Page 85 of Messy Strokes (Wrecked Roommates)

“Okay.” I sit down next to Milo, my knee bouncing beneath the table as I reach for the still folded menu, scanning it with a blurry gaze. It’s no use. I can’t see a thing. Hell, I can’t register a single word.

My phone buzzes, scaring the crap out of me. I pull it out to see a text from Dove.

Dove: Hey. Call me when you get a sec.

My phone buzzes again.

Dove: Actually, I’ll text you. I know you’re with Mom and Dad, and I don’t think this can wait.

Dove: Marty texted Gibson, which is super out of the ordinary. He asked about you. Wanted to know if you’d changed your number. Gibson ignored his text, obviously, but… Yeah. I felt like you should know. Hope everything’s going all right. With dinner. And you and Penny. Love you guys.

As I stare at the onslaught of text messages, Milo squeezes my knee, scaring the ever-loving shit out of me. I jerk away from him and turn my phone face down on the table while keeping a firm grip on it.

His gaze drops to my white-knuckled grasp. “Everything okay?”

“Yup. I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?” my dad asks.

“I gotta go to the bathroom. If the waitress comes back, you can order without me.”

Bobbing and weaving between tables, I head for the bathroom. I hit the call button as I’m out of sight.

“I didn’t mean to freak you out,” Dove starts as soon as the call connects.

“Well, you did.” I flex the hand not holding my cell to my ear to keep it from shaking. “What did he say? And I mean word-for-word, Dove.”

“Nothing crazy,” Dove mutters. “He made up some stupid lie about having your monthly order in but couldn’t get ahold of you.”

I snort softly and mutter, “Monthly order. What an ass.”

“Yeah. We lived together long enough I know you’re not into the stuff anymore.”

“Thanks,” I return, but it doesn’t stop the shame from flooding my veins. “‘Doesn’t make me feel any better about him spreading those lies to other people, though.”

“I get it. How’s dinner going?”

“It’s…going. Did he say anything else?”

“Nope. Like I said, nothing crazy, but I felt like you had a right to know.”

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. If I hear anything else, I’ll let you know. Tell Mom and Dad I say hi.”

“I will.”

On numb legs, I walk back to the table, my self-loathing and fear cranking up a few more notches with every step. Marty’s looking for me. He won’t let me go. He won’t drop it. And if I know Marty as well as I think I do, changing my number only fanned the flames. It’s only a matter of time until he pops up in my life again, and when he does, it’ll wreck everything.

Milo.

Penny.

Me.

I think I’m going to be sick.

23

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