Page 12 of Sharing Shadow Secrets (High Five Novella #6)
I ’m sitting in my hotel room. I need to go to sleep and get adjusted to this time zone, but I’m wide awake. While it’s eleven here, it’s only five at home. I’m curious if Taylor did it—called Nicholas. She hasn't texted me since our last message. Is it desperate for me to text? Whatever.
Brandon
Are you celebrating?
Taylor
Are you stalking me?
Brandon
No. What do you mean?
Taylor
I’m at the bar with my roommates. We’re celebrating me quitting my job and getting High Five as a client.
I should go for sober girls. The thought flashes through my mind. Taylor didn’t have anything to drink at the barbecue. Hopefully she is just a social drinker. I could be with someone that has a couple drinks with their friends sometimes.
Brandon
You quit your job today? Damn!
Taylor
Felt right. I’m a vibes person. I do what the vibes tell me.
Cute.
Brandon
Congrats on getting your first account! That’s incredible.
Taylor
Need three more, and then I will have a viable business.
Brandon
What kind of companies do you want to work with?
Taylor
Cool ones with nice people.
I think about my friends and people I went to school with. Most of the companies are something financial and boring.
Brandon
Can I introduce you to my friend Dani? She is in this space, sort of. Used to own a PR firm. She does less marketing now, but she seems to know everyone.
Taylor
As long as you’ve never dated Dani.
I tilt my head, curious about that text.
Brandon
Are you a territorial person?
Taylor
Exes are bad vibes.
Isn’t that the truth.
Smiling, I roll to my stomach on the king-sized bed in the five-star hotel. Some people dream about this kind of thing, but being here without anyone … it’s lonely. I wish Taylor would have joined, but I get that we just met.
Brandon
She and I used to party together, but nothing ever happened. We’re both reformed now. So if you meet up, coffee is best.
Taylor
I am taking all the meetings I can. Have her email me. I just got my domain name and set up a business email.
Brandon
That was fast! Look at you. Very cool you’re doing your own thing. So, what’s your company called?
Taylor
Social Experiment. Terrible SEO, but I love the name. Socialexperiment.com is available but it’s $28,000!!!!!!!!!!! So, I got social-experiment.com.
Brandon
My love language is gift giving …
Taylor
Absolutely not!
One thing that was never a point of contention about Kate and my relationship was money.
We grew up very similar. Dating girls without trust funds …
it’s always gotten weird. And here I am making it weird when I just want to be nice.
But I need to act normal. Well, normal compared to Taylor’s normal.
Maybe I buy it so no one else can? Don’t be weird. Let it go.
Brandon
I know we are discussing the book when I get back, but know that I can never look at a hammer the same way.
Taylor
Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Brandon
I can’t imagine a woman actually wanting that …
Taylor
Who’s to say …
Smirking, I need to get to bed. My brain requires a full night of sleep to stay regulated. But I want to know more about Taylor.
Brandon
More discussion about that on Wednesday. Think about what you want to do unless you want me to do all the thinking.
Taylor
I’ll let you be in charge.
Chuckling, I do not want to say goodnight. I want to keep this going. Keep texting her.
Brandon
We can take turns.
Biting my nail, I watch the bubbles, curious and excited about how she might respond.
Taylor
I hear I can be bossy.
Brandon
Leadership skills are very sexy.
Taylor
Until you feel emasculated.
Brandon
Degradation isn’t all bad.
Taylor
Very flirty, Brandon.
Brandon
Scroll up, your wink emoji started it.
Taylor
You sure about that? Talk of turning one’s brain off is sexual. No?
She’s not wrong.
Brandon
I’ll stop distracting you from celebrating with your friends. I need to try to get to sleep, and these texts are not helping. Goodnight.