Page 71 of Once Smitten, Twice Shy

Christopher:Warning received.

Sula:Back to the subject at hand.

Margo:(In other words, dominatrices).

Christopher:Right. Kate & I will be there, with whips & chains.

KitKat:Let’s be clear about who’ll be wielding the whips & chains in our duo, Petruchio .

Sula:Dominatrix alert!

BeeBee:STRIKE 3

Margo:Oh, give them a pass.

BeeBee:Fine.

BeeBee:STRIKE 2.5

All caught up, I think over my response. Will and I presumably have plans. I could see if he wanted to come, too? Earplugs in tow?

I debate texting the group, asking if we can add him to the list,when I realize our group chat image, a photo of all of us from last Friendsgiving, isn’t at the top of my phone, no group chat name (normally, “FRANDS”) at the top, either.

My heart’s beating a little faster now, my face lifting with a smile as I tap on the many faces in the group chat at the top and scroll down.

There he is.

Will. Someone added him. Someone thought of him and included him, and shit, it makes my heart squeeze with happiness.

I wonder why he hasn’t responded yet, then. Maybe he’s waiting to ask me if I want to do this rather than whatever he had planned? But then why hasn’t he textedme?

I check the time. Nine in the morning. Well, that explains it.

That poor guy. He’s most likely driving, on his way here, and his phone has been going off nonstop this whole time. Should I add to that?

Maybe his phone hasn’t been going off, though. Maybe he puts it in do-not-disturb mode while he drives. Or on silent.

Oh, even if he doesn’t, I can’t hold it in. I’m all fed up with waiting for one more thing. I send him a text to get the ball rolling:

Juliet:Hey, you. I imagine you’re on the road, but just wanted to check in & see if you caught all those messages from the friend group & what your thoughts were. I don’t know what you had planned for the day & if you’d want to fit it in. Let me know!

I’m setting my phone back on the toilet lid when it buzzes, the screen lighting up with Will’s name. I am shameless. I pick it up on the first ring.

“Hey!”

“Hey, Jules.” Will’s voice echoes in my bathroom, and it does something funny to me, hearing his deep voice bounce around in here, while I’m lying naked in the tub.

I slap some water on my face.Knock it off, Juliet!

“Got your text,” he says, “but as you figured, I’m on the road. Thought I’d call and we could talk this way, if you don’t mind.”

I bite my lip against a smile as I sink down into the water, leaning against my little inflated pillow suctioned to the back of the tub.

“I don’t mind,” I tell him, scooping up a handful of bubbles. “In fact, I’m honored. Gramps deigned to use his phone—not even for texting but forcalling.”

A soft laugh rumbles through the line. “Think you’re funny, do you?”

“Sounds like you do, too.”

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