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I’m sweet, period. No vicious in the mix
And to prove it to you, I’m going to let you sleep now
Sweet dreams
To Gabriel
As if I’m going to sleep after those earlier texts you sent
From Gabriel
I could sing you a lullaby
The next message is a voice note. I’m kind of scared as I press play. Then laugh my head off as I listen to a terrible rendition of “Rock-a-Bye Baby.” I reply:
To Gabriel
Thank you for that
I’ll listen to it whenever I’m down
Sweet dreams to you, too
I put the phone down and sigh into the void of my room, “Goodnight Gabriel ‘You Surprise Me More Every Day’ Mercer.”
* * *
When a knock sounds on my door the next morning, an unbidden smile stretches my lips. Nothing I can do to stop it. I’m still in bed, even if I should’ve probably gotten up a while ago.
Not caring one bit, I go to open the door, wearing only Gabriel’s sweater. The happy fluttering in my chest dies down when I find Justin waiting on my porch instead of Gabriel.
In my head, a sad trombone wah-wah-wah fail sound effect goes off. Talk about lowering expectations.
I wouldn’t have minded if Thomas were here, too, instead of just Gabriel. But Justin? Eek. I thought he got the message he was persona non grata the first night, given how I didn’t see him all of yesterday. But apparently, his emotional intelligence is just as challenged as it used to be.
“Justin,” I say, suddenly unable to smile without effort.
“You don’t seem too happy to see me.”
I ignore the comment. “You have a reason to be here?”
He looks taken aback by my being curt. “We never finished talking the other night after Mercer interrupted us.” He lowers his sunglasses with that arrogant ease I used to find so endearing and that now only disgusts me. “I thought you two had a thing, but from the way you destroyed him yesterday at that panel, I’m pretty sure you don’t.”
“Why?”
“You would never humiliate your man in public like that.”
Objection. I could never have that sort of gloves-off competition with a man-child with a fragile, little ego like you. One thing our panel made me realize yesterday is that Gabriel is a man who can handle a strong woman treating him like an equal.
Of course, I don’t explain any of this to Justin. It’d be just wasted breath.
“Listen,” I start. “Regardless of what my relationship with Gabriel is—”
“Gabriel? Aww, that sounded pretty intimate,” he says with a lewd smile.
I flare my nostrils.
His smile twists, turning petty. “Oh, I see you’ve moved up the gold-digger ladder; aiming for the stars now, are you?”
