“I donot.”
“Babe.”
Fuck. She knew me toowell.
I’d totally been lying here obsessing when shecalled.
“I didn’t obsess about Ash,” I said in mydefense.
“That’s true. Which was how I knew you weren’t gonna keep him around forlong.”
“Youdid?”
“Of course Idid.”
“Ugh. I’msorry…”
I rolled over, and the room rocked woozily around me. I groaned. I’d definitely had too many of those fruity cocktails; I was gonna feel it in the morning. I fucking hated hangovers. Couldn’t even remember the last time I’d hadone.
Yes, actually… I could. It was the morning after Jesse broke up with me. Worst hangover ever. Nothing to make you feel like someone had just flushed your heart down the toilet like having your head in one for an entireday.
“We should really be having this conversation in person,” I told her. “I know you care aboutAsh…”
“And so do you. That doesn’t mean either of us should feel guilty because we’re not in love withhim.”
I sighed again. Relieved that she understood me so well, and that she wasn’t upset about any of this. “I think I’m in love with you rightnow.”
“Get on a plane,” she said. “I’ll show you a goodtime.”
I laughed, but it came out as a hiccup. “I’m gonna get some sleep, okay? Or try to. I haven’t been sleeping much. This shit with Ash, and with theband…”
“You sure about that? First member of your cocksquad could be waiting foryou…”
“I’m pretty sure he’s sleeping. It’s like three in themorning.”
“Even better. You can slip in and out like a wet dream. He won’t even know you’rethere.”
“That’s…disturbing.”
“Is Flynn there? What aboutFlynn?”
“I’m hangingup.”
“Fine. But I’m having a party when you get back. I’ll fill it with eligible hot dudes foryou.”
She would, too. Summer was kinda queen of the hot dudes party scene. Went hand-in-hand with being a shit-hot DJ; the girl had never wanted for a cocksquad of herown.
“Goodnight, partygirl.”
After we’d hung up, my phone jingled with a text message. It was from Summer; a black-and-white photo of Seth she’d obviously snagged from the internet. It was from his later days with Dirty; he was looking all angsty and cool, walking into a bar as people pawed at him. And there I was, in the background, climbing out of alimo.
Then she texted an emoji: a smiling cat face with hearts for eyes—our personal shorthand forwetpussy.
I groaned again and stashed the phoneaway.
* * *
Istill couldn’t sleep.The ceiling fan looped lazily overhead and I just stared at it, unable to shut off mybrain.
