Page 9 of Emerald Moon
“Sure, but my taste in music is a bit weird,” Cass said.
“Weird is good!What kind of weird are we talking about here?”
“It’s all over the place.I don’t have curated playlists and it means that I could have a Dvorák piece followed by a pop song in Korean.”
“I love it.”Jo grinned.“My music taste is like that, too.I just listen to whatever scratches an itch in my brain and, when I find it, I listen to the same song over and over until I literally can’t take it anymore and it’s, like, the itch is scratched, I add it to a playlist, and I’m good.”
“An itch in your brain, huh?I can kind of understand that.I have things I like, but I find most of my new music through my packmates.I listen to a lot of talk radio and podcasts in the car, though.I have a few birding ones I like.”
“We can listen to those, too!Whatever you like.”Jo smiled and made an effort to match Cass’ sincerity from the day before.“I’d like to get to know you better, and listening to things you like would be great.”
Jo had Cass drop them off at the bakery so she wouldn’t have to drive all the way up the long gravel road that led to the Pitch Mountain Pack house.Cass waved goodbye as she pulled away and Jo returned the gesture, thinking back to the very eclectic mix of music and podcast pieces they listened to on the way back.
They’d only made it a few steps when their phone vibrated in their back pocket.It was Krista asking if they’d had a good time with Cass, punctuated by Krista’s characteristic exclamation points.Jo caught her up on listening to Dolly in the car together, the waterfall hike, and the drive back today, but they left out the part where they ran as wolves.That felt like something for just them and Cass.There was one other thing they left out, so they let the conversation drift until they worked up the nerve to mention it.
Their heart pounded as they hit send.
Also maybe we sort of almost kissed last night?
Skfhdjfhdjkhakldci
What now?!!!!How did you not lead with that?!!!!
Because nothing happened!I said almost
And I don’t even know if that’s what it was
People don’t try and kiss me, Krista
I don’t know why not!!You’re super cute.
Cass might think so, too!!!You never know.
Holy crap!!!Tell me everything and I’ll decide
Not much to tell
She sort of leaned in
I panicked
Hid in my sleeping bag and blocked all chances of talking about it this morning
I mean, Cass is usually into women, but like I said
YOU’RE CUTE SO IT’D MAKE SENSE!!!!
Jo felt relief wash over them.That was it.Cass was into women.There’s no way she’d be into Jo, unless Cass was ignoring how they introduced themselves, and she didn’t seem to be the type to disrespect someone’s identity.She was way too thoughtful to do that.
Thanks, but you said it yourself
She’s into WOMEN which I am not, so case closed, no kiss, just friends
I probably read it all wrong anyway — you know what I’m like
a w k w a r d
Krista was in the middle of typing a response when a number flashed across Jo’s screen.Their entire body clenched.They stopped walking, closed their eyes, and picked up the call.“Hey mom.”
