Page 77 of Wild Card 13

"In Minnesota."

"Which means it's six-thirty where you are." She frowned harder. "You hate calling people before eight. What's wrong?"

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out.

Naomi's expression changed instantly. The sleep disappeared from her eyes. "Lucy."

"I did something."

"You sound guilty."

"I am."

She pushed herself upright against the headboard. "Did someone die?"

"No."

"Did you get fired?"

"No."

"Did you punch somebody?"

I blinked. "What?"

"I don't know." She shrugged. "I'm eliminating possibilities."

Despite everything, a tiny laugh escaped me. I hated that she'd found me so quickly.

"What happened?" she asked again, softer this time.

I stared at the hotel ceiling. "I slept with Ty."

Silence. Complete. Absolute.

Naomi didn't blink. Then she frowned. "No, you didn't."

"I did."

She snorted. "Stop messing with me."

"I'm not."

"Lucy."

"I'm serious."

"No, you're not."

"I wish I wasn't."

Another beat of silence stretched between us.

She leaned closer to her phone like changing the angle would somehow reveal I was joking. "You slept with Ty."

"Yes."

"The Ty."