Finally, we're getting somewhere. I could only hope Gray would answer his phone. I shivered from the wind and could tell I was sobering up already.

"Okay, give me your phone. I don't have Gray's number." I held out my hand. Emily fumbled through her purse again and handed me her phone.

I called Gray, and it rang for a bit. "Shit, he's probably sleeping." I kept hanging on. Please, please, please answer.

He finally answered.

"What's wrong, Emi?" His already deep voice sounded gruff. He must have just woken up.

I hesitated. "It's Ella."

He didn't expect that. "What happened to Emily?"

I sighed and looked over at Emily, who was walking in circles around her car.

"She's fine, but she's too drunk to drive. I don't feel comfortable driving. But she says Dylan needs her car tomorrow and will kill her if she doesn't bring it home."

Silence. After what seemed like ten minutes, he finally responded. He was probably annoyed.

"I'll be there soon." He hung up.

Around fifteen minutes later, Gray's white car pulled up and parked next to Emily's small red car.

"Oh god. A knight on a white horse." I smiled and shook my head.

Emily giggled. "What did you say, Ella?"

I didn't mean to say that out loud. "Nothing, Emi, shh." I pat her head.

We sat on the sidewalk and watched him walk up to us. He looked relieved to see Emily was alright. It might have been because I was drunk, but he was smiling at me too.

"Hey, Gray! Why didn't you come to dinner with us?" Emily shouted at him.

He didn't answer. "Give me your keys."

Emily handed him the keys and asked him again. "Why didn't you come with us? Ella wanted you there." She giggled.

I blushed. "Shut up, Emi, you're drunk." I noticed Gray brushed off the comment.

"Come on, Emi, I'll take you home in your car." Gray unlocked her car and walked to the driver's side. Emily cheered and got into the passenger side.

Gray looked at me over the car. "You get in, too."

"Oh, no, it's okay. I can get a cab." I looked around the sidewalk and streets. I didn't see anyone else around.

Gray sighed and brushed his dark curls up away from his glasses. "We'll take her home, get a cab back here, and then I'll drive you home. You shouldn't be out here by yourself."

I was shocked but grateful for his offer. I got in the back seat. Emily proceeded to tell him what he missed at the dinner. Nick and Garrett were flirting with Chloe like usual. Emily was suspicious of Dana and Steven liking each other. Then she looked back at me.

"Ella, do you still like Garrett?" She furrowed her brows.

I hung my head down, and it started to spin. "Emily! I told you it was over between us. No more feelings."

It was hard enough some days to work with him, but seeing him flirt with Chloe made it worse. She was beautiful and confident. She had shimmering black hair, always had perfect makeup, and wore the cutest outfits that showed off her petite figure. She was a nice enough girl, but I was jealous.

I rarely wore makeup or did anything special with my hair except put it in a loose ponytail. Wearing accessories was not something for me. I dressed more for comfort. I never liked wearing anything form-fitting. I didn't think anyone wanted to see my body. If I wasn't required to wear business casual for work, I would have always worn baggy t-shirts and sweatpants.

A few months after I was hired, Garrett started to talk to me a lot. For some reason, he kept asking me out to dinner. I declined for a long time. Eventually, Emily encouraged me to accept his offer, saying I was overdue for a date since my divorce. I was embarrassed, though I managed to do it. I broke up with him three weeks ago after five months of dating. He told everyone he was the one to break up with me.

I noticed how Garrett flirted with Chloe at work. She ignored him before but then started flirting back before we broke up. I asked him about it, but he said I was paranoid. He also said I was being too clingy.

I went to Emily about it. She told me I wasn't paranoid and reassured me that she would support me if I broke up with him. So, I did. I was sad that he turned out to be that kind of guy. After we broke up, Garrett and Nick openly fought over Chloe's attention.

I turned to the conversation in the car when I heard Emily mention what Garrett said at dinner about Gray scaring everyone away.

Gray glanced at me in the review mirror. "At least I'm not a perverted douchebag."

I had to stifle my laugh at first. I never heard Gray say any words close to being vulgar. And I wondered why Gray thought of Garrett like that. I'd ask Emily about it later.

When we got to Emily's apartment, Gray and I helped her get inside the building and up to her door. With the size difference, Gray could have easily carried her in his arms.

Gray watched me half-assed knock on her door, and I thought I heard him snicker. Before I could turn to say something to him, the door opened. Dylan wasn't happy to see his drunk girlfriend hanging onto us. He glared at Gray. There was a lot of tension between them. Dylan thanked us for getting Emily home, but he had a spiteful tone.

Once Emily was inside with Dylan, Gray called for a cab, and we waited outside. It was awkward. Not one word was exchanged between us until we arrived at the restaurant and got into Gray's car. He asked for my address and looked surprised when I told him. He drove up to the block and then went around the other way. He parked on the opposite side of the street.

"Oh, my apartment is actually on that side. You didn't have to go around." After I said it, I realized that it didn't matter. It's not a big deal to walk across the street.

"I know. This is where I normally park." He took off his seatbelt.

"What?" Did he make it a hobby to sit by my apartment? Did he already know where I lived? A dozen questions and scenarios played through my head the second it took him to respond.

"I live in this building." He pointed to the building we were parked right in front of.

Oh my god, he lived across the street from me, and I didn't know.

"Oh, I see." I proceeded to get out of the car. "Well, goodnight then."

I started to walk across the street. I didn't hear Gray respond. I found myself looking back to see if he had already gone inside.

"Jesus!" I jumped. "What are you doing?" I paused to catch my breath. Gray was right beside me.

"I'm walking you home. Is that alright with you?" He said with his normal condescending tone.

"I guess. But you don't have to." I continued to walk again.

"I know I don't have to." He spoke as if I was stupid for pointing that out.

Awkward silence again. We entered the building and got to the elevator. Gray was about to follow me into the elevator as well.

"You can go now." I could feel my voice shaking. The whole thing was awkward enough.

Gray sighed and wouldn't look at me. "Emi wouldn't like it if I left without seeing you enter your apartment safely."

I sighed as well; he was right. He followed me to my door. There was more awkward silence, but now mixed with elevator music. We finally got to my floor. Luckily my door wasn't far from the elevator.

"Alright, here I am. Good night." I said as I unlocked my door.

I turned around and saw Gray was already heading back to the elevator.

"Good night." He waved his arm over his head.

I went inside and laughed at how awkward of a night it was. But it was fun.