Page 101 of Damián

“Don’t be.” I pat his arm until he sets me down. “We’re sort of in the middle of a fight right now. Wanna go first or should I?”

“After you,” he says, moving away so I can get into the vent. “So you fought? What are you going to do?”

“I don’t know,” I admit, as I get into the vent.“What do you think I should do?”

“Hell if I know. What do you normally do when you fight with someone you’re hooking up with?”

“I ghost them…” I admit. “You?”

“Same…” Björn stops crawling down the vent and scratches his beard, probably waiting for the powers of his Viking ancestors to deliver the answer. “But what have you done to fix things with someone you actually wanted to keep hooking up with?”

“I’ve never had anyone I cared for enough to fix the problem. You?”

“Same…”

I groan, rubbing my face in frustration. “Look, I love you, and I am so glad you’re here, but they really should’ve sent Leif today.”

“Oh, a hundred percent. He’d definitely know what to do.” Björn’s eyes suddenly light up like he’s just figured out the answer to the universe.

“Should I call him?”

“Now?!”

“Ja, why not?” Björn sits down on the vent, opens his dinosaur fanny pack, pulls out his phone, and wiggles it within my reach.

“Mmm… you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Absolutely. He is all about forgiveness and soulmates, so he’ll know what to do. Plus… this way I get to hear when he finds out you have a crush and absolutely freaks the fuck out.”

“I don’t know…”

He clutches his phone to his chest, giving me the biggest puppy eyes in the world.

“Fine, call him.”

Which, to be perfectly honest, I kind of also want to hear him freak out. Something tells me it’s going to be hilarious.

“But first… we record.” Björn taps a special app on his screen.

“You’re recording him?”

“Obviously. His reaction is going to be nothing short of legendary. Besides, New York is a ‘one-party consent state.’”

“One-party consent? Wait… how many recordings do you have of me?” I ask, but the ass just grins and dials his brother.

“The fuck, Björn—”

“Hej, bror!” Leif picks up. “Hur mår du—”

“Nej, Leif… we have an English speaker among us.”

“Oh…”

“But first… are you alone or in a secured room?”

“Ja, I am at the apartment.”

“Good,” Björn passes me his phone.