“Okay. I got it.”

I set my phone down to listen, but she stopped talking. “What do you have?” I prompted.

“Shit, sorry. It drifted away before I could grab hold of it. Let me try again.”

I was so screwed right now, so I decided to text Caz.

Me: Hey, remember how we went over those date ideas? Which one do you think would be the best option?

I saw the thought dots for the first time this afternoon, and relief coursed through me. She would give me something I could use while Sonya stood over there grasping at the air, trying to “catch” an idea.

Caz: I’m back with Davia. Delete my number.

Davia? Was that the girl who had broken her heart? Why would she give her another chance? Why did I need to delete her number? Was our friendship over? The nausea returned, and I could feel the uncomfortable churning in my stomach. Why was this happening now?

“Hey, maybe I shouldn’t go on the date. I’m not feeling well.” I looked at Sonya, and she stopped waving her hands around.

“That’s the nerves talking. Take her to Illumi-Links. It’s vibin’.”

I rolled my eyes. It was something, but I wouldn't take a date there unless I was intentionally avoiding conversation. That place assaulted my senses with an overwhelming mix of sights, sounds, and smells. The atmosphere was anything but conducive to romance.

“I’ll figure something out.” I didn’t know what, but this wasn’t it.

“Why don’t you call her on speaker, and I can help?”

She and I had a different definition of that word.

“I should probably do it alone. If you’re there, I might get flustered.”

“Suit yourself. I’m gonna grab a snack. You want anything?”

“Thanks, but I’m good.” Once she had left the room, I reached into my pocket and unfolded the napkin Ember had given me.

I couldn't resist running my finger over the hand-drawn heart at the bottom. I sucked in a deep breath through my nose, inhaling the flowery scent that filled Sonya’s room. As I released a long exhale, I dialed Ember’s number and waited. It rang and rang before finally going to a generic voicemail.

Had she given me a fake number? Was this all a joke? I checked the clock, and it was five till two, so maybe that was why she didn’t answer. I watched the time on the phone tick by and thought about calling again as soon as it struck two. But would that make me pathetic? My number was already in her call log. Maybe the ball was in her court now?

“Psst,” Sonya whispered from outside the door.

“It’s fine. She didn’t answer.” As I flopped onto the bed, a heaviness washed over me, weighing me down.

I wished Caz was here. Her presence had a way of soothing my soul and making everything seem lighter. Her text replayed in my head, each word echoing with the weight of uncertainty. The thought of her potentially being out of my life forever left me raw and powerless.

“What do you mean she didn’t answer?” She walked in carrying a pan of brownies.

“That’s what I mean. It went to voicemail.”

The moment the velvety chocolate touched her tongue, she couldn't help but moan. “Did you leave a message?”

“No. I don’t think I’ll call back, either. She has my number now.” I reached over and took a chunk. The gooey sweetness coated my tastebuds, but there was a hint of spice in it. They were different, but not bad. When I reached for another piece, Sonya’s eyes went wide, and I sighed.

“Sorry.” I pulled back. “I was stressed, but I won’t eat your food again.” Despite my gesture of surrender, she remained motionless, her mouth hanging open like a puppet.

I waved my hand in front of her face, trying to get her attention. “Are you okay?”

She was slow to react but finally spoke. “Yeah. Just so we are clear, I had asked if you wanted something before I left.”

“I know. And I didn’t, but that looked good. It was literally one piece.”

She was so weird when it came to food. She wasn’t the sharing type.

“Okay. As long as I’m not on the hook.”

I didn’t understand what she meant, but I shook my head. “Nope. I chose to eat your junk food, and I will handle the consequences.” I should probably go on a cleanse tomorrow anyway.

“Deal. Now, back to your problem. Maybe since she didn’t answer, it’s a sign that you shouldn’t go out today.” I couldn't help but wonder what had prompted such a dramatic change of opinion, and worry started to seep into my system.

“You think?” Maybe she knew something I didn’t.

“It might not be a bad idea to make her wait. Hot girls like a challenge. Trust me.” She pointed to herself, and I pushed off the bed onto my feet.

“Maybe I’ll let fate decide. If she gets back to me, I’ll go. If not, it wasn’t meant to be.” Honestly, at this point, I didn’t even care. I was more concerned with what was happening with Caz that focusing on a date seemed trivial.

“Okay, but if she reaches out, tell her you’ll do it another day when you have something good planned and make it for the evening so it counts as a real date.”

“Why have you changed your tune so quickly?” Her responses were out of character.

“When I went to get something to eat, I heard the voice of reason, and she said, ‘If you’re not ready, take a chill pill and sleep it off.’”

“What does that mean?” I stared at her quizzically, and she shrugged.

“What does anything mean?” She was making my head spin, and for a second, it seemed like I was talking to Devon.

“I’m going home, and I’ll let you know what happens.”

“Are you okay? Can you drive?”

I wasn’t that upset, so I didn’t understand her apprehension. “I’m good. It’s only five minutes away. I think you’re paranoid. You might want to slow down on the edibles.” I shook my head disapprovingly.

“Good idea. Be safe.” She got up and pulled me into a tight hug. “Oh, here’s your phone.” She put it in my back pocket, which was super weird.

“Thanks. You could have just handed it to me.” I removed myself from her embrace.

“Noted. I’ll do that next time.”

I wasn’t sure this day could get any more bizarre. But the only thing I wanted to focus on was making things right with Caz.

Chapter 25Caz