Page 27 of High Hopes

Liam

sounds thrilling

Birdie

oh, it is. and I’m out of coffee, so I’m extra grumpy

Liam

if I was home, I’d bring you some

Birdie

alas, you’re stuck in louisville

Liam

minor detail

i’ll be back tomorrow. you’ll survive until then

Birdie

we’ll see

I hover over the screen, Chase’s suggestion from earlier playing in the back of my mind. I probably should just let her get back to work. She’s undoubtedly deep in her element, focused and determined, probably miffed at every minor distraction. But before I can talk myself out of it, I hit Call.

She picks up on the second ring. “Liam, it’s midnight.”

“What, too late for you?”

“Hardly,” she says with a soft laugh. “I just figured you’d be beat after your game. And, honestly, I didn’t think you were the late-night phone call type. Your distaste for small talk is well-documented.”

I snicker. “I’m full of surprises.”

“Prove it.”

“For starters, I can picture exactly how your hair looks right now. All messy from your floor-induced panic.”

Her short bob is likely sticking up in every direction, the way it does when she’s been running her hands through it all day. It’s chaotic but in that pretty, effortlessly sexy way that makes me want to see it in person.

She huffs. “You’re annoying, and that’s not exactly a surprising anecdote.”

“Am I wrong?”

“No,” she admits, still laughing. “It’s a disaster. Like, bird’s nest level.”

“Hot.”

She groans, and I can hear the faint rustling of her moving around, probably trying to smooth her hair down. It’s nice, this ease between us. Like I don’t have to try so hard to be any version of myself around her.

I suppose that’s why I called her instead of crashing like I should. Because I like this—hearing her voice, knowing I can get under her skin as easily as she gets under mine. But I don’t say any of that.

Instead, I settle back into the bed, letting her voice fill the space around me. It’s soft and steady, with a certain warmth that sinks in slowly, easing the tension until all the other noise in my head fully fades away.

10

BIRDIE

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