Every Sweet Regret (Orchid Valley 2)

That won’t be a problem tonight, since she’s already asleep when I get home. I keep my steps quiet as I head down the hall to my childhood bedroom and change into my pajamas. Rusty, Mom’s twelve-year-old golden retriever, meets me at my bedroom door, a pair of my underwear hanging from his mouth.

“Rusty!” I scold, yanking them away. “No!” But Rusty looks up at me with big brown eyes full of adoration, and I can’t stay mad. “You’re lucky you’re the best guy in my life.”

I pad to the bathroom to return the undies to the hamper, brush my teeth, and wash my face. By the time I’m in my sleep clothes and climbing into bed, my bone-deep exhaustion has shifted into a restlessness. Damnit. I just want to sleep for ten hours and try to start tomorrow with a good attitude.

I scroll through social media, smiling when I see Brinley’s latest Instagram post. It’s her and Marston, splattered in paint, with Cami’s newly painted bedroom in the background. I give it a like and ignore that “some girls get everything” jealousy. Truth is, Brinley deserves everything, and she had to fight for it, so I refuse to resent an iota of her happiness or success. I also refuse to impinge on that happiness by asking to bunk with them. She’d say yes, and Marston would go along with it just because he’d do anything to make Brinley happy, but they’ve had enough come between them to get where they are. They deserve some peace and a chance to enjoy each other without me tagging along.

When Instagram no longer interests me, I open up Random for the first time in days, but when I see I have matches waiting, I actually groan. I clearly came here more out of boredom than actual interest. I don’t have it in me to deal with the fuckboys from this app tonight. But bad habits must really die hard, because I’m already checking to see who’s swiped on me.

My stomach lurches into full-on gymnastics at the sight of the bearded thirst trap in the avatar, grinning at the camera.

Kace is on Random. He told me this, didn’t he? I’m not sure I believed he’d really use it, but that’s not the real shock. The real shock is that Kace swiped on me. I couldn’t be more surprised. I’m not qualified for much in this world, but I have the experience of a pro when it comes to being rejected by Kace Matthews.

The match is dated Sunday morning. The morning after sending me away on the worst kind of walk of shame, Kace got on Random, saw the picture of me in my cutest yellow sundress, and swiped. What kind of game is he playing? Did he change his mind? Is this his way of letting me know he wants to finish what we started?

The app is semi-anonymous; when you click on someone’s picture, their basic profile pops up—username, age, and brief bio—but I don’t need any more details beyond his picture to know that GoodHands69 is Kace. I click on the message box. It’s ridiculous to talk here when we can just text each other, but if this is the game he wants to play, I’m down.

ItsyBitsy123: Well, hello, handsome.I like to imagine he’s settled into bed too. Shirtless—because that’s my favorite way to imagine Kace—with one hand behind his head, the other holding his phone as he waits for a message from me.

GoodHands69: Hey! I’d almost given up on you!

ItsyBitsy123: Sorry about that. I haven’t logged on in a few days. I would have, though, if I’d known you’d be waiting. You want me to come over?

GoodHands69: Um . . . not yet??? Sorry, I have no idea what I’m doing right now. You cool with just talking?Fuck, he’s adorable. He could’ve texted me and gotten a response immediately. Or he could’ve hit up any other chick on here, but he got on a hookup app and swiped on me. And now he wants to use said hookup app to . . . chat. I’m not surprised, really. It fits Kace’s MO—nothing impulsive, nothing risky. He’d be the type to make himself try out something like this, only to gravitate to the familiar face.

ItsyBitsy123: Talking’s good. I’m already in bed anyway and won’t consider moving for anything short of the best sex of my life.

GoodHands69: And is that easy to come by on here?I actually laugh out loud. I’ve had so many bad experiences with Random that it’s a wonder I haven’t burned my phone to keep myself from going back for more.

ItsyBitsy123: I wouldn’t know. I like to think I haven’t HAD the best sex of my life yet.

So tell me what you’re doing on Random.

GoodHands69: Grocery shopping?

ItsyBitsy123: Har-har. Don’t be an ass.