Page 78 of A Lucky Shot

“Crisis averted,” Cass said. “Going for overpriced drinks with Leo the architect. No Nick. Nick-free zone.”

At least tonight was covered. Cass pecked out a decline to Nick, wincing as she typed another time instead of the eat a bag of dicks she should have replied with.

She should have just said she was in Cuba until next summer and hoped he’d forget about her. While he ate a bag of dicks.

“I hate seeing you like this,” Libby said, shaking her head. “You’re a grown-ass woman. You are confusing the excitement and attention he gives you with something real, and you’re letting yourself get hurt over and over.”

“Can you just celebrate with me that I didn’t cave to Nick, for the first time ever, and I’m going to go out with Leo tonight and have a perfectly boring time?”

Libby swooped down for a hug. “Oh, you’re right. I’m proud of you.”

“Who knows?” Cass said. “Maybe he’ll be a proper player and I’ll be able to practice my resistance skills.”

Date 20

finally hapened

What? You don’t sound murdered

He ditchd me

Im just sitting here chuggnig wine like I meant to be heer by myslef

Funny thing is I woudl be having great time if id planned that way

just fleel pahtetic

I can think of a thousand words to describe you, and pathetic would never come up

Tour sweat

tour sweat

your sweet

Are you drunk?

alerb

Where are you?

I wnat to aloen

I’m coming to get you

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

JOSH

Josh fidgeted with his inbox open while waiting for the telltale buzz of his phone that didn’t come.

Cass hadn’t replied after her last text. Maybe her phone died again. Maybe some shithead had already sized up the vulnerable woman, alone, who couldn’t fend off his advances.

It didn’t matter if she wanted to be alone tonight. The last thing he’d planned on doing at ten p.m. on a Tuesday night was head downtown for a rescue. But if she was as blitzed as her texts made it sound, he wasn’t chancing her getting home alone in that state.

If he could find her.

He swore under his breath, scrolling down the text thread with Libby that was littered with details on generators and wattage and gel filters.

---