Page 18 of Wicked Ruin

I overheard you’re being sent to America and it could be a long time. You couldn’t tell me? I thought we were friends

Delete, delete, delete.

I guess I know why you didn’t text me back last night

I’m going to miss you so much

Delete, delete, delete.

You’ll never love me back, will you?

Delete, delete, delete.

Declan

I guess you heard the news. Want to meet for gelato this week?

I can’t keep doing this

Delete, delete, delete.

Found a website today

IRISH SINGLES - Irelands #1 Dating App

Declan

Don’t you even think about downloading that

But I do, anyway. In the “in search of” field, I write, “Devastatingly handsome, deeply unimpressed, answers nothing, knows my name already. Blue eyes. Tattoos. Somehow sweet despite every protest to the contrary. Dangerous. Sharp jaw, a few days of stubble, tattoos crawling up the neck and disappearing somewhere I am apparently not meant to think about. Kisses like it’s an Olympic sport and he’s going for gold.”

I hit post, then delete it in the next breath.

That night, I dream of the one kiss.

They're letting me go home tomorrow. Said it wasn’t a relapse.

Declan

Thank fuck. And I know.

How do you know???

Declan

I know everything that happens in that hospital, Trouble.

That is genuinely unsettling

Declan

Good. Sleep, love.

Declan

So, you’re really just going to not respond to my texts?

Declan