I tucked some hair behind my ear, wondering if she’d think how we met was odd. “Well, as you know, I like to read, and he is the author of a story I’ve been reading.”
“Oh, my gosh!” she practically shouted. “Are you serious? This is, like, the cutest meet-cute ever.”
“We started talking about his book and characters, and then the next thing I knew, we were talking everyday about anything and everything.”
Her mischievous grin made me nervous. “You’re literally glowing. You really like him,” she stated. “You actually have a similar look on your face to the one you had with Talon tonight.”
I froze, caught off guard by her observation. “I … what? No, it’s not the same,” I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up. “It’s different. Talon is … real life. AndTheWriteGuy… well, he’s just—different.”
She cocked her head to the side, clearly unconvinced. “Different, huh? Sure, sure. But the sparkle in your eyes? That’s the same one I saw tonight. Livvi, you’re smitten with two different guys, and I’m not letting you deny it.”
I buried my face in my hands, a small laugh escaping me. “Fine, maybe a little. How did things get so complicated?”
I wasn’t used to talking about this kind of stuff with anyone other than Cali, but I found that I enjoyed talking to Roxie. It was surprisingly easy and fun.
Roxie and I both perked up when my phone buzzed with another notification.
TheWriteGuy
It ended up being better than I thought, but I’m glad to be home. Especially since now I’m talking to you.
My heart did a little happy dance at his words. I typed a quick reply, fingers hesitating over the keyboard for a moment.
ReadtoLiv
Smooth line, I’ll give you that. But now you’ve got me wondering—what made your night better than you thought?
I hit send, standing and tucking my phone into my back pocket. “I’m going to get ready for bed.”
“And textTheWriteGuyall night?” Roxie teased.
A slow smile creeped out. “Maybe.”
We both laughed, and I hurried to get ready for bed so I could keep talking withTheWriteGuy.
Once I was in bed, I pulled up his latest message responding to my question.
TheWriteGuy
Let’s just say I started the night in my usual mask. But something changed, and suddenly I didn’t feel like I had to keep pretending so much. That doesn’t happen often.
ReadToLiv
Interesting … so someone got the rare, unfiltered you tonight?
I smirked at the screen, teasing, though my heart squeezed a little at the thought, surprising me with the soft undertones of jealousy.
TheWriteGuy
Maybe. Or maybe talking with you has made me feel like I don’t have to hide as much.
The sting of jealousy slipped away, replaced with a warmth that curled low in my chest and tugged a smile to my lips.
ReadToLiv
So you’re saying I hold a lot of power. Just like Raelle.
TheWriteGuy