She didn’t let up. “Is it Will? Did something happen?”
I opened my mouth, ready to lie. To say something charming or dismissive or even halfway convincing. But my brain just... blanked.
She leaned back in her chair, eyes narrowing slightly. “Okay. Well, if you’re not gonna talk, I guess I’ll just overshare.”
I blinked.
“Wanna know what Ollie and I did last night?”
“Oh god.” I tried to smile. Failed.
Nova grinned anyway. “Nothing wild. Just good, solid, like, missionary-but-I’m-into-it sex. He’s gottenreallyinto aftercare lately, like bringing me chocolate and rubbing my feet after.”
“Jesus,” I muttered, running a hand down my face. “That’s dangerously close to a rom-com.”
“I know. It’s disgusting. I kinda love it,” she said, sipping her wine.
I let out a half-hearted laugh.
Nova studied me for another beat. “Are you gettinganyof that?”
“Sex?”
“Joy,” she said gently. “Fulfillment. Being touched like you matter.”
That’s when the burn started in my throat.
I stood so fast my chair screeched across the patio stones.
“Okay. That’s all for tonight. Bye!” I said too loudly, waving one hand in the air.
“Luna—”
I was already moving toward the garden apartment. I fumbled the key, shoved the door open, and slammed it shut. I pressed my back to the door and let my eyes fall shut.
My phone lit up.
Will: Hey babe. Hope filming went well. Want to call before bed?
I stared at it and waited for guilt, but all I felt was static.
Nothing.
There was only Dirks’s voice echoing in my head like it had carved a canyon there.
I miss you, Luna girl.
FUCK.
FUCK. FUCK. FUCK.
5
dirks
2 months later
My body was sore, and staying up late wasn’t doing me any favors. For a piece of her, even if it was just her voice through the phone, I’d wreck my sleep schedule every time.
