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“Kay.” She sniffles again. “Let me know how it goes.”
I clutch the phone harder. “Okay, that’s it. I’m coming over. You can cry on my shoulder and we can have some more cocoa—”
“No. I...” She blows her nose. “Not tonight, Aud. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay.” I hope I haven’t pushed her so far she’ll never be friends with me again. “We’ll talk.”
I disconnect and sit on my bed. I’m not sleepy; too wired with nerves. I suck in a deep breath. Now or never.
My fingers shake as I scroll for Zane’s cell number. I’ll ask him if I can visit Ash tomorrow afternoon, after class.
Of all my worries of the day, I never expect Zane to be the real issue. It turns out he’s hesitant to have me over for a visit.
“I don’t know, Audrey...”
I blink in the silence that follows. “Zane. I won’t stay long. Just want to talk to Ash.”
“Yeah, about that.” He sighs. “Maybe it’s not such a good idea.”
Um. “Why not?”
“Ash is like a brother to me. He’s been through a lot and doesn’t need your attitude.”
Okay. A dozen angry retorts rise to my lips—you’re worried about him? What about me? And what about the fact he let me down first? Or that his father killed mine?—but I can’t get a single one out, because... Because they make me sound selfish. I have been selfish and I’m trying to get over that.
“I just need to know.” I rub my eyes. “Is he okay?”
“He’s fine. I don’t—”
“Tessa told me what happened. I swear I had no idea his dad’s such an ass.”
“Not many people do,” Zane replies stiffly. “Ash wouldn’t want them to.”
“I understand.”
“I’ll tell him you called.”
“Please let me come over, Zane.”
“Why?”
Right. “I blamed him for everything. And he knows it. I wasn’t thinking straight.”
Zane snorts. “And now you want to apologize?”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe isn’t enough. I understand why you blamed him. But if you’re not sure you feel differently now, then...”
I wait. “Then what?”
He grunts. “I was going to say stay away from him, but that’s what Dylan told him concerning you, and I won’t. I’m not his keeper; just his friend.”
Dylan told Ash that? Holy crap. “Does that mean I can come over?”
Zane swears under his breath. “If you promise you’ll play nice...”
“Promise. Tomorrow?”
