask who I'm speaking with right now?”

“This is officer Burke. I'd like to ask if you wouldn’t mind answering a few questions for me.”