Page 45 of Byte

“Do you use any CBD products? I’ve heard those can sometimes trigger a positive test,” he said.

I was already shaking my head before he finished. “No. I’ve heard the same thing and didn’t want to take the risk. What in the hell am I going to do?”

“If you think the test was wrong, there’s an easy way to prove that.”

“What? How?”

“Take a test at home. If the results are different, you’ll know they made a mistake,” he explained.

“What do you mean ‘if’?” I asked defensively.

“Poor choice of words,” he said. “I’m not questioning you. If you say the test should’ve been negative, I believe you.”

“I’m sorry. I just can’t believe this is happening.”

He took my hand in his and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “Let’s go get some drug tests.”

“Why are you taking one?”I asked when Byte headed toward the bathroom with a urine cup in his hand.

He shrugged. “Why not?”

Before I could respond, he stepped inside and closed the door.

When he returned, he placed his cup on the counter beside mine. “How long do we have to wait?”

“The instructions said five minutes.”

“What do you want to do for the next five minutes?”

“Stare at the cup and make myself crazy,” I said flatly.

“Let’s take Shadow out. By the time he’s finished, the tests will be done,” he suggested.

Even though the entire estate was surrounded by a fence, I didn’t want to let Shadow run free for his bathroom breaks, so we’d been taking him out on a leash. I tried not to continuously check the time as we walked from tree to tree, but it was a struggle.

“It’s time!” I announced and almost ran for the door.

My jaw dropped open when I picked up my test and read the results. Everything was negative, except for THC. “What the hell?” I whispered in disbelief.

Byte was staring at his specimen with an equal look of disbelief on his face. “Mine’s positive, too.”

“And it shouldn’t be?” I guessed.

“No, it shouldn’t be. I haven’t smoked weed or used anything with THC in well over a year,” he explained.

“Then how in the hell are both of us testing positive?” I asked, as my eyes landed on the brownies Lauren had sent home with me. I gasped and pointed at the container. I felt bad for even thinking it, and could barely bring myself to even make the suggestion. “Do you think it could’ve been the brownies?”

Byte glanced at the container and back to me. “At this point, I’d say anything’s possible.”

“How can we find out?”

“There are kits to test food for different substances. They can be ordered, but let me see if Patch can help us get our hands on one today.”

“Wait,” I started.

“He won’t say anything,” Byte assured me before I could even ask.

“I’m not going to keep this from Keegan, but I don’t want her to hear about it from anyone other than me,” I explained.

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