“Oh, knock it off. I’ll get ready.”
They basked in their victory, eyes alight.
While I was getting dressed, my phone buzzed.
Wes
I believe I was promised book titles.
I smiled. He even took the time and effort to use proper spelling and capitalization with his ancient communication device.
My smile dropped, remembering our last interaction. After I sent him the name of the first book in my series, my phone buzzed again.
Wes
Do you like music?
I made a sarcastic face he obviously couldn’t see through his screen.
Who doesn’t like music?
Wes
Extra ticket to experimental orchestra at the Lincoln Center Friday, if you’re interested. It’ll be weird.
When my stomach fluttered, I told her to cut it out. Friends hung out together. I could be cool about everything—about Wes, about my new sex cult, about my freaky dreams and my waking fantasies that only grew stronger and less inhibited by the hour.
I like weird.
I hit send as I walked into the living room.
“Oh, you’ve got itbad,” Hudson said.
“What are you talking about?” I asked, wiping from my face whatever unconscious look I’d made texting Wes.
“There was yearning in your eyes,” Delilah said.
“There was not. I have not ever nor do I currentlyyearn.”
Hudson lifted a dark brow. “Nova, you yearn for a living.”
Delilah looped her arm through mine. “Come on. Our Adam Drivers are going to cure us of everything that’s wrong with us.”
I sighed. “I highly doubt that.”
15
NOVA
Wes met me at the Lorimer Street station to take the L into Manhattan. I didn’t read anything into the fact he wanted to travel together, nor did I examine why I’d saidyesto his invitation so quickly. Or why Wes had offered me his extra ticket in the first place.
There was nothing to examine about any of this.
“Hi,” I said, my strongest opener.
Wes was dressed casually—black combat boots, army green pants, and a slightly oversized concert tee. More than a few women stopped mid-conversation to glance at him, which was an impressive feat to pull off in a subway station.
“Hi, Nova,” Wes said.
