Whisper to Me

“Micah?” My father’s eyebrows bunched together.

“Sam’s grandson,” I said. I’d kept in contact with Micah while I was overseas. He’d download the links to cool music I’d text him. “They’re struggling with medical bills. I can bring in good acts and we could charge a cover—which would go directly to helping the family.”

In two strides my mother was in front of me and she threw her arms around me. “I’m so proud of you.”

My father came around his desk, and I stood to shake his hand. Then he gave me a few slaps on the back, which was his version of a hug. “Your mother and I will discuss what you’ve proposed. We’ll need to see some sort of a business plan.”

“Of course,” I said, backing away toward the door. I figured he’d treat this like a business proposition and I’d be ready for him. “I appreciate it, Dad.”

As I twisted the doorknob, I heard my mother’s voice. “Kai?”

I looked back at her. A sly smile draped her lips. “Are you go

I gri

Chapter Thirty-eight Rachel

I’d been moping around for days, and I needed to cut that shit out already. Maybe my texts with Kai needed to end, because I’d begun to hang on his every damn word.

Each time my phone vibrated with a new message, my heart would squeeze painfully, hoping there’d be something written there to give me a better clue as to how he was feeling. What he was thinking.

The other day I’d sent him the selfie of us from the summer concert. Our hair was stuck to our foreheads, our skin was damp, and our faces plastered with huge smiles. We looked so happy and carefree. I remembered how I’d felt that night—completely alive and positively on fire for him.

He texted back that he missed me and would always remember that night.

He hadn’t come right out and asked me about Andrew or about dating anybody else. So I never offered the information that, to my relief, Andrew had changed his mind about attending this university.

Kai had begun texting me at all hours and had even called me in the middle of the night last week. I thought maybe it was a drunk dial until I realized he was telling me about his long day. It felt so intimate lying in my bed and listening to his drowsy, sexy voice.

He also let it slip during that conversation that he hadn’t been with anybody else while we were together this past summer.

That had shocked the hell out of me. He’d only been with me, just like I’d only been with him. What did that mean?

“It means you made quite an impact on him, dickhead,” Avery said.

“Little that helps, with him being on the other side of the world,” I said.

“Why don’t you just ask him exactly what he’s feeling?” Ella said.

“No way,” I said. “Who knows how he’d respond. I don’t want to be crushed. Texting can kill, you know.”

Avery laughed. “That’s driving and texting, you ass.”

Avery, Ella, and I were in the campus coffee shop having lunch between classes. And they were giving off weird vibes, like they were about to have another heart-to-heart with me.

Since returning to campus, I’d had enough one-on-ones to last a lifetime. But I also felt closer to them than ever before and was thankful to have them in my life. Dakota was coming up for a visit next month, and I couldn’t wait to have all of my best girlfriends in one place.

I figured that would be the time to finally tell Dakota what had happened over the summer between Kai and me. I’d discussed it with Kai, and he said I didn’t have to keep the secret anymore if it made me more comfortable.

My phone vibrated with a text and my stomach instantly tightened.

Kai: Hey, Turtle. How are you?

Me: Good. Got some studying to do today. How about you?

Kai: Well . . . I’ve been thinking.

Me: About?

I wondered if he could feel the tension through the phone.

Kai: Remember when you told me about your crazy dreams the last time you were in the hospital? And you asked if I’d said some stuff to you?

Me: Yeah? I thought we’d determined that I was hallucinating.

My heart was straining against my rib cage.

Where was he going with this? C’mon, type faster.

Avery looked up from her book as I rapped my knuckles on the table. “Text from Lover Boy?”

She shot a look at Ella, who gri

“Who else?” I said, exasperated.

Kai: I wondered if you were remembering your hospital stay three years ago.

Grrr . . . he was so frustrating—just come out with it. But I suppose I wasn’t much better.

Me: Why would I?

My mind went through a series of memories as I waited on him.

Kai: Because we were alone a lot and I did . . . whisper to you.

My breath caught in the back of my throat. I practically choked on my own saliva. Avery and Ella looked at me cautiously, and I was about to tell them about my text conversation when my phone buzzed again.

Kai: Where are you right now?

Was he seriously about to change the fucking subject? This boy was giving me whiplash.

Me: Um, in the coffee shop on campus.

“What did he say?” Ella was acting as if she were bursting at the seams.

I was beyond distracted as I tried composing another text. “He . . . asked where I was.”

“You are so clueless lately, you know that?” Ella laughed.

I looked up at my friends. “Clueless how?”

Avery shot Ella a halting look and then shrugged. “You used to always have your Hot Boy radar on. But you don’t notice anything anymore.”

Just as I was about to argue that I was so over Hot Boys, especially Hot Jock Boys, my cell vibrated again.

Kai: Are you . . . alone?

Me: No, I’m with Avery and Ella. Why?

Kai: Look out the window. Across the street.

Chapter Thirty-nine Rachel

As my gaze jerked over to the large floor-to-ceiling window at the entrance of the shop, I gasped.

Kai was leaning against a pole in front of the health food store, and he literally stole my breath away. He was like my North Star. A brilliant, luminous, dazzling pinpoint of light.

He wore his trademark black ski

My brain could not compute his being outside due to the lack of oxygen. Kai wasn’t in Amsterdam?

“Get out there, asshead,” Avery hissed.

I jolted out of my seat and practically sprinted to the door, lest he be a fucking perfect apparition. Weaving in and out of traffic, I crossed the street in a stupor.

As soon as I reached him, I threw my arms around him, overcome with emotion. He pulled me into his chest before picking me up and spi

He smelled so good and having his arms around me felt amazing.

“What are you doing here?” I said into his neck, trying like hell not to let go. “Why didn’t you tell me you were home for a visit?”

“I wanted it be a surprise.” He set me down but kept his gaze fixed on me. “I needed to say some things to you in person.”

I felt so woozy, my knees almost gave out. I held on to his arm to balance myself. “What kind of things?”

“Let’s walk.” He stuck out his hand and I took it willingly. We began trudging past the storefronts, away from the crowd.

“I just . . .” He gripped my fingers. “I don’t want be numb anymore, Rachel.”

I looked up at him. “Numb?”

“While I was in Amsterdam, I finally realized what I want to do with my life.”

Near the corner of Blossom Street, I turned to him. “You did?”

“I want to open my own recording studio,” he said. “Here in the States. Actually, I’m looking at a location close to Pure.”

“Whoa, seriously?” I pushed his shoulder playfully, even though my insides were twisting into a tornado of feelings. “That’s amazing.”