Page 160 of First Shift

Is this a new thing or …

My thumbs hovered over the keyboard, my brain lagging behind his as I tried to figure out what “thing” he was talking about. I scrolled back up through our conversation and … nope. Still no clue.

Me

Is what a new thing?

Pauly

U and guys

Me

Definitely new.

Kind of hit me out of nowhere..

Pauly

And UR ok???

Me

Why wouldn’t I be?

Pauly

It might be kind of scary.

U good? 4 real???

My throat tightened, my sinuses starting to burn. I’d spent the last few minutes thinking what an awful, self-absorbed asshole I’d been lately, but Pauly had already moved on, not even holding a grudge. I sniffed and wiped my nose with the back of my free hand before typing back, “Yeah, I’m good. Kind of ridiculously fucking happy, actually.”

The three dancing dots appeared, disappeared, then popped up again before a longer block of text came through.

Pauly

Look man. I’m going 2 level with u.

I’m glad you’re happy.

But is this thing with Callahan serious????

BC if not, u might want to stop.

If shit hits the fan, the Marauders aren’t sending him down

U have 2 think about what’s best for u

I stared down at his words, the loud metallic scrape of a snowplow dragging down the street cutting into the quiet of the condo.

I wasn’t naive. I’d had those exact same thoughts probably a hundred times since Cally and I started hooking up. From the very beginning, I’d known that if push came to shove, I was the expendable one. I’d been terrified, of course, but not so much so that I’d been willing to stop.

And once I fell in love with him, it was already too late. Now here we were getting fucking married!

If I had to choose between my career or him, it wasn’t even a contest—I’d choose Cally every time.

Me