Me: I need a favor.
Chloe texted straight back.
Chloe: What do you need?
Me: Celeste’s number.
Chloe: Dare I ask why?
Me: She’s volunteering at the support group my grams goes to and I need to ask her something.
Chloe: Did that actually sound like a plausible excuse in your head?
Me: Do you have her number or not?
She forwarded me Celeste’s number, and another text came through.
Chloe: I’m guessing you want this to stay between the two of us?
Me: Yep.
Chloe: It’ll cost you. I’m going out with Warner later. If Kye asks I’m with Brianne.
Me: You’re playing with fire. If he finds out you’re seeing someone from the team…
Chloe: Yeah, yeah. I know the risks. We won’t get caught.
Me: You know you’re too good for the likes of Warner, Clo, right?
She was always dating assholes who didn’t treat her right. I didn’t get it. But what did I know about girls?
Nothing, apparently.
Chloe: Thanks for your concern, Dad. But why don’t you leave my love life to me, and I’ll leave your love life to you.
She added a winky emoji for effect.
Me: Brat.
Chloe: Yeah, yeah. Tell it to someone who cares. And Zane… hurt Celeste and I will fuck you up!
My lips curved. She was something all right, and I didn’t envy Kye having to deal with her as she got older. But despite all the headaches she gave him, they were lucky to have one another. To always know that they had someone who had their back.
Storing Celeste’s number, I opened a new message thread.
Me: Did you get home okay?
Einstein: Who is this?
Me: Really, you’re going to act that dumb?
I’d sent it before I could stop myself. But there was just something about her that pushed my buttons.
Einstein: How did you get my number?
Me: I have my ways. Now answer the question… did you get home okay?
Einstein: Since I’m texting you back in complete sentences, I think you can assume I am not being held hostage by some psychopath.