Page 38 of My Hotshot

Pirate chuckled under his breath. “You’re dramatic, man.”

I raised my head and stared at him. “I’m serious. Boone and Gibbs don’t play games. If they think for a second she matters to me—”

“You don’tknowthey’ll go after her.”

“No, but I knowme. And I know what it would do to me if they did.”

Pirate leaned back in his chair. “Yarder said they’re pulling in, right? Closing their ranks. That means they’re feeling the heat. Leo and Brynn are watching every move. This thing will be over soon.”

“Yeah,” I muttered, “I’ll believe that when I see Boone bleeding out in a ditch.”

“Then tell her to leave you alone,” Pirate said, simple and blunt.

I glared at him.

He raised his eyebrows. “What? You’re not gonna do that either. So you either respond, or you ghost her and feel like a piece of shit about it. Pick your poison.”

“I need a pause button on my life,” I muttered and dragged a hand down my face. “That’s what I need. Just give me a damn pause until all this blows over.”

“Good luck finding one,” Pirate said and pushed up from his chair. “Let me know when you do.”

He walked over to the couch where Saylor was curled up with a blanket, watching something mindless on TV. They murmured something to each other, low and easy.

I stared at the screen again.

Hello.

That was all she’d said. No pressure. No accusation. Just… an opening.

She’d made the move. Now it was on me.

And as much as I wanted to pretend I was strong enough to ignore it, I wasn’t. I didn’t want to blow her off. I didn’t want to push her away.

But I also didn’t want to drag her into this world and watch her get crushed under the weight of it.

My fingers hovered over the screen.

Hey, babe.

Chapter Fourteen

Lainey

I shouldn’t have been surprised he texted me back. I was the one who started it, after all. But still, seeingHey, babepop up on my screen nearly knocked the wind out of me.

It was just two words. Nothing poetic. Nothing even remotely dramatic.

Butbabe.Babewas a lot for someone who hadn’t been in my life for sixteen years and then showed up again to watch tow truck drivers on my couch while I fell asleep.

I stared at the screen for way too long.

I needed to respond. Iwantedto respond. But what the hell was I supposed to say?

I’m lonely, come over.

Lottie left me again and I don’t know what to do with myself.

Or the most humiliating and honest:I’ve been thinking about you all week and I want to see you.

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