Page 78 of Never the Same

Reed: I don’t know if you’re being serious, but if you are, you’re stressing me out.

Me: Thought you don’t care about me, why would I stress you out?

Reed: Because Audrey’s your best friend. Told you before, if you die, she’d be upset.

Me: Ah, yes. Makes sense. Well, I don’t care about you either.

Reed: Good, great, please don’t.

Me: You’re extra grumpy tonight. What’s wrong?

Reed: It’s 0200, and I just got back from operating. I’m tired AF, and you’re texting me about wrestling wild animals.

Me: You didn’t have to answer.

Reed: I’ll remember to do that next time. Well, I’m glad an animal didn’t eat you. Now go to bed.

Me: Yes, sir.

Reed: I hate you.

Me:

A text popped up from his mother, interrupting my reading. I quickly discarded the notification so I wouldn’t see what she’d texted. Not my business.

I was a little sad to discover I was near the end of our exchanges, though. I wanted to read more. Also, I needed a happily-ever-after; their story—shit, our story—couldn’t just be left hanging.

Reed: You staying out of trouble?

Me: Just can’t help but check on me, huh?

The time stamp was from about two weeks ago. When he didn’t acknowledge my response, I sent a follow-up.

Me: In France with my brother working on something.

What had I been working on? And didn’t Lyra say Gideon had checked my place in France and it’d been found tossed?

Me: I’m going to swing by Audrey’s later this month to say hi. Will you be around?

Reed: I’ll plan not to be.

Me: Sure, sure. You wouldn’t miss seeing me.

Reed: Haven’t had a good eye roll in a few days, you’re right.

That would have been the weekend before last, not too long before I went to Italy, right?

Me: See you then. x

Reed: That x supposed to represent a kiss?

Me: Don’t you wish?

Me: Why wait until I come when you can roll your eyes now?

Reed: How kind of you.

We had one final brief exchange Wednesday morning of last week.