Page 29 of No Place Like Home

Jess's soft voice brought me out of my thoughts just as Lauren started to call again.

“Yeah, I’m still here. Nice talking to you, Jessa. I gotta go.”

“Oh. Okay. Bye.”

“I want that proof. Take care, okay?”

“I’m fine, Q. I always am. Bye.”

She disconnected, and I kept the phone to my ear, knowing she wasn’t fine. She hadn’t been for a long time. Putting the phone down, I went to fix myself a snack. When I came back, I noticed more missed calls from Lauren.

“Where the fuck are you?” Lauren’s irritated voice rang loudly in my ear.

“I know you did not just ask me that question.” My tone was clipped.

Ever since I’d met her, we’d had a good thing. And then the season started, and she began to act out if I didn’t answer my phone or check in with her. I told her I wasn’t seeing anyone else, and that somehow was code for “move in with me.” I didn’t mind it…much. She cooked healthy. The house wasn’t as lonely, and I guessed I saw the advantage of having accessible pussy.

My parents didn’t mind her either; I guessed they liked her company too. This was the first woman I’d brought home, so I think they thought I was settling down or some shit like that. I didn’t know what I was doing, but why mess with a good thing, right?

“Sorry, baby. You usually call me right away. I thought you might have gone to the after-party.”

Not this shit again.

I lay back in bed and listened to Lauren go on about her endorsement and her “influence,” whatever that meant.

I was half asleep when the ping on my phone startled me. Since Lauren was still chatting, I put the phone on speaker. When I opened the text, I almost dropped my phone.

She actually did it; Jess actually sent me a photo. I honestly didn’t think she would have. It wasn’t revealing or anything like the ones I’d gotten through the years, yet there was something about it.

Jess leaned back against a black headboard. The sweater—my sweater—covered her slim body. She hugged her knees with one hand while she used the other to take the photo. Her hair was parted to one side, and her face was free of makeup. The thing that almost made me drop my phone was the smile on her face.

Damn.

Her head was slightly tilted, and there was joy in her eyes, and I didn’t think anything has ever looked so good on her.

“Are you listening to me?” Lauren snapped, making me take a deep breath and stop gazing at the picture.

“Yeah. Those gummies are finally making you an ambassador. That’s great, Lo.”

At that moment, I felt like somewhat of a dick. Not because I’d stopped listening to Lauren, but because of the hoodie.

The hoodie was left forgotten on my kitchen floor and was cleaned by my housekeeper. Then it lived in the back of my closet until one day, Lauren was running late and tried wearing it.

Something about it didn’t sit right with me. Lauren was no wildflower; the sweater didn’t fit her. Not the way it did with Jess. I looked at the picture one more time, my eyes zeroing on the pinkest of lips, and I felt my gut tightening. It was the same feeling I got when I picked up my lucky ornament from the snow-covered ground, or the one I got the day I picked colleges. It was the same one when I was selected as the number one draft in the NFL.

Yeah, I was going to ignore that for now. Caleb’s hits did more damage than I thought.

“Lo, I’m whipped. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay, baby. Goodnight.”

“Night.”

“I love being the last person you talk to at night.”

I closed my eyes and mumbled, “Me too.”

Once the line went dead, I took a deep breath. Lately, Lauren had been annoying me. My mother told me that I wasn’t used to monogamy. Were all women this clingy?

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