Yeah. She’s back in her apartment.
Got home a couple hours ago.
K cool
Luv u.
<3
I switch over to my conversation with Brook and try to choose my words wisely.
Hey. I’m sorry about last night.
Let me know when you’re cool to
talk. I’d like to apologize.
I wasn’t being fair to you.
I let out a deep breath as those three little bubbles suddenly pop up on my screen. I realize how badly I want to talk to her and how badly I want her to forgive me. I don’t want this thing between the three of us to be over. I blink when I see it, then reread the text that pops up on my screen.
Fuck you, Shaw.
Thirteen
Brooklyn
“Biiiiiitch,” Rayna says, laughing at me.
“What?” I grumble.
“What is with your face right now?”
“Nothing is wrong with my face,” I say, deepening the scowl clouding my expression even more.
“You should see it.” She chuckles again and takes the bowl of chips I hand to her. We were all busy Monday night and missed our regular group viewing ofThe Bachelorette. We have some catching up to do.
“Sorry. I’ve been cranky as fuck all week.”
“Work stuff?” Rayna asks. She takes care of her grandmother full time and hasn’t worked in an office in years, but she knows being a special victims A.D.A. is literally never sunshine and roses.
“No. It’s—it’s nothing. I’m just pissy, I guess.”
“I thought you’d come back from the Cape so relaxed,” Noa adds. “I’ve only been up there twice for weddings, but it’s so beautiful.”
“No, I had fun. I just—” I shake off the dark cloud that’s been hanging over my head since I told Shaw to blow it out of his ass. “I’m fine. Let’s watch someone else make bad choices.” I pull up the most recent episode in my streaming app and settle in for the worst reality dating shows have to offer. I’m glad I have this. I’m glad I have the girls. It’s not the same without my sister and Claudia, but this bit of normalcy has kept me grounded since everything went to hell. It’ll bring me right back down to Earth as soon as I get over the mistake that was Me, Vaughn Coleman and Volderdick.
I’ve spoken with Vaughn every day since I left the Cape. He checks in on me and I ask him how he’s doing. I sent him some cool Batman art I saw on Twitter and he sent me a hilarious drawing of Thor fucking Thanos. I let him apologize for Shaw’s behavior twice before I told him I don’t really want to talk about it. The day we spent together was amazing. Let’s just leave it at that.
I’m back home, back to work and I think sometime soon I’ll tell my friends and my sisters that I’m ready to start dating again, because I am.
I focus my attention on this chick Stacene who is about to make out with this awful pilot who recited the Pledge of Allegiance as soon as he climbed out of the limo. I’m terrified he’s going to make it to hometowns. Right after the first commercial break, a text vibrates my phone. I pull it out from under my thigh and smile as Vaughn’s name lights up my screen.
Hey sweetheart.
I’m sorry to bother you.
Hey babe.
