Chapter 46 Chapter Forty-Six

Chapter 46 Chapter Forty-Six
Danny POV

The drive back to Vanessa's apartment was quiet, but not uncomfortable. I glanced over at Vanessa in the passenger seat, and my chest tightened in that way it always did when I looked at her.

She'd fallen asleep somewhere between the third and fourth traffic light, her head resting against the window, the ginger curls catching the streetlights as we passed under them. 

She looked so peaceful, so beautiful.

I couldn't help but smile, it was stupid and goofy smile that probably made me look like an idiot, but I didn't care. 

She was here, with me. 

After three years of wanting her, of missing her, of wondering if we'd ever get a second chance—she was here, asleep in my passenger seat. 

I pulled into Vanessa's apartment complex and parked in her usual spot, but I didn't wake her right away. Instead, I sat there for a moment watching her breathe and  the rise and fall of her chest as she did, the way her eyelashes cast shadows on her cheeks.

God, I was in deep. So deep there was no coming back from this and the crazy thing was, I didn't want to come back. I wanted to stay exactly where I was—completely, hopelessly in love with Vanessa Williams.

Finally, I reached over and gently shook her shoulder. 

"Nessa. Hey, we're here."

She stirred, making this small sound of protest that was probably the cutest thing I'd ever heard. Her eyes fluttered open, unfocused and confused for a second before they landed on me.

"Danny?" she mumbled, her voice thick with sleep.

"Hey," I said softly.

"We're at your place. You fell asleep."

Vanessa sat up slowly, looking around like she was trying to remember where she was. Her hair was adorably mussed on one side, and there was a crease on her cheek from where it had been pressed against the window.

"Sorry," she said, covering her mouth as she yawned. 

"I didn't mean to fall asleep on you."

"I don't mind," I said. 

She gave me a sleepy smile, then looked toward her apartment building. The lights in her unit were off—Bean must not be home yet.

I should let her go inside. It was late, and she had classes tomorrow, and I had practice at six in the morning. The responsible thing would be to walk her to her door, kiss her goodnight, and head home.

But I didn't want to be responsible. I wanted to stay with her, to hold her, to wake up next to her and know that this was real, that we were real.

Vanessa must have seen something in my face because she reached over and took my hand.

"Stay," she said quietly. 

"Stay the night." My heart skipped a small beat and I looked up at her 

"Vanessa—"

"I know it's late, and you have practice tomorrow, but—" She paused, looking uncertain. 

"I don't want to be alone tonight. Not after running into Sophia. I just want to be with you."

Everything in me wanted to say yes. But I had to be sure.

"What about Bean? Is she home?"

Vanessa shook her head. 

"She's staying at some friend's tonight.She won't be back until tomorrow afternoon."

I should have felt relieved, but instead I felt nervous. 

We'd been together—really together—for less than a week. We'd kissed, held hands, gone on dates, but we hadn't... I didn't want to assume what she was asking for.

"Nessa," I said carefully, "when you say stay the night—"

"I mean sleep," she interrupted, reading my mind and a faint blush colored her cheeks. 

"Just sleep. In the same bed. Is that... is that okay?"

Relief flooded through me.

"Yeah. Yeah, that's more than okay."

Her smile was worth everything. We got out of the car, and I followed her up to her apartment, my hand finding hers in the darkness. 

She fumbled with her keys for a moment before getting the door open, and then we were inside, surrounded by the familiar shadow of her apartment—

"I should probably change," Vanessa said, gesturing toward her room.

"Make yourself comfortable. There's water in the fridge if you want."

She disappeared into her bedroom, and I stood in the living room for a moment, trying to process the fact that I was about to spend the night with Vanessa Williams. 

It was just sleeping, but still it felt significant. Like we were crossing some invisible line into something more.

I grabbed two bottles of water from the fridge and made my way to her bedroom, the door was open, and I found Vanessa already changed into an oversized t-shirt and sleep shorts, her hair pulled into a messy bun.

"Hey," she said, looking almost shy.

"Hey," I said back.

We stood there for a second, both of us suddenly awkward, before Vanessa laughed.

"This is weird, right?" she asked. 

“We're acting like teenagers."

"A little bit," I admitted. 

I set the water bottles on her nightstand and sat on the edge of her bed. It was a double, covered in a green comforter that matched her eyes, with about a million pillows piled against the headboard.

Vanessa climbed into bed first, settling on the left side, and I followed, lying down on my back with my arm extended in invitation. She immediately curled into my side, her head on my chest, her arm draped across my stomach.

"Is this okay?" she asked, her voice muffled against my shirt.

"Perfect," I said, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her closer.

We lay there in comfortable silence, and I listened to her breathing gradually slow down, feeling her body relax against mine, my fingers tracing lazy patterns on her shoulder.

"Danny?" she said quietly.

"Yeah?"

"Thank you. For tonight."

She tilted her head up to look at me, and even in the darkness I could see the emotion in her eyes.

"I love you."

"I love you too," I said but she was already asleep.

I wasn't sure when I drifted off either but Vanessa safe in my arms made it more than easy. 

I woke up to the sound of a phone ringing and for a second, I was disoriented—this wasn't my room, that wasn't my alarm—and then I remembered. 

Vanessa's apartment, we'd fallen asleep together.

The phone kept ringing, shrill and insistent, and I felt Vanessa stir beside me.

"Make it stop," she mumbled, her face pressed into my chest.

I reached for my phone on the nightstand, but the screen was dark. Not mine.

"I think it's yours," I said, my voice rough with sleep.

Vanessa groaned and rolled over, fumbling for her phone on her nightstand. She grabbed it and squinted at the screen, and I watched as her expression changed from sleepy confusion to wide-eyed panic.

"No," she whispered. "No, no, no."

I sat up immediately, fully awake now. 

"What's wrong?"

But Vanessa was already scrambling out of bed, her phone pressed to her ear.

"Hello? Dr. Han? Yes, I—I'm sorry, I was asleep. What?" 

She paused, listening, and I watched the color drain from her face.

"This morning? But I—yes. Yes, of course. I'll be there in thirty minutes. Thank you."

She ended the call and just sat there, staring at her phone like it had personally betrayed her.

"Nessa?" I asked, getting out of bed and moving toward her. 

"What happened?"

She looked up at me, 

"Dr. Han wants to see me," she said, her voice shaking.

"This morning. Right now.” 

"Okay," I said, trying to stay calm even though her panic was contagious.

"That's okay. You can make it in thirty minutes, right? I'll drive you—"

“ That's not the problem, I'm not ready “ she hissed stumbling out of bed 

"Shit. I need to shower. And change. And—oh God, I look like a mess—"

"You look beautiful," I said automatically and she scowled at me

"But yes, go get ready. I'll make coffee." I muttered.

“ Good, go do something to make yourself useful” she drawled as she disappeared into the bathroom. 

I chuckled softly, falling into the bed. This was my life and I kind of liked it.