“Thank god,” I said. “I thought you were getting sick.”
I turned my attention to my phone.
COLTON
hey, my friend’s throwing an end of summer barbecue. wanna come with me?
as my friend :)
VIOLET
sure. when?
COLTON
next wednesday
VIOLET
we might have our IRB results then :(
if they don’t approve, i’ll be slammed with trying to fix the study
COLTON
damn internal revenue bervice strikes again
VIOLET
hopefully we’ll have everything together by then. can i give you a tentative yes?
COLTON
tentacle? i didn’t know you worked with octopussies
VIOLET
i don’t, but there are books to that effect
COLTON
let me add that to our reading list
TWENTY-THREE
VIOLET
OCTOBER | COLUMBUS, OHIO
My eyes ached.My head throbbed. I could have gone for one of Colton’s famous neck and shoulder massages.
Shit, Colton. I was supposed to be leaving for a dinner at his teammate’s house very soon, and I was hung up at work.
My phone buzzed on the lab counter.
COLTON
i’ll be heading to get you in about 10 min
