She Hearts Dogs: They grew up together.

Traveling To Survive: d.a.m.n. Seems like that happens a lot nowdays. Well, I'll let u off the hook on this one. That's the OLD friend's bad, not yours. Maybe u could get him to tell it?

Yeah, right. That's not happening. Another message flashed on the screen.

Traveling To Survive: Now ur turn. Need some feminine advice. Ready?

She Hearts Dogs: Sure. This isn't relationship advice, is it? Because I'm not the best person to ask about that.

Traveling To Survive: Nope. Not exactly. How hard should a person work at a friendship? Hypothetically of course. If you find yourself constantly going the extra mile, do you keep trying? Or give up?

She Hearts Dogs: Is this a potential date thing or a buddy?

Traveling To Survive: Buddy She Hearts Dogs: Ok. That's easy. Never give up on your buddies and they won't give up on you. Why would that be considered feminine advice though?

Traveling To Survive: Because I don't want to ask a guy-sounds soft. Hey, you think we should meet some time? Would love to buy you a drink or dinner. What d'ya think?

She Hearts Dogs: Hmmm. You don't think that would ruin our budding romance?

Traveling To Survive: Is that what this is? Really? I thought we were just chatting. JK.

She Hearts Dogs: That's the point. If we meet, we are no longer "just chatting." Don't you think the anonymity of it all is kinda nice? I mean we can say whatever we want to and not worry about impressions. It's liberating.

Traveling To Survive: Liberating from what? Okay. We'll keep chatting then. Let me know if you change your mind though. I can still chat even if I actually know who I'm chatting with.

Abby dropped the phone as if it were on fire and rolled over in the bed. She scrunched her eyes closed and pondered the thought of meeting someone now. Someone else.

The display on the phone blasted the room in light and she rose to see it. She pulled it closer and read.

Carter: Sorry about losing it. Think Abby's involved w someone.

Huh? Where the heck did he get that idea? Especially after the other night. She wanted to let it go but h.e.l.l, she was so far over the line with the texting, it didn't matter.

Did she say that?

Carter: Not exactly.

Then call her and ask.

Carter: I can't. None of my business. Wanna get a beer when I get back?

She frowned. Why would he think that after all that happened? Oh, yeah. She told him as much when he asked about Jackson. Idiot. How was it possible a random guy she never officially met could cause this much havoc in her life? Abby tossed the phone down. She really hated this Jackson guy. In fact, if she ever saw him again, she planned to tell him exactly what she thought. And the girlfriend too. Still, her chat buddy was right, it was their drama to tell-not hers. She grabbed the phone again and added a message before settling back into the bedding.

CALL HER.

Chapter Eighteen.

Her cell light blasted her again around 11:00 p.m. and she groaned. Without sound, it simply danced around on the nightstand. More annoying than if it rang. No one ever called this late unless-she pulled herself up. An emergency. That would be the only reason. She grabbed the phone and blinked to focus on the screen. It had been forwarded from the office phone. She started to ignore it, but the incessant buzzing wasn't to be denied.

"Hey, Abby, It's Carter." The low rumble of his voice made her heart jolt. Yay! He took her advice. Correction, Jackson's advice.

"Um, Carter?" Stupid to ask because one, he told her and two, she knew that voice-intimately. Still, she didn't care to give away the fact she'd wanted him to call and why the h.e.l.l he thought she was involved with someone else. How to get to that discussion without giving away her spying efforts? She sat up in bed and leaned against the headboard.

"Wow, your voice sounds good. Listen, I'm sorry I haven't called. It's just that-work has been crazy. I'm in Thailand."

"I heard. What's it like over there?" She imagined tons of short, thin, dark-haired women fawning over him and playing karaoke while drinking shots at a bar-a bar where everyone sang American songs in strange accents. Having never been anywhere near there, she had nothing to go on but scores of movie clips. Yeah, it wasn't exactly politically correct to generalize but-it wasn't like she voiced the thought.

"Crowded. Too crowded. How's the flower world going? Business good?" His words were distant and awkward. Yet comforting.

"It's fine. Listen, we need to talk about that night after the game." She wasn't sure where to start or how to tell him about the mistaken messages. If she told too much, he'd realize she'd seen everything he said about her. That might be TMI for the current situation. Would he get mad? Of course he would. He'd hate her and that would be unbearable.

His breath whooshed out in a sigh. "It's okay. Look, I don't know what you have going on, but I just wanted to tell you I was thinking about you. When I get back, we'll talk more."

She frowned. He didn't want to hear it? "Why not now? Anything you need to say can be said now, can't it? Why wait? I mean, what's the point in dragging things out. If you want to know something-or tell me something, it's fine."

Silence.

"I can't right now. I mean, there's something I want to talk about, but it needs to be in person. Not when I'm on the other side of the world. Have you kept up with the Astros this week? I haven't had time."

Geez, did he really want to talk sports? He could do that with anyone-even the a.s.shole Jackson. As much as she enjoyed the game, that wasn't on her mind at the moment. What was on her mind was the full night of unbelievable sheet gymnastics they'd partnered in. Right before she bolted out the door because she wasn't ready to tell the truth. Regardless of her chat buddy's advice, it was wrong to continue the lie.

"I need to tell you something." What was the right way to say it? Oh, it's not me that's involved with your best friend, it's your ex. Or perhaps, listen there's one thing I can't deal with and that's cheating. Nope, too strong. Besides, they weren't involved in a relationship per se-that would likely scare the h.e.l.l out of him and he'd think she was talking about him. Even if it was intended to rea.s.sure.

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I do. There's-"

"No, you don't. I don't want to hear it."

"You don't?"

"No."

Abby frowned. Dammit, I wanted to tell you. She chickened out. Again.

"Okay, then I guess you aren't interested in the fact your friend Roger has the hots for my business partner?"

"Seriously?"

Abby could have sworn there was a touch of relief in his voice. "What, you don't think she's attractive? Or maybe not good enough for your horn-dog friend?"

He laughed. "Hey, now. Of course she's nice looking-a little too severe for me but certainly someone that would catch a guy's attention. Come on, though, she's three almonds short of an Almond Joy, Abs. Rog isn't a horn-dog. He's just a little-confrontational. At least until you get to know him."

"Oh, I get that. I saw it right away. Still, there are some things a guy just shouldn't say. Ever." Or put in a group text message. To ten of his friends.

"Yeah, well. He's an only child and his parents haven't been around much since he was about thirteen. No one really gave him a lot of direction, other than the guys. I wouldn't exactly call that the best school for manners."

Carter had told her none of those simple details about himself. In fact, had she not been to see his mother-she would never have known anything of his childhood. Was that a bad sign?

"Good point. Anyway, he's been following her around your office like a puppy dog whenever we do the maintenance. It's cute, but awkward. Especially because she hasn't even noticed."

"At all?"

"Nope. It's weird. I almost think she intentionally avoids him. You seriously don't think she's attractive?"

"What do you want me to say? I think she's super-hot? If she weren't your partner, I'd probably call her up? Are you trying to push me off on her?"

Uh-oh. h.e.l.l no. "No, of course not. Besides-"

"Or maybe you want to do a threesome? Is that it?"

Yeah, right. Every man's dream. She detected the mirth in his voice and wasn't giving him the satisfaction. "That's it. You caught me. Only that would be a.s.suming we were actually going to see each other again, which is a big a.s.sumption on your part. Considering the fact you're on the opposite side of the planet and haven't called me since-"

"The first time?"

"Technically, you need to add an S to that last word mister. Unless it was so unimpressive you've already forgotten." And yes, it had rankled her he hadn't called, then run off for weeks. Which meant he had no intention of calling.

"I'm talking to you now, aren't I? Oh, and Abs, I remember it all. Every. Single. Time. You want me to give you the number? I can, you know, but would that be your number or mine? I also remember the way you feel, the way you hum right at a particular moment, and how you bolted out of my apartment like it was on fire when your phone rang. So, no, I didn't call. Mainly because I wasn't sure if you wanted me to. You're the one who said it was none of my business."

"What was none of your business?" Okay, now they were getting somewhere, and she definitely liked the part about him remembering everything. Was that in a good way? A best-s.e.x-ever way, or just a yeah, it was nice but let's don't?

"Who you're involved with."

"Well, that was when you accused me of being involved with your friend-"

"Which you were."

Ugh. Gross. That would actually NEVER happen. Still, she hadn't cleared it up because that would mean she'd have to go back to the truth-telling part, which he seemed h.e.l.l-bent on preventing.

"I told you about him and that's what we should talk about. There's a lot there you don't know and I need to tell you because-"

"Look, Abs, I can't hear it at the moment. Sorry. I just can't. It would-"

"Okay. I get it. You don't want to talk about us. You don't have to say it over and over." Technically, as much as she wished otherwise there was no us but still, he wasn't interested in hearing her explanation, so she'd not give it.

"What us? s.h.i.t, Abby. Are you really going to do this to me on the phone? I mean, at least Amanda had the cajones to say it face to face. That's-cold."

The light bulb went blaringly bright. Oh. He thought she was dumping him? How any two people could have such ridiculously bad communication issues was incredible.

"The us I was referring to included two people. Only two ... and you were one of them, okay? I wasn't sure what it was, that's all. I-"

Holy c.r.a.p, she needed to get off the phone before she said something really stupid. Before she spilled her guts and started some sort of mouth-explosion of words like missed you. After all, she barely knew him.

He sighed softly. "Oh. I thought you intended to tell me something else."

"Like what?"

"You were still involved with someone, I guess. I suspected the reason you jetted out when the phone rang was because that someone was looking for you. You know, it was pretty deflating."

"You seriously think I'd do something like that? I mean, I helped you with the flowers for your ex. Who, by the way, seemed really upset about your delivery."

Dead silence. Oh s.h.i.t.

"I thought you said she wasn't there."

Oops. Okay, she could do this. It was time to spill it all-she was a pathetic liar and trying to keep it straight was exhausting-didn't some famous person say "If you don't lie, you won't have to remember what you said"?

She sucked in air and lifted her shoulders for courage. "I lied. That's what I needed to talk about ... "

More silence.

"So she was there?"

"Um, yeah, but it was incredibly awkward and she was crying and blubbering about what a nice guy you were and-" Then she said she was in love with your best friend. Abby bailed out before adding that final stake to the heart. She couldn't do it.

"You didn't tell me about it. Why?" There was an edge to his voice.

"It was awkward. Crazy. If I told you, I wasn't sure what you'd do. Especially after the thing with Jackson, which is actually worse than you thought. It wasn't a long time ago, it was recent but ... "

There was another long pause.

"Recent?" His voice hit a new octave. "s.h.i.t. You're still ... " The silence on the phone made Abby's stomach crawl as she waited for him to speak. "I shouldn't have called."

"You're upset." She a.s.sumed he was desperately trying to get her off the phone after she'd spilled the beans. Was that because he planned to call the old flame? Had her admission made him want to win her back? Her omission about Jackson was critical-yet, she couldn't say it. She growled. Why the h.e.l.l should she? SHE wasn't the one that screwed Jackson. The one that likely was tangled up with the sleazebag at the very minute they spoke.

"No, no. Um, okay, maybe a little. I don't know." Another thundering pause. "Christ. h.e.l.l, yes I'm upset. What did you expect?"

Click He was gone.

"c.r.a.p."

Chapter Nineteen.