If I tell them, just knowing they’re waiting on the sidelines to see the outcome is a distraction I can’t afford.
The WiFi icon mocks me with another disconnection.
Growling, I jab at the keyboard again.
Charlie pulls out her phone. "That's it. I'm calling Nick."
"What? No?—"
But she's already dialing. "Hey, handsome, I know you’re busy, but Holly’s WiFi is edging her hard…” she winces. “Sorry, not the best choice of words. But yeah, she can't stay connected for more than two minutes… a virgin at a strip club has better stamina…” she nods at whatever he’s saying as though he’s right in front of her. “Uh-huh… Yeah, good idea. Definitely ask him."
My stomach drops. “Who him?”
“The cyber guy, of course.”
"Charlie, don't you dare?—"
She holds up a finger. "Disconnect? Yeah, she’s got that covered.” She tips her phone away from her mouth. “Nick says Chance will be right up. Don't touch anything until he gets here."
"I don't need his help."
"Level with me, Hols." Nick's voice carries through the speaker. "If your hesitation is awkwardness from witnessing the kiss he and I shared earlier, just know it was a one time thing you’ll never have to witness again. It’s not him, it’s me. He assured me it’s not me, it’s him. Just two ships passing in the night." Nick’s full-bodied laugh rumbles through the phone.
Despite myself, my own laugh catches me by surprise. "I hate you."
"No, you don't. Look at it this way—payback for being a prick can start here.”
My heart stutters at the sound of the knock on my door.
"That's my cue. I’ll see you in a few, babe." Charlie ends the call and bounces off the bed with suspicious enthusiasm. "Try not to kill each other."
She throws open the door to reveal Chance filling the frame, laptop tucked under his arm.
The sight of him sends an unwelcome flutter through my stomach.
"Here for the WiFi issues." His voice is carefully neutral.
"Right, just the Wifi issues. Got it." The words slip out before I can stop them.
“I didn’t mean… ” He scrubs his hand down his face. “Nevermind.” His ordinarily mischievous blue eyes are filled with defeat.
The tired kind I’m intimately familiar with that comes from fighting battles you’ve already lost.
Chapter Thirteen
Chance
Nick’s wordsrattle in my skull.Remember what I said.
A precision-aimed, last-chance warning shot I definitely don’t deserve.
There’ll be an apology.
I shift my laptop under my arm like it’s body armor.
Yours, not hers, in case there’s any lingering doubt who fucked up.
He claps me on the back—not a friendlyatta boyor even adon’t die out there soldier,but the kind of clap that feels like getting tagged by a linebacker. To anyone watching, it probably looked like your standard bro tap.
