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We both turn at the same time to find Phoebe hugging herself, eyes wide as thunder shakes the house.
“Go on,” Mom says, nodding toward my sister. “Go finish your game. I’ve got this.”
I hesitate, but she just waves me off with the dustpan before crouching down with the brush to gather up the mess.
Clearing my throat, I head for my sister with a murmured, “Come on.” I stuff my phone in my pocket, and gently grip her shoulders, spinning her around, and steer her down the hall, back toward the living room.
Shawn sticks close, a quiet shadow trailing our steps.
“Who was it?” Phoebe asks when we get into the living room.
She plops back down on the floor, and Shawn reclaims his spot next to her. I sit on the edge of the couch, the coffee table between us.
“Who was what?” I say, eyeing the board. In my absence, they both put down houses. I take the dice, and give them a good shake, before rolling them across the board.
“Who butt dialed you?”
I suck on my lip ring, busying myself with moving my boot nine spaces, bypassing Phoebe’s battleship and Shawn’s race car, and landing on a Chance space. “Oh, um, Jeremy,” I mumble, infusing as much nonchalance into my demeanor as I can.
I don’t miss the look they share, but I make a point to ignore it, and pluck a card from the Chance pile.
Advance to Go. Collect 200.
“Sweet,” I murmur, moving my marker back to where I started.
I lift my gaze to Phoebe, arching an expectant brow. “Money please, banker.”
She sighs, and twists her body around, before slapping two beige $100 bills on my waiting palm.
“Thank you.”
Shawn goes next, and gets himself a railroad. Fucker.
Phoebe grabs the dice, and shakes them between her clasped hands. They roll across the board just as I feel a jolt of vibration in my pocket.
Leaning to my side, I dig my phone out, and glance at the screen.
Oh shit.
JEREMY THE WICKED ??
Did I call you?
And the first thought that crosses my mind?—
Jesus, did he even get a chance to put clothes on before checking his phone?
Three dots appear a second before another message appears.
Nvm. That was a stupid question.
“Mason?”
I peek up through my lashes to find Phoebe watching me expectantly.
“It’s your turn.”
My phone buzzes again. As if it has a direct line to my chest, my heart gives a little jolt.
