“Ha. I knew it. I was wondering if you’re asexual.” Before Abby could protest, Madeline lifted her hand. “Not that there’s anything wrong with being asexual, but you’d share that with your best friend.”
“I’m not asexual. I’m just bad at relationships.”
“Says the woman whose last relationship was what, eight years ago? College relationships don’t count.”
“I’ve gone on a few dates.”
“I said relationships, not dates.”
“So you think The Dykonic One is relationship material?” Abby intentionally used Blythe’s handle to emphasize her point.
Madeline grinned. “I don’t know, but I bet she’d teach you a thing or two between the sheets.”
Abby was worried about that. Scrolling back through Blythe’s posts, she’d been involved with at least five women in the past three years. Did she get bored and move on? Geez, what was her problem? Interacting with Blythe, replying to her message, meant nothing.
Abby took a deep breath. It was time to confess to Madeline. “Uh…she sent me a private message last week.”
“What?” Madeline, who’d been slumped in her chair, sat upright. “And why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew you’d react like that.”
“You mean I’d sit up in my chair, showing an interest in what my best friend was saying?” Madeline put her fingertips against her chest and gave Abby an innocent smile. “I don’t understand how that’s an unacceptable reaction.”
Abby narrowed her eyes. “But I know what’s going on in your head.”
“No, you don’t, or you’d be blushing.” Madeline winked at Abby before she gestured toward Abby’s phone. “Now hand it over.”
Abby glanced down, trying to formulate an objection. Instead, she unlocked her phone, found the message, and handed it across the desk.
“All right.” Madeline snatched it. “Let’s come up with a clever response to your not-so-secret admirer.”
Abby groaned.
CHAPTER 6
Blythe lay on thecouch, staring up at the starburst light fixture hanging from the ceiling. This room epitomized Ricki’s love for modern decor, which was a juxtaposition to the exterior of the 1930s Chicago-style bungalow.
The hardwood floors were light-colored, unlike the dark wood from Blythe’s childhood. An enormous flat-screen TV hung above a recessed electric fireplace. Both were black, contrasting with the stark white walls. The staircase leading to Ricki’s attic bedroom had black industrial railings, completing the modern vibe.
How long had she been lying here? Long enough for the sun to set. She should turn on more lights, but it’d require her getting her butt up. She’d been sure Ricki would be home sooner, especially after Blythe texted she needed Ricki’s advice.
Blythe lifted her phone from her chest and scrolled again.Holy shit.Her library video had gained another twenty thousand views. The librarian was lucky and adorable. And now that she’dresponded to Blythe’s message, Blythe needed to come up with a witty response. She scrolled through the new comments on her video, hearting and responding to all. On the majority, she wrote a word or two, but on a few, she penned longer responses.
She’d learned from veteran creators the key to keeping followers was to engage with as many as she could and expand her reach by commenting on other creators’ posts. Blythe spent several hours a day doing the mind-numbing work of typing out comment after comment.
Absorbed in her task, she’d not heard Ricki come in the front door. When the room filled with light from the recessed ceiling bulbs, Blythe blinked back the brightness.
“Shit. You scared me,” Ricki said. “Why are you sitting in the dark?”
“I was waiting for you.” Blythe stuck out her bottom lip, hoping to make Ricki feel guilty.
“I told you I’d be late.”
Ricki tapped Blythe’s feet, indicating she wanted to sit on the couch. Blythe considered not moving them as an act of protest. Instead, she pulled her feet up, giving Ricki just enough room to sit.
With a sigh, Ricki plopped down, letting her head fall back against the couch cushion. “This job is gonna kill me.”
Blythe scooted to a sitting position, resting her back against the arm of the couch. She pulled her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around them. “I’m done telling you to find a new one.”
