Page 42 of Offside

I smiled at the road, relieved nothing was awkward. We could still be friends and chat about books. The fact I wanted more didn’t matter. I’d play this game with her any day.

Ryan: Send me your full argument

Maren: It’s long

Ryan: I have time

Three dots appeared. Disappeared. Appeared again.

Maren: It’s really long

Ryan: Maren…

Maren: Fine fine. Okay so. The thing about Sable is that her whole arc in book two is built around misdirection. Every time she appears the narrative shifts focus before we can get a read on her actual motivations. Which is NOT what you do with a red herring. Red herrings get resolution. Sable gets deflection. Those are different things.

Ryan: That’s a good argument

Maren: I know

Ryan: It’s still wrong

Maren: I hate you

Ryan: No you don’t

The three dots appeared and stayed there for a long moment. Then disappeared without a response.

I drove home through the warm Phoenix night, windows down, and thought about her the whole way. Her soft lips. The way she tasted. All of her. Fuck, I am in so much trouble.

Before I climbed into bed, I plugged my phone in and saw I had one more text from Maren.

Maren: No. No, I don’t hate you at all.

CHAPTER 10

MAREN

Friday night I was on my couch in sweats with a glass of wine and a book I wasn’t reading when my phone lit up.

Ryan: You’re not at The Rusty Nail.

Maren: Traded it for wine and a couch. Significantly better deal.

Ryan: Debatable. Cole’s doing impressions.

Maren: Of who?

Ryan: Everyone. Yours was surprisingly accurate.

Maren: I’m choosing to take that as a compliment.

Ryan: You should. Long day?

Maren: Long week. Early morning tomorrow or I’d probably be there.

Ryan: Everything okay?

That one landed quieter than the rest. Underneath the easy back and forth, just that.