“Sloane has rediscovered the joys of texting.” I tapped out a quick message. “Prepare yourself.”
>I’ll forward the pics of you and Jess to celebrate.
A flush swept up my nape when a second text from a new contact pinged me.
>>Everything okay?
Guilt nibbled on me for what I was about to do, omitting the scare with Becca, but I trusted Liam knew how to break the news to Rían best.
>All good. Liam is walking me to GSG. How are things on your end?
This marked the first time a guy had beaten me to texting him. Rían had my number. Of course he did. He was thorough like that. It just never occurred to me that he would reach out unless I touched base with him to prod him along. Which, now that I thought about it, should have clued me in ages ago that I was dating the wrong kinds of men.
>>I’m lonely. Possibly experiencing withdrawal. I had to leave without a kiss from my mate this morning.
“I know what that goofy look means.” Liam wrinkled his nose. “That’s Rían.”
>Aww. That’s terrible. Your mate must be a horrible person.
>>To be fair, I would have sneaked one if there hadn’t been a wolf asleep at the foot of her bed.
>She ate too much chili and got a stomachache. Rubbing her belly in that form was less awkward than the alternative.
>>I have to go. We’re starting patrols. Meet you at the party.
>See you then.
Two quick chimes distracted Liam from my post-texting glow while he skimmed his own inbox.
“Dear God in Heaven.” He blacked out the screen. “Your best friend is not right in the head.”
“She sent you a meme, didn’t she?” I nodded solemnly. “Just know she expects you to keep the streak going now that she’sstarted it. Fail to reply with an appropriate counter meme, and you will regret it.”
“I already do.” He tapped his device against his chin. “How did she get my number anyway?”
“There are some questions best left unanswered.”
Probably safer (for Goldie) if he didn’t learn you could buy any clan number from the master directory off his little cousin for five dollars. Sloane bought the three-for-twelve-dollar bundle, and I left before I found out who she chose. Plausible deniability had seemed like the best defense at the time.
“Seamus will be here with Jess and Sloane in about ten minutes.” Liam scowled at his phone, which he had given up on returning to his pocket when it kept on chiming at him. “I’ll stay with you until then.”
“Sounds like you miss the wards already.”
“Brentwood has been a vacation in that sense. No calls, no texts, no emails. It’s been peaceful. People had no clue how good they had it back in the days before cellphones. This twenty-four-seven availability crap is for the birds.”
We reached GSG without further interruption, and Liam hauled the pools out of storage and filled them after ordering me to the break room for a sugary soda and a bag of chips with a questionable sell by date to help me recover from my magical expenditure. I was tossing my trash when he walked in with sweat dotting his brow.
“Seamus just pulled in, so I’m out.” He stole a bottle of water. “Call if you need me.”
Chugging as he left, he exited the building through the employee entrance, and I headed out the front.
Jess was backing out of the bed of the truck when I hit the sidewalk, the struts creaking with relief at the lightened load. Sloane, her phone camera aimed at Jess’s fluffy bottom,recorded the bear with the next best thing to cartoon hearts pouring out of her eyes.
Until Jess got cooled down, she wouldn’t be able to shift back onto two legs. The stress on her giant body was too great. She ought to eat something too, after expending so much energy humoring Sloane.
“Thanks for bringing them, Seamus.” I met them at the curb. “Any word on Becca?”
“Nothing so far.” He climbed behind the chromed wheel. “I’m heading that way now.”
