Page 248 of Call Me Baby 2: Side B

Andrew,

it was easy to keep myself from thinking about Hunter.

(Not totally true. I had Brooke submit a witness protection application to the FBI, ensuring I’m the best candidate for their program.)

But just saying his name out loud once, and the memory of those horrifying days moves across my mind like storm clouds.

I check the rearview and side mirror for him. “Yep. He’s out. Saw him Sunday night. Drew almost killed him.” I shrug. “Wish he did. It’s no biggie though. Your girl’s all good. Just need a distraction, aight?”

I feel her gaze petting the side of my face.

I feel her looking at me with sorrow.

With pity. With worry.

“Stop lookin’ at me like that. I’m fine. Run the plan by me one more time. Word-for-word.”

She takes a breath, then fires off: “Okay, so, you go in, keep the moms busy, act normal, don’t ask about Six-Point-Five’s suspicious second phone⁠—”

“Celie—”

“Right, right. My lane,” she says sarcastically, her expression facially loud at how ridiculous this shit is. “I wait outside the basement door till you open it from the inside. Sneak in, find any incriminating evidence—used condoms, secret phones, cocaine, whatever—and get the fuck out before someone calls the cops.”

I uncap my ChapStick with a smirk.

“Good girl.”

There’s still time to back out,

to throw the car in reverse, say fuck it,

drive back to my side of the Hudson,

pretend we were never here.

But we’re not the backing-out type.

Nah. We’d rather look stupid.

“Why we doin’ this again?” Celie asks.

'Cause this boy’s got two phones and maybe an arrest record. Only reason a boy has two phones is ‘cause he’s hiding shit.

“I need to learn more about him.”

She doesn’t need to know about us negotiating a new contract or him moving in. I don’t know how to feel or what to think yet. The last thing I need is her confusing me before I decide for myself.

I toss a bothered look at her.

“Every time I think I figured him out?

“Shit flips sideways.”

Especially this game he’s pulling during Hell Week. I need intel. I need to know what could crack him and make him leave.

‘Cause no man alive has ever outplayed me at my own manipulation.

Reverse psychology? Please.