Nikki wiped her hands on her shorts, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves. She had stared at the restaurant for 10 minutes. Amanda was in there. Could she really go in? Would they get along as well as they did online? Would reality destroy everything? Inside, Amanda sat, moving her beer in a lazy circle. She glanced up just as Nikki entered. Her breath caught. Nikki’s hair was back to red, short, curled along the jaw o...

Amanda stayed in touch with Nikki after she left for Texas. They still texted and video chatted, but it wasn’t the same for either of them. It was Friday night, and Amanda was having dinner with her friends, Kim and Mark. “She’s really under your skin,” Kim observed. “Enough that I toyed with moving to Texas.” The couple gazed at each other, slightly alarmed. “And after she graduates and moves to Tennessee? Are you going...

Nikki stretched. The sheets were soft. The space beside her was empty but warm. She got out of bed and put on a silk kimono Mandi had given her. She stepped out into the open floor plan and saw Mandi working at the stove. “Coffee is ready. Breakfast in five.” “How the hell did you know I was up?” “I just do. I always know where you are.” Nikki came up behind her and hugged her. Mandi turned around, and they shared a brief...