Page 14 of The Pucking Wrong Number

K: My name is Monroe.

Monroe. I mouthed the words, my obsession threading through every letter. What the fuck was wrong with me?

So…has anyone told you that you're fucking hot?

K: Keep dreaming, big boy. I’m way out of your league, and I'm sure Kara's out of your league as well. But good on you for shooting your shot.

I frowned. Shoot your shot. This was fucking Kara, or at least one of her friends.

So you do know who I am…

K: ??What part of that sentence said that I knew who you were?

I felt possessed as I stood up, flipping back to the picture of the girl…Monroe…and saving it to my phone. Tossing my bag over my shoulder, I walked away. I had to get to a computer. I had to figure out if this girl existed.

I wouldn’t be able to think about anything else…wouldn’t be able to eat or sleep, or fucking breathe, until I knew what I was dealing with.

“Lincoln, what the fuck? Where are you going?” Ari called after me.

“See you later,” I responded, not bothering to look back as I shot him a middle finger over my shoulder.

Please be real.

CHAPTER 5

MONROE

Iwas organizing files at the doctor's office the next day when my phone buzzed again.

Monroe Bardot,the text read from the same number as last night.

I stiffened.

Please don't be creepy and make me regret all my life choices. How did you find out my name?

He sent a meme of a guy holding up his hands in front of him, placatingly.

Unknown: Not trying to be a creep. Promise. I thought we could be……friends.

That’s a lot of dot, dot, dot for friends. Have you found Kara’s real number and apologized yet?

Unknown: Nope. I’ve decided that I was meant to accidentally text you. Don't want to mess with the good vibes I’ve got going for me.

I rolled my eyes at his attempt at charm and glanced around the room.

I was alone in the front office, and it was a slow morning; only one patient sat in the waiting room, and they’d already checked in.

I inwardly shrugged. I guess I could play along for a little longer in the name of socialization and distraction.

You must be pretty desperate if you think texting a random stranger is the universe giving you good vibes, I typed out.

He sent back the picture I'd sent him last night.

Unknown: Have you seen yourself? You’re fucking gorgeous. As long as you're not some dude in his mom's basement trying to catfish me, I say that I’m definitely in the universe’s good graces right now.

For some reason, a blush spread across my cheeks. I’d been called “hot” in my life quite a few times. But, his "fucking gorgeous” hit me a little harder.

Well, I showed you mine, now show me yours.

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