I’m groaning… Can you hear me groaning?
A burst of laughter escapes me, echoing through the room.
Miles:
Send a picture or it didn’t happen
I snap a photo of the cat tucked into the space between my arm and waist and send it to Miles.
Your pussy is very cozy in your bed
The three dots appear immediately. Then disappear. Then appear again.
Miles:
I’m going to be the bigger person and not respond to that
Probably wise
It’s taking everything I have
How was your first day in the studio?
This is my attempt to redirect
It was kind of terrible
His reply comes fast enough that I don’t have time to second-guess my honesty.
Miles:
Can I call you later?
I should say no. Or not tonight. Something that maintains the careful distance we agreed on…I say as I’m lying in his bed.
I sink a little deeper into the sheets and put the phone face down on his pillow. Gracie immediately runs her cheek along it.
“Don’t say it,” I tell her.
She purrs.
“You’re right.”
I pick up the phone again.
ELEVEN
The three dotsjump across the bottom of the screen.
My gut does that thing it does on a breakaway, weightless right before it drops.
When the dots disappear, I stare at the phone, willing them back.C’mon.
“King!” Coach’s voice cracks through the visitors’ locker room, and I slap my phone into my cubby.
“What’s gotten into you?” he barks. “Warm-ups started already. Get out there.”
“Sorry, Coach.” I grab my stick and hurry up the tunnel to join my teammates. I’m the last one out, which is unlike me. I’m always first on and last off the ice.
