And yet, the gold flashed, as taunting and bright and happy as the Nevada sunshine.
My heart gave a nasty thump, and suddenly I couldn’t breathe.
Shit. Not now.
Clutching the sheet back up to my chest, I swept my legs over the edge of the bed and sat up to practice the breathing exercises I’d been doing since I was in high school. Inhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of seven. Out for a count of eight. Repeat.
Four cycles later, my heartbeat had resumed its normal cadence. It wouldn’t last, though. I needed to get out of this hotel room and back to my meds. I was playing with fire last night by drinking the way I had—truly, I was lucky I wasn’t in the hospital.
I needed to get dressed. I needed to find Megan. I needed to?—
A loud buzz broke through the room’s silence, and I jerked out of my stupor. Phone. It had to be my phone. I found it under the bed along with my clutch and all seventeen dollars in it. At least my stranger wasn’t a thief.
I swiped through to find I had nineteen missed calls and twenty-three texts from my freaked-out best friend.
Megan
LMK where the hot guy took you so I know you didnt get kidnapped
Megan
Laney???
Megan
Ok seriously bish share your location
Megan
ARE YOU ALIVE???
Megan
Laney why are you updating instagram and not me?
Megan
I swear to god if you died Im gonna be super pissed
Megan
TEXT ME WHEN UR DONE BEING A SLUT
Her texts continued all the way through the morning.
Megan
Good morning sunshine! We’re getting mimosas by the pool when youre awake
Megan
DELANEY HARMONIA FISHER ANSWER YOUR DUCKING PHONE
I scrolled through, did two more rounds of breathing exercises, then typed a message with shaky fingers.
Hey I’m alive.
Megan