Page 68 of The Accidental Text

“I don’t have time to hike Machu Picchu. Anything we can do locally?” he asks.

“I mean, there’s plenty to do around here. I’m just not sure how this benefits us both.”

“I told you: you need a reminder of all the fun you used to have. And you get to help me have some fun in the process.”

Fun. That’s a novel idea.

“You still there?” Chase asks.

“I’m here. I’m just thinking.”

“Well, how about this: at the very least, you could come with me. It’ll give you something else to do besides work and … whatever else you do.”

“I work and I text you. That’s pretty much it.”

He chuckles. “That’s sad. I’ve only been talking to you for a couple of weeks. What did you do before that?”

“Work, I guess.”

“Thank goodness I came along.”

“It’s true.”

“So what do you say?”

“I don’t know.”

“How about you just do it for me?”

I take a breath. “Okay, fine. I’m in.”

Chase whoops on the other end and I have to hold my phone back so it doesn’t blast my ear out.

“This will be good,” he says.

“Maybe,” I say. “What should we do first?”

“I don’t know?”

“Well, how about you figure that out and let me know.”

“Okay, I can do that. Just be prepared to do something adventurous on Saturday. With me.”

Chase asks about work, and I tell him about Chelsea grilling me about him, and then what Dawson said about Natasha.

“Does he usually talk to you about Natasha?” he asks after I finish telling him what happened.

“Never.”

“Yeah, that’s … interesting. Are they together?”

“He said, and I quote, ‘It’s complicated.’”

“Yikes,” Chase says. “I hate that status.”

“Me too.” I yawn into the phone.

“Well, I’ll let you go to bed. I’m going to watch a movie.”