Page 82 of Risk

In both cases, you’re left wanting.

Chapter 25

Leah

It’s been a week since Mason left. I wasn’t going to use his key, but tonight I am. We’ve talked on the phone, briefly. I haven’t been online as Daisy Ren at all. Taking a couple extra houses to clean this week helped make up for the money I spent in California and did wonders for keeping me occupied, so I don’t overthink.

“It’s about damn time,” Mak says when I answer my phone. “Shew. Playing phone tag all week was ridiculous!”

“I know. You work too much.”

“Says the pot to the kettle.”

“Fair.”

“Sooo, how was the trip? Tell me everything.”

“It was wild. Weird and wild. And fun.”

“All good things.”

“I saw Aly.” For some reason, that’s been weighing on me all week.

“No way! How the hell did that even happen?”

“She was DJing at a club we went to.”

“That’s oddly coincidental.”

“Tell me about it. We’d been dancing for hours and when we came out at closing time, she was there. She recognized me before I even saw her.”

“Holy crap, Leah. How’s she doing?”

“We didn’t get a chance to catch up, really. She looked good.” I walk circles around Mason’s living room. “Seeing her brought up a lot of shit, though. I’m in my head about it.”

“Talk me through it.”

Tucking hair behind my ear, I pivot and start walking circles the other way. “She said she was proud of me.” Mak stays quiet. “I think she meant it. And that got me all fucked up, because why would she say that?”

“Did she say it out of the blue or…”

“I’d introduced her to the guys. Once I got to Mason, she was called back into the club. That’s when she hugged me and said she was proud of me. I hadn’t even told her about what I’ve been up to with my new potential business venture. And I know she’s not all that thrilled about my Daisy Ren stuff.”

Mak stays quiet.

“Say something, Mak. I’m feeling awkward and dramatic over here.”

My bestie clears her throat. “How did you introduce Mason to her?”

“Uhhh as Mason.”

“You were like, this is Mason?”

“Yes. No. Wait.” Pinching the bridge of my nose, I think back to that night. “I introduced him as my boyfriend. To which she looked shocked out of her mind, snort-laughed at me, and then repeated the word boyfriend like it was a made-up word. Then she changed her attitude when she saw I was serious.” I pivot and pace in the other direction again. “It felt like being hit with an anvil when she hugged me goodbye and said she was proud of me. I’ve been fucked up about it ever since.”

Mak doesn’t say anything again.

“Damnit, Mak truck, don’t do this.”