“Can’t wait to hear it. Will I be sleeping on the futon again? Just want to make sure to pack loungewear so I don’t scare Meredith.”
I stifled a giggle. Meredith had nursed a massive crush on Wes since the first time she met him, and I could guarantee she’d welcome the chance to catch him shirtless.
“Yup. Unless you want my room and I’ll take the futon.”
He pshawed. “Absolutely not. The futon is fine for us.”
My head jerked back.“Us?”
Wes’s warm laugh made me realize just how much I missed him. “I’ve been in England too long; it’s just an expression. I’ll let you know what train I’m taking on Friday, yeah?”
“Perfect,” I replied. “Absolutely cannot wait to give you a giant hug.”
“Same. Love you.”
I could hear the smile in his voice.
“Love you back.”
I disconnected the call and stared at my phone. The Owen issue felt more settled, which left me to only have to worry about hearing from Kai now.
Despite what Owen thought, I refused to call it a love triangle because by definition itwasn’t—no one was in love with anyone—but if I was honest with myself, it was starting to feel more than a little isosceles.
Chapter Thirty
Hey, it’s Kai. Sorry I’ve been M.I.A. work shit. Still want to play?
I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk like a goddamned tourist and stared down at my phone, because I couldn’t believe what I was reading.
It wasn’t even seven in the morning, I was a dozen steps away from CPA, andKai was texting me.
My stomach clenched. It was go-time. I needed to come up with a breezy response that suggested interest and not obsession. So basically, I needed to fake it.
A guy behind me sighed heavily as he brushed past me, and I finally regained my city sense enough to move out of the way, clutching my phone like it was an eel that might slip out of my hand. I flattened my back against the slightly pink facade of an office building and grinned up at the sun.
It was happening.Finally.
I glanced at the time and saw that I had three minutes before I was supposed to meet Owen at the front door. I’d arrived to one of our first practice sessions seven minutes late, and he’d responded with “Better late than never, but never late is better.”I’d taken it to heart. I needed to sort out my response to Kai, and fast.
Shockingly, I didn’t have to cast around for the right words, because he’d made it easy for me.
Hey! Definitely, what works for you?
I stared at my phone for exactly fifteen seconds, and when nothing came through, I shoved it in my duffel. I needed to get my Owen game face in order before arriving at the front door, because we hadn’t seen each other since the foyer debacle.
Of course Kai had to reach out to me now. Trying to play off the fact that Owen and I had kissedandfought wasn’t going to be easier knowing that the lines of Kai communication were now open.
I wasn’t going to tell Owen about the text. There was no need since his role in my muse plot was essentially done. But how was I going to focus on the lesson?
Owen was waiting at the door with Marti at his feet when I got there, as usual. I waved and tried to smile normally despite the swarming butterflies in my gut.
“What’s wrong?” He frowned as he held the door open for me, observant as ever.
You mean aside from the fact that your hand was in my underwear less than a week ago, and now wehave topretend that it didn’t happen?
“Why would you think something’s wrong?”
Marti gave me an obliviously happy hello, but it did little to lighten the mood.
