“I’m holding you to that.” She rolls her bottom lip between her teeth and whispers, almost too quiet to catch, “I miss you.”
That feels good to hear. “I miss you too.” More than she could know.
She smiles impishly. “Did you like the video I sent you?”
“Oh, fuck me, yeah. I love it. I’ve watched it an unreasonable number of times. I can’t wait to have you dance for me again.”
“When you’re home,” she replies.
“How’s the studio?” I ask.
“Amazing. Obviously I’m getting good use out of it.” She wraps a tendril of hair around her finger. “Between last night and today, my troupe has spent four hours rehearsing. We all have solo time, and group time and a whole schedule set up. I already feel so much better about the upcoming showcase.” Noise makes it hard to hear her for a moment. “I’ll be down in a bit,” she tells someone off-screen. “You can start this hand without me.” She turns her attention back to me. “Sorry about that. I usually end up playing cards with Cammie and the gang at these things. What are your plans for the rest of the night?”
“I’m heading up to Connor’s room in a bit.”
“So no bar tonight?” She seems relieved.
“Nah. It’s a HABs gathering.”
She wrinkles her nose. “HABs?”
“Husbands and boyfriends,” I explain. “I made that up, by the way.”
I’m not sure how to interpret her surprise. “Does that mean I’m a WAG?”
“Do you want to be a WAG?” My stomach knots as I wait forher reply. I should have done this before I left for the away series.
“Yeah. Yes. Definitely.”
“Good.” I mirror her smile. “I should let you get back to your friends, but we can talk tomorrow once I’m checked into the next hotel.”
“Okay. I’ll miss you until then.”
“Same. Have a good night, kitten.”
“You too, Phillip.”
She ends the call, and I lie there for a minute. At her age, I was at the club all the time. But I was nursing a broken heart. If I’d been part of the HABs club then, would it have been different?
My phone buzzes on my chest.
I open the message to find a picture of Tally kissing a cartoon figurine of me on the cheek.
Tally
Clearly I’m stealing this from Mac.
Good night kisses.
CHAPTER 27
TALLY
Knocking, followed by an incessant buzz, wakes me on Sunday morning. I roll out of bed, not even fully conscious.
“I’m coming!” My eyes haven’t adjusted to the light. I bump into the wall as I flip the safety and open the door. Standing on the other side is Flip, looking gorgeous and far more alert and put together than me.
“Hey.” His delicious mouth curves into a panty-wetting smile as he slips through the crack, snakes an arm around my waist, and lifts me off my feet. He noses his way through my hair and his lips find the side of my neck. “Fuck, I missed you, kitten.”
