Page 87 of Wild Side
Rhys:
What are you up to today?
Tabby:
When Milo wakes up, we’re going to prep some frozen meals. Any requests?
Rhys:
I don’t know when I’ll be back.
Tabby:
That’s okay. We’ll be ready for when you are.
I sigh, walking as my thumbs fly, and my chest goes tight. I love eating anything she makes for me. Her meals aren’t just delicious—it feels like she cares about me.
Rhys:
Okay. I loved that first pasta you made me. The one with the bacon.
Tabby:
Carbonara! Will do. But it’s touchy to reheat, so I’ll have to show you how.
I love the domesticity of this conversation. I love it when she’s soft like this. Her walls become a little less opaque as she gives me a glimpse into what it’s like being part of a family. It makes me wonder if she’s found a way to forgive me for Erika and the role she thinks I’ve played. She hasn’t mentioned that lately, which is both a relief and a problem.
Because when it comes out… I don’t know. I didn’t plan for the white lie to matter. She hated me anyway, so I didn’t care. Why not let her hate me a little more if it made the death of her sister a lighter burden?
But now it feels like a lie that sits between us, growing larger and more cumbersome by the day. Especially since I find myself wanting to talk to her more and more.
I want to tell her about the shit show here at HQ so badly. My first inclination is to think she won’t care to get involved. But the subtle way she’s been reaching out gives me a flicker of hope that she’ll have some ridiculous spin on the situation.
Deep down, I want to trust her enough to bring this up, no matter how embarrassing it might feel. I won’t bring up the unmasking, because truthfully, I’d rather take my mask off than kiss Elle on national television. So I spit it out with zero tact before I can talk myself out of it.
Rhys:
Work is shit. They’re making me pretend Elle and I eloped.
Tabby:
Juicy. I love the drama.
Rhys:
There’s internet chatter about me wearing a wedding ring in that promo we filmed.
Tabby:
Oh shit. I noticed it and didn’t even think about that. I should have told you to take it off.
I bristle as I start my second lap around the massive building. I don’t want to take it off.
Rhys:
Tabby, I’m not taking my ring off and pretending to be single just because I’m working.
Tabby:
