Archie:Don’t hate me, Frankie.
The last message wrenched me.
Frankie:I don’t hate you.
Archie:Do you regret last night? Because I don’t.
Did I?I told Ian I didn’t, but I had to ask myself.
I nudged Tiddles off my lap and curled back against the pillows. It still smelled like Archie. One side of it. The other kind of smelled like Jake. I closed my eyes when I dragged the covers up because I could smell Archie on the sheets, too. It was almost like he was there, and it made me miss him.
I missed all of them.
As much as I hated their choices, I didn’t want to fight with them.
Frankie:I don’t. If you’d told me before—last night might not have happened. I’m still mad, but… no, I don’t regret being with you.
Not when Icould still feel him. That was the one sensation I hadn’t been able to shake all night. The feel of him pushing into me, it was still there. The gentle ache of it. The way he’d wrapped around me after.
The best thing I should do was to stop talking to him.
Archie:Thank God. I can still taste you.
I groaned.
Archie:Fair warning. I’m not giving up on us. I like what we have and what we could be.
Frankie:Even if my mom is…
Archie:…
Archie: …
Archie:Your mom and my dad are their own problem. They aren’t us. Don’t let them define us.
But what about…my head hurt.
Frankie:How is your face?
A selfie poppedonto the screen. The nosebleed was done, but there was a definite red mark on his cheekbone and just below his eye, another nearer to his nose.
Archie:How could you not adore this face?
I laughed. That was so Archie.
Archie:I think it gives me character.
Frankie:I think you’re crazy.
Archie:About you.
Another image popped up.The one of the two of us in the living room getting ready to go out to dinner, and my breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t realized he’d been looking at me. His expression was both intent and wondering as he smiled at me.
Archie:See?
Frankie:I’m going to sleep.
Archie:Night, Frankie. Call me tomorrow?