Page 61 of Texting My Secret Santa

A scream shatters my fantasy—Holly.

I leap to my feet and rush down the hallway. Her door is locked.

“Holly?” I yell.

“I’m okay.” She doesn’t sound it. “I just had a bad dream.”

“Fuck. You scared the hell out of me. Are you sure you’re okay? Do you need anything?”

“It’s fine,” she mutters, but it sounds like a lie.

“I’m here if you change your mind, just a text away. If you want a drink, talk, or anything, okay?”

“Thanks, Asher. I mean it.”

I linger by the door momentarily, but I don’t want to push her.

As usual, my resolve doesn’t extend to texting.

Me:Do you want to talk about your nightmare?

Holly:Text about it, you mean?

Me:Okay, Miss Pedantic.

Holly:I can’t decide if that’s better or worse than Miss Goody Two-shoes. Do you mind if I ask how long you knew it was me?

Me:Only if you don’t mind me pointing out that you’re changing the subject.

Holly:Okay, sue me. I still want to know.

Me:It was the story about your dad,I reply.Then, I was in a bind because I wanted to keep texting you. Since this Secret Santa thing, I’ve texted more than I have all year. I felt like an ass, though, because I was lying to you or misleading you, at the very least. You didn’t know it was me.

Holly:I had my suspicions, she replies.There were a few phrases you used and a few hints that gave the game away. I didn’t know if I should be scared or excited. I was worried it would be somebody else. I wanted it to be you.

Me:Why?

Holly:I didn’t want to flirt with anybody who wasn’t you.

Me:I have to admit, Snowflake. I was worried about that, too. I hated the idea of you bantering with anybody else. I knew you had every right to, but it still bothered me.

Holly:Imagine how I felt when I thought it was Derek!

Me:That must’ve been awful. Dan asked me to swipe Derek’s phone if he comes back to the office. He could go to Dan or even contact him and explain that I’m the real Secret Santa. It would involve sneaking into a superior’s office and taking their phone, but I wouldn’t put it past him.

She doesn’t reply for a long time.

Me:I’m sorry, Snowflake. I don’t mean to worry you.

Holly:It’s not that,she replies.

Me:Do you want to talk in person? In the living room? Or I could come to you …

Holly:No, Asher.We both know what will happen if we move this past texting. We might say we can be strong, but we haven’t proven that so far.

There’s another long pause. I resist the urge to pester her.

Holly:You’re right about Derek. He contacted me on the Secret Santa phone. That’s what my nightmare was about. Him. What he’s going to do. If I tell you, you have to promise to stay calm. You have to promise you won’t freak. Believe me, you’ll want to.

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