Ashley appeared in the hallway, barefoot and red-faced, her purse sliding off her shoulder. “Brant is a literal fucking child.”
Ali blinked. “Wait—what time is it?”
“Almost midnight.” Ashley threw her purse down and let out a frustrated breath. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I just needed to get out of there.”
Ali’s heart dropped.
Dylan.
She grabbed her phone and turned it over—six missed calls. Two texts.
Babe? You fall asleep?
Ali, you okay? I’m getting worried.
She cursed softly under her breath and texted back as fast as her fingers would allow.
I’m okay. I’m so sorry. I fell asleep on the couch. Ashley just got home and she’s upset. I need to be here with her tonight. I’ll call you in the morning. I love you.
She stared at the screen for half a second longer, then locked the phone and set it face-down on the cushion beside her. Ashley deserved her full attention right now.
Her chest ached—not with guilt, exactly, but with that low, gnawing feeling ofI didn’t mean to let you down.
“Ali?” Ashley’s voice cracked a little from the kitchen. “Do we have any wine?”
“Coming.” Ali pushed herself off the couch and padded barefoot toward her cousin, her best friend.
Ashley needed her now.
And Dylan would understand.
He always did.
Jump Then Fall
Dylan
Dylan stared at the phone.
And stared.
The screen dimmed, but he tapped it once to bring it back. Read the message again.
I’m okay. I’m so sorry. I fell asleep on the couch. Ashley just got home and she’s upset. I need to be here with her tonight. I’ll call you in the morning. I love you.
His thumb hovered over the screen, but he didn’t type anything back yet.
He just…sat there.
In the dim glow of his bedroom, with the hum of the A/C rattling in the corner, he sat straight up in his bed and read the message for the fifth time.
She saidI love you.
Not a flirty “love ya” or a “k love you bye” kind of thing. No emojis. No softener. Just those three words, plain and quiet like they didn’t carry weight.
But they did.
To him, they always had.
