Page 64 of The Callahan Effect

I opened my contacts, found Corey's name, and pressed the video call button.

Corey answered on the third ring, his face filling the screen.

"There he is." He leaned back in his chair with a grin. "I was beginning to think Evergreen had kidnapped you. You disappear for a couple of weeks and all I get are a few lousy texts."

"I've been busy."

"I can see that. You actually look..." He leaned forward and frowned. "Different."

"Different how?"

"I don't know. Happier."

I hadn't expected him to notice.

"I guess I am."

Corey's attention shifted to one side.

"Who's with you?"

I turned the phone just enough for Jack to come into view.

"This is Jack."

Jack raised one hand in greeting before lifting his phone to my screen.

Hi, Corey. It's nice to meet you.

"He communicates through his phone. He's mute."

Corey lifted a hand in a wave.

"Nice to meet you too."

For a few moments the conversation remained comfortably ordinary. Corey asked how training was going, wanted to know whether Evergreen lived up to its reputation, and laughed when I admitted Coach Callahan had somehow managed to make practices feel even tougher than the sessions we'd endured during the mountain retreat. It felt reassuringly familiar, and I wondered whether I'd worried for nothing.

Then I realized I couldn't keep circling the reason I'd called.

"I actually wanted you to meet Jack because..." I drew a slow breath. "Because he's my boyfriend."

The grin disappeared from Corey's face.

He stared at me as though he'd misheard.

"What?"

"Jack and I are together."

Silence filled the room.

I waited, giving him the chance to process what I'd said, but the confusion on his face slowly hardened into something that hurt far more than I'd expected.

"You're serious."

"I wouldn't joke about something like this."

His eyes moved toward Jack before returning to me.