Text Ashley

Whipping out his phone, he takes a moment to think about how to start this.

E: Hey.

Smooth.

A few minutes later a reply comes in.

A: Hey.

Ethan stares at the single word, unsure of what to do with it.

E: It's Ethan.

A: I know.

Frowning, Ethan can feel the conversation crashing and burning.

E: Oh.

E: How did you know?

A: Area code made it obvious.

E: Aha. Smart.

A: Not really.

Ethan lets out a strong exhale. Why is this going so damn poorly? As he thinks about a recovery, another message comes in.

A: How was your afternoon with Charlie?

A light goes on in Ethan's head, and for a moment he gains a level of understanding he almost grasps enlightenment. Obviously, Ashley soft-pitched him a clue, but he got the picture all the same. Now how to play this...