Page 42 of Unearthed Dreams

I practically ran up the stairs, my mother’s laughter following me all the way to my room. Once inside, I collapsed face-first onto my bed, groaning into my pillow.

My phone had buzzed in my purse. Probably Shelby, wanting details about last night. Or worse, maybe Kai, telling me it was all a mistake...

I’d almost left without giving him my number. Had my hand on the doorknob when his voice, still rough from sleep, stopped me.

“Charlie.”

I’d turned, heart hammering. He was sitting up in bed, whitehair mussed, looking devastatingly gorgeous in just a t-shirt and gym shorts. The morning light caught the silver in his beard, making me hitch a breath.

“Your phone.” He’d held out his hand expectantly.

I’d fumbled in my purse, nearly dropping it twice before placing it in his palm. His fingers had brushed mine, sending electricity up my arm.

“I’m not letting you leave here without a way to reach you,” he’d said, typing in his number and sending himself a text. “Just in case...”

“In case what?”

His eyes had met mine, dark and intense. “In case I need to hear your voice.”

Now, face still buried in my pillow, I reached blindly for my purse. The phone buzzed again. Two messages.

With shaking fingers, I pulled out my phone.

SHELBY

CHARLIE!! Trevor was super bummed you left early last night. Did something happen? Also, resort hot tub = amazing. You missed out!

The last thing I needed was Trevor drama on top of everything else.

The second message made my heart stop.

KAI

Did you make it home safe, pretty girl?

I slapped a hand over my mouth, trying to muffle the embarrassing squeal that escaped me. How did he manage to make me feel like this with just a text?

While I was still staring at those few simple words, another incoming message popped up.

SHELBY

Call me ASAP. I need DETAILS about why you really ditched us...

A giddy warmth spread through my chest that had nothing to do with Kai’s texts—okay, maybe a little to do with them. Shelby actually wanted to know what happened. Wanted to talk. Like real friends.

For years, I’d kept her at arm’s length, assuming she only tolerated me as a roommate. But maybe I’d been wrong. Maybe I’d been the one building walls, too scared of rejection to let anyone in.

My fingers hovered over the keyboard, torn between responding to Kai or Shelby first. God, I wanted to tell someone about last night. About how it felt when Kai kissed me, when his hands...

I squeaked and buried my face in my pillow again. How did peopledothis? Talk about... stuff like this?

But isn’t this what I’d been missing? Those late-night girl talks Shelby always tried to initiate that I’d dodged because I had “nothing to contribute”?

My phone vibrated against my palm.

SHELBY

CHARLIE. I SWEAR TO GOD. SPILL.