Page 34 of Beyond Oblivion

Beck and Sylvie both covered their mouths, ducking at the same time. They were right. It was a massacre.

I shook my head, grinning. “I wanna be you when I grow up.”

Hazel gave me a knowing smile. “Get in line, baby. Everybody does.” She pointed down the hall. “You’ve got a client in five. Follow in my footsteps, young Padawan, and get shit done.”

I made a face. “We makeSpaceballsreferences around here.”

She rolled her eyes and waved me away as I jogged down the hall. My phone buzzed once. Then again. After that, it felt like I was holding one of Camille's favorite battery-operated bedtime toys. I felt my jaws tense before glancing down. Madison’s name flooded my screen, her text messages stacking one on top of the other like they were building a digital Tower of Babel.

As I set up for my one o’clock, my phone buzzed several more times. I checked it, hoping it was Camille, but when I saw thatafuckingainit was Madison, I made the executive decision to block her number. She ignored boundaries like they were Terms of Service, and I needed to focus. Plus, turning off notifications wasn’t an option—wifey texts are priority. Always.

Finally at the end of an excruciatingly slow day, I grabbed my keys and paused at the front desk.

“Beck and Sylvie left half an hour ago. Go ahead, I’ll lock up,” Hazel said.

“You’ve been nice to me all day. I’m just saying… it’s suspicious.”

“Hey, dick face,” she called as I headed for the door.

My dumb ass answered to it. “Yeah?”

“Don’t get kicked out again for trying to suck your own cock during dinner.”

My face screwed into disgust. “Where do you come up with this shit?”

“You’re not suspicious anymore, and I got you to make that face. It’s a win-win.” She grinned, dangling Becca’s phone like it was a hostage exchange. “Aren’t you supposed to take this tonight?”

“Oh! Yeah,” I said, jogging over to get it. I side-eyed her. “You’re being nice again.”

“Go fuck yourself,” she deadpanned.

“But no oral at the dinner table, right? I just wanna make sure I know the rules.”

“I hate you. Oh, and I charged it. Who doesn’t need their phone for over twenty-four hours?”

I stared at the lock screen, noticing the photo of Cassidy perched on Lachlan’s shoulder, grinning like they’d just found a dozen Sephora gift cards under a year’s supply of protein powder. “Yeah, I dunno,” I muttered, opening the door.

“Bye!” she yelled, annoyed. “God.”

“Bye, you tiny, angry, beautiful, talented princess, you.” I glanced back just long enough to see the small, satisfied grin spread across her face as she logged off.

Small victories.

I called Camille on the way home, but she didn’t answer. Just as I was leaving a voicemail, she called back.

“Sorry, I was drying my hair. I’m running a little behind. Raegan called, she’s coming back into town tonight. What’s up? Did you have a good day?”

“Are we going tonight? And wait, Ray’ll be in town?”

“She is! Surprise visit! And yes, this month is going to be an easier one, it seems.”

“Oh, God, baby, I’m so glad. On both counts.”

She breathed a laugh into the phone. “You’re so sweet. Don’t hurry home, but hurry home. I always miss you like crazy when I miss work.”

“On my way, wifey.”

She laughed. Camille had always found that word silly as hell, but it was the easiest way to get a smile out of her on tough days. I floored it toward home, because life is too short not to rush toward the people who make your heart do parkour.

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