Page 22 of The Lunatics

“I lost math for three days.”

I clutched the steering wheel and dry-heaved.

“I’m just saying that everything is intense at first, and it gets worse before it gets better,” she said.

That sobered me right up. “Great.”

“Be careful not to let the bond confuse you. Sit down and set some boundaries. And try not to jump into bed together before you’re fully ready.”

“I don’t plan to,” I said.

“Are you even attracted to him? I couldn’t tell from your scent.”

“That’s because I’ve been keeping any thoughts like that under lock and key. I do think he’s good-looking. And yes, I’m attracted to him, but… not in an entirely sexual way? It’s more akin to antagonism. Like, he’s so put together that I want to shove him offbalance. Get under his skin a little to see the wolf hiding beneath all the layers of human refinement he’s draped himself in.”

“Be careful. You know better than anyone else that sometimes coping mechanisms are all that holds a person together.”

“Good point. I’ll try not to push him too hard until I know him better.”

“How are you doing otherwise? Boston is a big city filled with some seriously dangerous creatures.”

“It’s more the sensation overload I’m worried about right now. Living on the outskirts of Amherst was a struggle. All those college kids filled with hormones and alcohol. I’m guessing a city is going to be much worse.”

Mom barked a laugh. “Why do you think your father and I never leave the boonies?”

I chuckled, sobering a few seconds later. “Thank you for what you said before we left. It’ll be good to escape back there every once in a while.”

“Of course, Lala. You can always come home, you know that.”

“Please don’t be upset, Mom, but…”

“But it doesn’t feel like home anymore?” she asked, her tone sad. “Remember, you’re speaking to an old bonded lady. I understand. I may still cry about it after we hang up, but I get it.”

Regret punched through me. I should have kept my mouth shut. “I’m sorry.”

“You keep apologizing. Don’t. None of this is your fault.”

“Well, then I’m sorry you’re upset.”

“My sweet girl. Try not to let the big city make you jaded.”

“Never.”

We talked for another half an hour, Mom giving me advice based on what she could remember from the early days with Dad, and me peppering her with questions she didn’t always have answers to. Apparently the bond was different from couple to couple. Hertrying to explain how she and Dad were able to metaphysically page each other over it proved too confusing for me to follow.

“I swear it’ll all become easier with time,” she promised before we hung up.

I really hoped she was right. The first thing I needed to learn was how to mute the connection. I could see Michael gesturing in the car in front of me, clearly talking to someone on the phone. Weirdly, the annoyance he felt now came through far stronger than any other emotion had. To the point that it started to corrupt my own mood.

I took it out on traffic for a while.

“Nice blinker, asshole!” I yelled at someone who crammed themselves between my truck and the Range Rover. A few minutes later, to someone else, “What the fuck are you doing? What. The fuck. Are you doing?” And then, to Michael, “Why are we not even going the speed limit now? Whyyy?”

Needing a distraction, I called Gia.

“Layla, finally,” she said.

“Well, hello to you, too.”