It was as if he wasn’t telling me something.
15
Callie
“Hey, kitty,” I say as I bend to pat Mariah the next afternoon. She rubs up against my leg and meows loudly. As I try to move around her so I can unlock my front door, she keeps getting in my way. Laughing, I bend down and scoop her up. Patting her, I say, “I’m sorry I’m late tonight. I got stuck at stupid work and then in traffic. But I’m here now, and if you just let me go inside, I promise to bring your food out.”
She purrs in my arms while I take the opportunity to unlock the door. Placing her back down, I say, “I’ll be back soon.”
My cat, Jasper, meets me on the other side of the door, as keen for food as Mariah. After I give him some attention, I run for the bathroom. I drank a lot of water today, and the traffic was a bitch, and then there was a car accident that held me up. My trip home took an extra hour and a half and to say I’m desperate for the bathroom doesn’t even cover it.
When I enter my kitchen a few minutes later, I grab the cat food and notice my phone on the kitchen counter. “There it is,” I mutter. I forgot it this morning.
After I’ve fed the cats and given them some time, I swipe my phone off the counter.
Holy shit.
There are eight missed calls from Luke.
I don’t bother listening to his voice messages; I call him straight away.
“Callie,” he clips when he answers.
He’s pissed off.
“I’m so sorry, Luke. I left my phone at home. You should have called me at work.”
“I did.”
“Oh. They never told me.”
He’s silent for a beat before he says, “You’re okay?” He’s so gruff with me that annoyance creeps up my spine.
“Yes, I’m fine. What’s up?” I go for casual, hoping he’ll calm down.
“Nothing’s up,” he snaps. “Except for the fact I’ve just spent the last few hours wondering if you were okay. I would have appreciated a phone call.”
“I’m sorry, Luke, I didn’t know you’d called. I don’t like the tone you’re taking. Do you think you could untwist your balls for long enough to give me a chance to explain?”
He doesn’t say anything, but I hear the long breath he blows out. “Sorry.” He pauses. When he speaks again, his voice has softened a fraction. Only a fraction. “I’ve been going out of my mind worrying that you’d had a car accident on the way home. I was just about to come over to your place to see if you were there.”
“I’m here, and I’m okay, so you can stop worrying now. I’m sorry you were so concerned.”
He calms right down then. “Fuck, you shouldn’t be apologising. I’m the one who lost it… Can I come over a little later tonight?”
“Yes,” I agree before we end the call.
There’s a nervous knot in my tummy. I’m going to ask him again about his divorce, because I’ve been turning it over and over in my mind today, and I’m convinced he’s keeping something from me.
By the time Luke arrives just after ten, the nervous knot in my stomach has intensified.
He steps through my front door, and I’m so worked up that I hardly even take in how amazing he looks tonight. All I can focus on is getting my feelings off my chest.
“Do you want a drink? I just made a tea,” I say. My voice is way off, and it comes out weird.
He frowns. “Are you upset with me? I’m sorry I was such a bastard to you earlier.”
My heart speeds up. God, I hate this kind of thing. But I need to tell him what I’m feeling. “I’m not upset with you over that. There’s something else we need to discuss, though.”