Page 57 of A Royal Menace

Shit. He’s right. If she asks someone else for my number and realizes the truth, it’s going to be so much worse than if I tell her.

“Yeah. You’re right. I’ll tell her today.”

“Good luck, man. I’m pulling up to the site, so I have to go, but text me later and let me know how it goes with Callie.”

“I will. Thanks, Linc.”

“Anytime, bro. Bye.”

“Bye.”

He ends the call, and I stare off into space for a few beats as I think about what he said. I know I need to tell Callie today. And I can’t wait until after work. I’ve already let too much time pass, as it is. I’ll pull her into one of our classrooms before the kids arrive and spill the truth, and hopefully, she’ll understand.

Hopefully, she won’t hate me.

Lifting my phone, I open the text thread between “Elle” and “Emmett.”

I reread Callie’s last message, which was about me not wanting to give her my phone number. My molars grind together, and my back muscles tense. That text, more than all of the others, combined, is going to embarrass Callie when I tell her the truth.

Because there’s no question that it’s about me.

She’ll be mortified, and when Callie is embarrassed or uncomfortable, she lashes out.Fuck.

My thumbs fly over the screen as I type out a final message from Emmett.

Me:Sometimes the universe gives us the exact thing we need at the exact right time. Thank you for being that thing for me.

Only a few seconds tick by before I get a response.

Elle:Why does that sound like a goodbye?

My fingers squeeze around my phone, the tips turning white with the pressure. Without replying to Callie, I toss my phone onto the bed and head into the bathroom. I need to take a shower and get ready, or I’m not going to have enough time to talk to Callie before class starts.

And that is unacceptable. No matter what happens, I’m confessing this morning. I just hope she has enough faith in me––inus––to believe me when I tell her I had no idea until yesterday. And enough mercy in her heart to forgive me for not telling her the second I figured it out.

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE

Callie

Emmett still hasn’t respondedto my question about that cryptic text he sent this morning. I’m tempted to forgo text messages altogether and just call him to find out what’s going on, but it feels like it would be a violation, of sorts. A breach of our agreement to keep our identities a secret.

Plus, I’m scared. Scared he’ll answer and not be the person I thought he was. If our little…whatever it is…isover, I want to remember it fondly. Not taint it with an uncomfortable ending.

And then, there’s Royal. Things are going really well with him. I like where we’re at, and I’m not sure how he’d feel about my texting and having an emotional connection with Emmett. Especially since I haven’t told Royal about him.

Pulling up my group chat with Raven, Joey, and Twila, I nod to myself. I haven’t told any of them about Royal and me, and it’s time to fess up. I need their advice.

Me:Hey guys, I have a confession to make.

Twila:Uh-oh. You okay? Sounds serious.

Joey:What’s going on, Sis?

Raven:Oh, shit. You fucked him, didn’t you?

I roll my eyes. Of course, Raven guesses the truth on her first try. She knows me so well, it’s a little scary sometimes.

Joey:Fucked who? What are you talking about, R?

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