Page 81 of Hate You More

Maybe I’m not the only one on the overthinking bus.

“He just said something cute, didn’t he?” Chelsea sounds so eager.

“Kind of.”

“Knew it,” she singsongs. “Your eyes have gone all soft.”

“I’m almost done,” I say, glancing down at my phone again.

“Take your time. My envious ass is gonna get a brownie.” She pushes back her chair. “Want anything?”

I shake my head and quickly type out an answer before I can overthink it. Again.

Thank you for the compliment. I accept it with grace so no need to add a toaster to your bathwater. If it helps, you might remember that I was the one with the boob hanging out this morning.

I press “Send,” then decide he’s not the only one capable of a cute sign-off:

See you later.

*Insert pleasantry here*

Clara.

His response is immediate.

If I didn’t know better, I’d say that sounded like an invitation.

I bark out a laugh. Someone’s getting a little sassy. A little bold.

My boobs + insert ≠ an invitation to his pleasant penis.

But he’s joking. Obviously joking. So I reply with:

Rolling away like a tumbleweed in the wind.

“You guys sexting?” Chelsea asks, taking her seat again.

“Not even,” I say with a laugh.

“Well, something has you blushing. Deadass jealous over here.”

“Sorry. He’s just being . . .”

“Thirsty?”

I’m feeling a little parched myself. And a little fluttery. Unnecessarily. I reach for my cooling coffee as his next text lands.

Troy: Now who needs that toaster bath?

With all due respect . . . and a little jest. ;)

“More like . . . it doesn’t matter,” I answer, ignoring how that flutter has turned a little achy. And not at the use of that winky face. The exchange is a reminder of how we used to be. How fun things were between us. “Troy sent me the link,” I say, scrolling through the messages to open the link to the Page Six article.

I hold my phone between us, the post tagged as a “Society Exclusive” on their website, with a heading that reads:

Fintech Giant Troy Templeton Marries Reclusive Park Avenue Heiress in Surprise Courthouse Wedding.

The subheading reads: