Cade: I don’t know why you’d want to be a size four. I think you’re gorgeous.
Kylie: You’re just blinded by my soft skin and enormous tracts of land.
Cade: God, yes I am. Now I’m picturing you in my mind and it’s getting a little hard to concentrate.
Kylie: You’re welcome.
Cade: You’re flirting with me. I’m breaking down your barriers.
Kylie: Good night, Cade.
Cade: It is now.
Kylie: It is what?
Cade: A good night.
Saturday 1 A.M.
Daphne: Hey Cade!! Missed u tonight, bb. U coming to see me? Will save u spot in greenroom 4 my favorite man. Xoxoxo
Cade: Can’t tonight, Daph. Busy. We’ll talk soon ok?
Daphne: K
Cade: Stay clean for me?
Daphne: Fine fine. Quit acting like my mom.
Saturday night
Cade: Hey.
Kylie: Hi there.
Cade: Where are you at tonight?
Kylie: Concert in Louisville, KY. You coming in to say hello?
Cade: Wish I was. I am currently in Botswana.
Kylie: I . . . don’t even know where that is? Why are you in Botswana?
Cade: It’s north of South Africa. Very pretty country. One of my organizations is opening a new HIV clinic and I wanted to be here. It’s a good cause.
Kylie: Wow . . . that’s noble of you.
Cade: Eh. I just like to help out where I can. I don’t like to sit on all my money like Scrooge McDuck.
Kylie: Did you just compare yourself to a cartoon duck?
Cade: Depends. Are you laughing?
Kylie: Yes!
Cade: Then yes, yes I did.
Kylie: You’re so noble. Seriously, a clinic. Wow. I don’t even know what to say.
Cade: I’m not all that noble. I keep thinking about kissing you again. How your lips felt against mine. How the . . . rest of you felt against me. I’m obsessing.
Kylie: You shouldn’t.
Cade: Why not? You’re an adult and I’m an adult. Do you want me to leave you alone?
Kylie: Not really . . . but the whole Daphne thing. It makes it awkward. You know she wants you. And I want my job.
Cade: But I don’t want her.
Kylie: Really? Didn’t seem that way the other night when she was sitting in your lap.
Cade: First of all, she dropped herself there, and second of all, is that jealousy I hear in your sweet voice?
Kylie: Text. The correct term you are looking for is “sweet text.”
Cade: Don’t avoid the question.
Kylie: I’m not.
Cade: You just did again. And as for Daphne, I’m just trying to be a friend to her. She desperately needs a few that aren’t ready to push drugs her way.
Kylie: . . . which is why we shouldn’t get together. It’s hard for me to be her friend when I want to pull her hair out for sitting in your lap.
Cade: So it was jealousy.
Kylie: I shall plead the fifth.
Cade: I miss you. I wish you were here in Botswana with me.
Kylie: Why, do you know someone there in need of a makeup artist?
Cade: Me! But not for obvious reasons. I just need to make a certain one scream with pleasure again.
Kylie: Oh my lord, why are you texting me dirty things??
Cade: Because it makes me smile and I’ve been stuck traveling for the last eighteen hours. And because I’m picturing how pink your cheeks are right now. When did you say I could see you again?
Kylie: I didn’t. Busy busy busy.
Cade: I’m looking at Daphne’s schedule online and she doesn’t have a concert scheduled for this upcoming Wednesday. Tuesday in Vegas but Wednesday is free. I can fly in and see you.
Kylie: Cade, we shouldn’t.
Cade: Just a meeting between friends. She doesn’t have to know.
Kylie: I’ll . . . think about it.
Sunday
Daphne: U coming 2 visit me tonight?
Cade: Overseas on business, sorry.
Daphne: Fine. Fuck u. I thought we were friends.
Cade: You know I have to work, Daph. You work, too. Doesn’t have anything to do with our friendship.
Cade: Hello?
Cade: Sigh. Daph, I hope you’re staying clean. Not for my sake, but for yours.
Monday
Cade: Still thinking about it?
Kylie: It’s a long, involved thought process. Truly.
Cade: What can I do to persuade you?
Kylie: Promise me that Daphne will not lose her shit if she finds out about it? Actually, just promise me she won’t find out at all?
Cade: She won’t find out.
Kylie: Uh-huh.
Cade: But we’re still discussing it, which must mean that you want to go with me after all.
Kylie: It’s not a question of want. It’s a question of practicality. Like, is it practical for me to date the man that my rich and famous boss wants? Risk my job? I consulted my Magic 8 Ball this morning and all signs point to no.
Cade: Those things are liars. Mine told me that you would say yes.
Kylie: They ARE full of lies!
Cade: What if I offered to buy an orphanage in some third world country?
Kylie: Now you’re not playing fair.
Cade: I don’t have to. I have money.
Kylie: Fine, fine, we’ll go out. If we must.
Cade: Excellent. I will see you Wednesday night.
Kylie: Just . . . I’ll send you my hotel info, okay? Let’s keep this out of Daphne’s eye. I don’t want her to even know you’re in town.
Cade: That makes two of us. I won’t say a thing. Looking forward to seeing you, then.
Kylie: Just FYI we’re not sleeping together.
Cade: I’m fine with that. I just want to see you. Maybe kiss you.
Kylie: Maybe?
Cade: Well, I thought it might frighten you if I said that I intend to kiss every inch of you at least twice.
Kylie: Not frightened here.