Page 46 of A Little Jaded

“Yeah?”

“It’s all right to get attached. You won’t hurt her.”

Staring at the ground, I clear my throat again. “I’ll let you know the game plan as soon as I can.”

Then I push “end.”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

RAINE

With a groan, I roll toward the nightstand as my phone buzzes against the hard surface.

Buzz. Buzz.

I blink slowly, attempting to make my eyes work as I sit up straighter in my bed. I could ignore his call like I’ve done a hundred times in the past. Or, I could answer it.

Answer. It.

I slide my thumb across the screen, bring my cell to my ear, and croak, “Hello?”

“So sheisalive.”

My dad’s grumbly voice wraps around me like a warm blanket, and I smile, shifting my phone to my other ear. “Hey, Dad.”

“Hey, Rainbow.”

“Hi,” I repeat, though my voice is even more of a croak than anything else.

“Did I wake you?”

I clear my throat and try again. “Yeah, but I forgive you.”

“Gee, thanks,” hegrunts. “How are you?”

“I’m good. You?”

“Could be better,” he grunts. “Seems my youngest daughter is still avoiding me.”

“I’m not?—”

“Or she’s shit at returning phone calls.”

I lay back on my pillow and stare at the ceiling. “I believe I learned my hatred of phones from you.”

“Yeah, yeah. So, how’s the internship going?”

My nose wrinkles. “It’s, uh, it’s all right.”

“Is it?” my dad pushes.

I frown, sensing the shift in his tone. “Uh, yeah? Why do you ask?”

“Because I just got an email from Lucian. Since when are you looking for a new mentor?”

Sitting up again, I press my back to the headboard and tug my knees to my chest. “Since, uh, recently?”

“I thought you liked Lucian,” he grumbles. “Seems Lucian liked you.”