Dream Chaser (Dream Team, #2)(23)

And in the end, we were still acquaintances. We had shared friends.

There would be times when we wouldn’t be able to avoid each other. Lottie and Mo’s impending wedding, for one. The Memorial Day barbecue Mag and Evie were having, another.

So maybe this was a kind of badass olive branch.

We had our thing, we had it out, we’re moving on, but since we can’t avoid each other entirely, we should try to get along.

Bearing that in mind, I programmed him in and texted back.

Roger that.

You’re programmed and my first call

after my next abduction.



I’d gone back into the bathroom (and yeah, I took my phone, just in case he texted back, because we were moving on, but I couldn’t just turn off how I felt for Boone, it’d take time) when he texted back.

I was mid-swipe of toner when I stopped toning altogether, grabbed my phone and read,

Not funny.



He was wrong.

Because reading his text, it hurt just a little bit, having to give a go to this possible “friend” thing with Boone.

But I still laughed.





Chapter Five





By a Mile





Ryn


That night, I sat scrunched up in the corner of my couch, wearing a pair of short-short cutoffs I’d fashioned from a pair of jeans I owned way back in high school (so they were uber faded, uber soft, and uber cool). On top I had on a hugely oversized black-and-white-striped long-sleeve tee that was so OTT on the oversize, the shoulder drop went to my elbow (but the sleeves were designed shorter to allow for it, they still hugged the apple of my palms).

I had the shades down and the ID channel on (the better to freak myself out with all the deliciously creepy true crime stuff I was gonna watch that night).

In other words, I was settled in for an awesome evening.

I was hungry so I should be thinking about food.

But I did not have my eyes to the TV.

I also did not open up DoorDash and order food.

I had my knees to my chest, my feet in the cushion, my phone to my face, and what I was doing was scrolling through and rereading the weirdly long text string I’d accumulated in one day with Boone.

Now you have my number.

Program it.

And next time you’re kidnapped…

Use it.



Roger that.

You’re programmed and my first call

after my next abduction.



Not funny.



Kinda funny.



Hawk was taken once.

You can ask his wife Gwen how she felt when she was texted the pic of him hanging from a hook.



Eek!



Yeah.



Okay.

I give in.

Kidnappings are not funny.



She can be reasonable.



I try not to be. There’s no fun in being reasonable.



Great.



I will point out, you joked about it first.



I was being serious.



Eek! X2.



What are you doing?



What?

Now?



No, in 2038 when the AI cyborgs take over the earth.

Yeah, now.



He can be sarcastic.



This observation is not an answer to my question.



I’m having lunch with my mother and she’s giving me the evil eye for texting.



Sorry, let you go.



Thanks. Later.

Boone?



Yeah?



Done with lunch with Mom.



Let me guess. Your sister-in-law was the main topic of convo.



They never got married. Just lived in sin.

But yeah. Angelica dominated discussion.



You tell your mom about her?



Yeah.



And?



She’s ticked.



Appropriate response.



This is kinda the worst.



I bet.



Brian called yesterday morning. He’s backing Ang’s play of cutting me off from the kids.



Fuck, Ryn.



Yeah. That phone chat was really not fun.



I’m sorry. That sucks. But if you think about it, it’s not unexpected.



I hear that. I guess you can be addicted to alcohol and being a selfish bitch.



Dysfunction is hard to shake.



This is bumming me out.



Done, except they’ll figure it out, Ryn.

It won’t be easy losing you.



Thanks, Boone.



They’re cute.



What?



Your niece and nephew. Saw you walking in the school with them. They’re cute.



They’re the best.



Names?



Portia and Jethro.



Jethro?



Shut up. It’s making a comeback.



Says the doting aunt.