Margo:That’s not how accidents work.
Sloane:You don’t know my methods.
Jade:Are you okay though?? Like actually okay??
Riley:I’m fine. It wasn’t even that hard. More shock and rage than pain.
Sloane:That doesn’t make it BETTER
Margo:She’s right. That’s still assault. I can recommend a lawyer friend if you want to press charges.
Riley:With what evidence? My word against his?
Margo:Witnesses saw your face.
Riley:Witnesses saw me walk out with a red cheek. I made it redder myself. Any halfway decent lawyer would tear that apart.
Margo:I hate that you’re right. Sometimes I hate my job. Lawyers are evil
Sloane:I still vote murder.
Margo:Noted. I’ll draft the alibi.
I needed to change the subjectquickly.
Riley:Also a weird hot Australian guy showed up at the end and called me “mate.”
The chat went silent for approximately three seconds, then exploded.
Jade:WHAT
Sloane:EXCUSE ME
Margo:I’m going to need you to elaborate immediately.
Jade:HOT???
Jade:AUSTRALIAN???
Jade:MATE????? as in werewolf mate like your books or just friendly ‘hey, mate’??!
I found myself smiling despite everything as I typed out the story. The blonde woman, Thessa, who was friendly and weird. The man who walked in after her, tall and intense and looking at me like I was the only thing in the universe worth seeing. Theway he saidmatelike it meant more than the Australian slang explanation his sister offered.
Sloane:So let me get this straight. A hot stranger walked into your signing and looked at you like he wanted to devour you?
Riley:That’s... an accurate summary, yes.
Jade:This is a BOOK. You’re living in a book!! YOUR book!! I’m so jealous rn
Margo:Or a true crime documentary. Could go either way.
Riley:Thanks for that, Margo.
Margo:I’m a realist.
Jade:How hot are we talking? Scale of one to ten?
Riley:I don’t know. Eleven? Twelve? He was really tall.
