"It's an emoji-only group chat," Tonya explains with a grin. "We send our thoughts on the books through emojis andtry to translate each other's nonsense. It's like we're ancient Egyptians."
I laugh and scroll the emoji-filled text thread—hearts and swords and stars and that melting face emoji and...is that shrimp?I don't know if I want to know about that one.
It's unhinged, and I love it.
Callum walks back into the room and smiles when he sees my phone, "Oh, good, I was gonna ask if she wanted to be added to the chaos."
"Ten steps ahead of you," Tonya smirks at him in triumph. "She's one of us now. She needs to witness the full extent of our insanity."
I smile when I see that Atticusheart reactsto Jane's every emoji message.
I tilt my head and ask curiously, "So, what was that thing with Leo and texture?"
"Leo has autism," Tonya says matter-of-factly, but with a tenderness behind her words. "He's got texture and sensory issues. Certain fabrics or materials feel like sandpaper on his skin."
"Jane is neurodivergent too, so Leo really connects with her," Callum says with a warm grin. "They're very attached to each other. Leo likes being around Jane and feels safe with her. Honestly, besides Atticus' mom, Jane's the only one Atticus really trusts with Leo."
"That's really sweet," I murmur. "And Leo's mom is..."
"Not in the picture anymore—thank god," Tonya pushes out through gritted teeth. "I went to school with her. She was a total piece of work. She and Atticus were a disaster together, but they were stuck in this whole toxic on-again-off-again thing. When Atticus seemed like he had finally woken up and was going toleave, Nora found out she was pregnant. Atticus tried so hard—too hard in my opinion—to make it work with her."
Callum lets out a slow sigh, scratching thoughtfully at his beard. "Leo was diagnosed pretty early, I think around two years old. Nora was awful as a mother—”
“—yeah, that’s a nice way to say she was a selfish, psycho bitch who would lock Leo in a room when he had crying meltdowns and scream at him to stop.”
I suck in a horrified gasp at this and Callum nods in silent agreement with Tonya before continuing to explain.
“Atticus finally had enough, especially when he found out about...that. He told her to get out. That was... what, four years ago?"
"Three," Tonya says and mutters a curse under her breath directed at the woman. My heart hurts for Atticus and Leo, though it seems that her absence is definitely for the better.
"But Leo's thriving now. Honestly, he's doing much better without her in the picture. He's smart as hell, real sweet,” Callum grins fondly, easing the ache in my chest a bit. “And Jane? She's amazing with him. She gets him in a way no one else really can."
"And if it's not obvious yet, Atticus isastronomically down badfor Jane," Tonya cuts in dramatically, and I laugh, the look on my face sayingthat was clearly obvious,and Tonya gestures to me likeI know.
"And she is just as in love with him. The man refuses to make a move. I keep trying to tell him to shoot his shot, she'll say yes, but he's convinced himself that she doesn't like him like that. Or bemoaning that she deserves better than agrease monkey single dad."
"He's just worried, Ton," Callum says with a shrug, his voice dripping with understanding. "He really loves Jane, and everything is so good right now. He doesn't want to mess uptheir friendship if she doesn't feel the same or isn't ready for a relationship. I don't think she's ever been in one before."
"Oh, she's ready, she's just scared. She's been making heart eyes at him for the last year," Tonya insists, shaking her head. "I swear, I'm two more meetings away from just locking them in the supply closet forseven minutes in heaven."
"They'll figure it out," Callum soothes, and my heart melts a little bit more at his sweet assurance.
"Yeah, well, it is entertaining. We're living in a real slow-burn romance novel, folks."
Callum shakes his head at her words, and I can't help but laugh out loud. Tonya threatened to skin my ex alive, and she looks like she could totally do that violent act with a smile on her face, but I can tell that she's a total cinnamon roll on the inside.
There's also something else there, a certain sadness behind her eyes. It’s like a tension in her face that won’t allow her smile to reach its full capacity.
There's a story there, maybe one day I'll find out.
Tonya reaches toward the ground and slings a matte black motorcycle helmet over her shoulder.
"Anyway, I got an all-day client tomorrow, I gotta go home and sketch up some ideas."
"I'll walk you out," Callum says, nodding toward the front of the shop.
Tonya looks at me and grins, "Sophie, you're one of us now. No takesie-backsies."
