Chapter 140

I stepped back and dropped my hand.

Maybe if I hadn't ended things, I would have asked him what was going on, given the nightmares and now this. We'd been friends if nothing else. But I'd set our boundaries and to muddy things up now wouldn't be to anyone's advantage.

I went up to my bedroom, clutching my phone, unable to banish the image of him. I thunked my head back against my headboard twice before dialing his number, praying it went to voicemail so I could hang up guilt-free.

"Hello?"

"It's me. Nava."

"Oh. I didn't recognize the number." He sounded... empty. Running on autopilot.

"It's a burner phone." I arranged the covers over my feet.

"Prepping for your drug dealer debut?"

Even that level of lame teasing from him sent relief swimming down to my toes. "Or adulterer. Keeping my options open." I cast about for something to say as our silence stretched on for a beat too long. "Uh, what were you listening to? I saw you when I was walking past a minute ago."