Follow Me(64)

“Not right now,” I said, struggling to modulate my tone of voice. Even though I hadn’t forgiven Lawrence for the way he’d behaved at the preview, I was trying to maintain a professional relationship with him. “But I’ll come find you when I do, okay?”

Lawrence nodded tightly, cast another look at Nick, and then turned to leave. I felt my body sag with relief as he walked away.

“Nice bow tie,” Nick said, snickering. “Listen, Aud, as much fun as we’re having with whatever this is, I have to get to work. Why don’t you just tell me what’s going on?”

“Just one more time, Nicky. Please.”

He rolled his eyes good-naturedly and held the phone close to his ear as the audio played once more.

“Okay,” he said, frowning. “Yeah, okay. I heard it that time. You say, ‘Hi, you’re dreaming, oh.’ ”

“You think I said all that? You think I’m the one who said ‘you’re dreaming’?”

“Who else would it have been?”

“That’s kind of the question. I’ve got this recording, which sure makes it sound like someone was in my apartment, but nothing’s missing. And it sort of sounds like they just stood there, so—”

“Hold up,” Nick interrupted. “Is this is why you were asking me if I went home? You think that’s me? You think I’m some sort of weirdo who gets off on watching you sleep?”

“That’s not—”

“I’ve got news for you, babe. I have better things to do than watch you toss and turn.”

I arched an eyebrow at him.

He snorted and shook his head. “The ego on you.”

“That’s why you love me, though, right?” I said, hoping to lighten the mood.

A slight smirk appeared on his face. “That and that ass of yours.”

“Well, my ass and I were totally freaked out. Honestly, I didn’t know what to think. It hadn’t even occurred to me that it might just be me.”

“It’s totally you,” he said with a shrug. “But maybe I should come over tonight and see if it happens again.”

One of Nick’s golden eyebrows was arched seductively, and I was suddenly very aware of the way his striped dress shirt strained slightly across his broad shoulders, the way his gray slacks hugged his firm thighs. Warmth pooled in my stomach, and I bit my lip.

And then I thought about Max—sweet, floppy-haired Max, who sent me the recipe to his lemongrass curry as though I might actually make it myself. Since our picnic, we’d started texting throughout the day and chatting every evening before bed. It was something I had started to look forward to—curling up at night and telling him about my day, listening to him describe his. He was sweet and thoughtful, and I was starting to think that I might really be falling for him. I couldn’t ruin what we might be building by letting Nick into my bed again.

“Not tonight,” I said.

Nick squinted at me. “First you wouldn’t let me stay. Then you don’t respond to my messages. And now this. Are you mad at me or something?”

“No, not at all.”

I considered leaving it at that, but thought better of it. I didn’t owe Max anything—we’d only gone out twice and had certainly never had any conversations about being exclusive—but it seemed like there was definite possibility there. Maybe we could really be something, as long as I didn’t leave a door open for Nick.

“Actually, Nick, I’ve”—I paused to take a deep breath—“started seeing someone.”

Nick smiled, as though it might be a joke. “What?”

I nodded. “Yeah.”

“Huh,” he said, leaning back in his chair, brow furrowed. “So is this the guy you had that picnic at Gravelly Point with?”

“How do you know about that?”

“Audrey, you post your life all over the internet. I’d be surprised if there was anyone on the Eastern Seaboard who didn’t know about it.” He sighed and drummed his fingers on his knee. “Well, shit. I’d say you don’t know what you’re missing, but you do.”

“The ego on you,” I shot back teasingly.

“We’re a pair, huh?” He screwed up his mouth. “I have to admit, I’m a little surprised to see Audrey Miller interested in monogamy.”

“It’s just something I’m trying.” I offered him a smile. “You never know, maybe I’ll be calling you next week.”

He scoffed. “Maybe you’ll be calling me tonight.”

“Nick—”

He waved me away and stood. “See you around, Audrey.”





CHAPTER FORTY-THREE





AUDREY


Cat frowned down at my phone, which sat on the table between us at Sweetgreen, buffeted by our salads. The Luna Listen app was open, its eerie recording playing at top volume.

“I don’t know,” Cat finally said. “I’m not sure what I’m hearing.”

I rewound slightly and lifted the phone toward her ear. “There. At the end. Do you hear someone say ‘You’re dreaming’?”

“Maybe,” she said uncertainly. She took the phone from my hands and listened to that portion again. “I don’t know, Audrey. Is that you?”