He glanced at the screen, seeing the name Josie flashing across the display. A small, guilty pang flickered in his chest, but he swiped to answer it anyway.
"Hey, Jos," he said, trying to sound casual, though his voice betrayed him with an edge of tension.
"Hey," came Josie's voice on the other end, light and familiar, though it carried an undercurrent of concern. "You sound a little off this morning. Everything okay?"
Andrei's grip on the steering wheel tightened, his mind racing. He hadn't expected Josie to notice, but of course, she did.
She always did. She knew him too well, she had been with him long enough to pick up on the small things—the way his voice faltered or the way he didn't quite sound like himself. But he couldn't explain it to her—not now. Not when everything was so messed up.
"Yeah, yeah," he said, forcing a smile into his voice. "Just, you know, a long night. Nothing serious."
