Page 58 of Last Night Was Fun

Well, I don’t snore.

Her face bent into a smile.

I do.

Really?

No. But I’ve been known to talk in my sleep.

Ah. Well, I look forward to learning Emmy Jameson’s deep, dark unconscious secrets.

You already know my biggest secret.

What, that you have an affinity for musical bird-related humor?

Emmy laughed out loud, and the sound startled her. Why was talking to him through text so easy? It was like no time had passed; nothing had gone wrong. They hadn’t imploded their perfect relationship by taking it to the ill-informed next level.

No, pun master. I meant your identity.

We need to expand your horizons if my identity is your biggest secret. I’m looking forward to what kind of trouble we can get into in Mexico.

Emmy’s heart flipped over with a delicious little bump. The feeling made her forget she was texting Gabe, not Axe Murderer.

Beth’s words floated back to her.They’re the same person.

She knew that was objectively true, but she still could not fully wrap her mind around it. Especially with the curious floating feeling his saying he waslooking forwardto joining her had filled her body with.

I look forward to it too. I’ve got to go. I didn’t buy an international plan, so these texts might be costing me like 50 cents apiece.

Stay. I’ll Venmo you.

She smiled again, finding herself pleased he wanted to keep talking.

Aren’t you at work?

Yes, but everyone else is at lunch.

Aw, are you having a sad desk lunch all by yourself, Olson??

Alas, the price I have to pay to be able to jet off to Mexico on short notice, Jameson.

That, or Torres insisted on Thai takeout for the hundredth time this month, and you don’t like fish sauce so were looking for an excuse not to join.

How do you know I don’t like fish sauce?

Emmy felt like she’d been caught doing something she wasn’t supposed to. Put to a test, she could list several facts about Gabe Olson she’d collected over the years, mostly by osmosis. Working in close quarters with someone tended to reveal their quirks and preferences. Like how he liked his coffee black, linked paper clips into chains when he was thinking hard, always chose the green marker when he wrote on the whiteboard, and had mentioned on more than one occasion he actually found fish sauce too potent despite the office’s general affection for Thai takeout.

You’ve mentioned it before. Down with fish sauce; down with oat milk.

True on the first, but I’m reformed on the second, remember?

Oh, right. I forgot you’ve come over to the oaty side.

Happy to be here.

We’re up to like $15 in texts here...

The price of an oat milk latte, how appropriate.