“Even though I expressly asked you not to?”
“Has anyone ridden to your rescue before, Ryan Genevieve Moon?”
“How do you know my real name?”
“A handy tool called the internet. I do like Goddess though.”
Rustling noises came over the line and then she was in a quieter environment. “I don’t want you to miss work for me. Honestly. We’re fine. A lot of the people here are senior citizens and empty nesters. Definitely not the rough crowd your way overactive imagination is picturing.”
“I’m not anymore.”
“No? You seemed rather…incensed. In full Esquire mode.”
“It’s a bad habit. I’m new to being a boyfriend and very not new to being a lawyer.”
She hissed out a breath. “I don’t do relationships.”
“Me either, since I’m still a recent virgin, apparently.”
“Wow. I did not guess that. Did you learn from YouTube?”
“Another sort of You video site, but close enough.” I squinted into the darkness at a huge, looming shape. “I think I just saw a damn moose.”
“What? No. Holy crap.”
“Or it was otherworldly. It scampered into the night. There is that road around here with the dead bride ghost. You’ve heard that tale? Anyway, we’ll have to look for it someday.” I didn’t shudder, but boy, it was close. “In the daylight.”
“Yeah, we’ll revisit that at another time. If you insist on coming—”
“I do.”
She sighed. “Then be careful, okay? No texting or phone calls. Those back roads have a lot of hairpin curves.”
“Then get off my phone.” I smiled. “Baby.”
She hung up.
I got lost. Three times.
By the last one, she was texting me. Dare I say frantically.
I wouldn’t say I grinned as the in-dash system read them to me but—
Okay, yes, I was.
Broadly.
Miss Moon: PMS, u shouldn’t be reading these. But if you are, I just want to say that u’re a pain in the ass. But I like it. I like u.
Miss Moon: I shouldn’t. We don’t fit. But we do. Y do we fit?
Miss Moon: I’m sure u’re prob just trying to find u’re way in the dark. I’ve been lost on these roads too. But I have faith in u. That’s y I sent Grant to u. U won’t let him down.
Miss Moon: Just like u won’t let me down. U damn idiot. I told u to stay home but u won’t listen.
Miss Moon: U won’t stay in the spot I want to put u. Y won’t u, dammit?
Miss Moon: TG u won’t. Bc I’m already getting used to it, u big dolt. Used 2 u. Even if it makes no sense.