Sharing Hannah

The sudden ringing of my phone caused me to nearly jump out of my skin! I glanced down, to where a number flashed across the screen. It was a strange number. A number I didn’t immediately recognize…

… at least not until I looked to the bottom of the flyer, still in my other hand.

Two

LAUREN

The phone was on its second ring before I even realized what was happening. By the third ring, my heart was beating a mile a minute.

Don’t pick it up.

It was my first instinct. Such an easy thing to do; to simply ignore it. Just let it ring a few more times, and go to voicemail.

Still…

The phone rang a third time. A fourth. Why did I feel so anxious all of a sudden? All I had to do was not do anythin—

“Hello?”

It happened mechanically, without me even realizing. Or maybe I did realize it, and I’d done it anyway. But somehow, some way or another… I’d actually answered.

“Hi there!” a voice on the other end answered smoothly. “This is Brody.”

I froze. The walls of my throat felt literally locked against one another. A long, agonizing moment passed.

“Hello?” the voice said hesitantly.

“B—Brody,” I somehow managed to say.

“Brody and Corey, actually,” the voice said. God, it was such a cute voice. No, that wasn’t right. It was a hot voice. A deep, masculine voice full of strength and stamina and—

“We received a couple of texts from this phone number last night,” the voice went on. Then, after another awkward pause: “Was that you?”

I looked down, and the arm holding the phone was shaking! I couldn’t believe it. I was still in shock.

“Maybe you picked up one of our flyers?”

“I— I…”

My stomach was in knots. It felt like a hot knife, twisting around in my gut. A really weird feeling.

But at the same time, I sort of liked it.

“Yes,” I said at last, adding a nervous chuckle. “That would’ve been me. And I’m really sorry,” I added. “I totally didn’t mean to—”

“Please,” the velvety voice said. “Don’t be sorry. In fact, Corey and I were pretty excited to get your message. And especially your photos.”

My stomach lurched again, this time in a different direction. It was like being on a roller coaster of highs and lows.

“By the way, you’re very beautiful,” the man on the phone said admiringly. “And really sexy.”

The knife twisted again. The heat in my belly was dipping lower now. Dropping to a more dangerous, forbidden place.

“I— I don’t know if I really meant to send those,” I said hesitantly. “I mean, I was… it was really late, and I was thinking of… well…”

“Hey listen,” said Brody, “we totally get it. You were nervous. Apprehensive. Or maybe you had a few drinks, you were just lonely…”

Yes, I thought to myself. And yes.