Page 80 of Take Care, Taylor

It rang once.

It rang twice.

“Hello, Audrey,” he answered, voice deep and sleepy.

“Hi.”

Silence.

“Is something wrong?” he asked.

“No.”

“Okay…” His low laughter sent a flutter through my chest. “Then why are you calling me?”

“This was a butt dial. Sorry, I’ll?—”

“Wait.” He stopped me before I could hang up. “How are you these days?”

“Amazing,” I lied. “College is everything I wanted it to be and more. You?”

“I’ve been better. Do you like Iowa?”

“Yeah. Do you like New York?”

“Not really…”

The silence hung between us until I finally burned through it with the truth.

“To be honest,” I said, “I haven’t done much since I flew in and set up my dorm room. Unless I can count taking a walk around campus tonight.”

“You went for a walk at one in the morning?”

“Parties are still going on. I’m guessing this place never sleeps.”

“More like there’s nothing else to do in fucking Iowa.”

I tried to hold back a laugh, but it slipped out anyway.

“That’s probably it,” I said. “Why are you up this late? Eight a.m. class?”

“Hell no. I’m not suicidal.” He chuckled. “I joined a running club. We meet in an hour.”

“Oh. Well, I hope you enjoy that. Bye.”

“Stay on the phone with me, Audrey,” he said, his voice softer, almost pleading. “Let’s catch up.”

“Why?”

“Because you want to.”

“Not really.”

His laughter deepened, rough and warm. “Okay, fine. Would you rather write me an email or a letter?”

“Yes, actually.”

“I’ll give you my address.”