“We were in the middle of a fight, or kind of at the end of a fight, I guess and some girl named Faith called. He answered the call and then he left.” Skye called Kari as soon as Ben slammed the door behind him. She didn’t know what else to do.
“But you told him to leave?”
“Yes, but I didn’t think he would leave-leave. I thought he would apologize, or turn around and say ‘I’m a jerk. I shouldn’t have pressured you, or broken our agreement.’ Something. He could have said something.” Skye slouched into the pillows against her headboard.
After Ben left, she washed her face, brushed her teeth, and threw on one of her frumpier pajama sets. She felt anything but sexy after that fight. What she felt was stupid. The fight didn’t have to escalate like that, but she couldn’t believe the words he used. It made everything they did seem cheap and dirty.
“Kari, I’m afraid he never thought of me as anything but a conquest. And now I know there’s some other girl in the picture. He’s probably with her right now. I’m an idiot.”
“Want me to come over? You don’t sound so great.”
“No, thanks for the offer, though. It’s not like we’ve been seeing each other that long. It was only twelve days. I’ll be fine by morning. I guess you were right after all.”
“What do you mean?” Kari asked.
“You told me
to beware of the Miramar pilots, and you were right. I should have listened.” She thought back to last Friday night. “I did pick him up in a bar. I should have known better.”
“I think you should look at this as a positive experience.” Kari’s voice rose.
Skye rolled her eyes. “Are you going for the Pollyanna approach? How can you possibly spin this?”
“You did something outside your comfort zone. You got out there and had fun. Just think if you actually started dating. Let me set you up with someone. I know the perfect guy.”
“Uh-uh. No way. There’s a reason I don’t date. Guys like Ben Hardcastle.”
Kari sighed into the phone. “All guys are not like Ben. Come on, one date. One teeny, tiny, innocent little date with a gentleman. He’s someone I know, so there’s no way he’ll be a jerk. What do you say?”
After what had just transpired in her bed, it was hard to think of opening that door again. “I’ll think about it. That’s all I can commit to right now.”
“I guess that’s understandable. But I’m not giving up.” Kari sounded triumphant.
“I wouldn’t expect you too.” Skye giggled, relieved to know she still had a sense of humor.
“Well, if you can’t sleep call me back, ok?”
It was midnight. Skye hoped as soon as she turned off the light she would be asleep. “I will. Thanks for listening.”
“Anytime. I’ll see you at work tomorrow.”
“Night, Kari.”
Skye plugged her phone into the charger on the nightstand and reached for the lamp. It had been a long day. From the weird exchange with Greg, to the blow up with Ben, she couldn’t get a handle on which way her emotions were drifting.
It was impossible to turn her mind off. Was what Ben said true? Did she want him to undress her every time she saw him? Did she somehow lead him to believe they still didn’t have twenty days to go on the time-table? She exhaled, angry that he was making her doubt herself and irritated she thought there might be something to his accusations.
It didn’t matter. He left. He walked right out that door, and probably straight to Faith, whoever in the hell she was.
Eleven
Faith opened the door. An oversized T-shirt hung off her shoulder and her blond pixie haircut shot in all directions. Mascara streamed down her face.
“Come here.” Bolt pulled her against his chest.
“I—I didn’t know what to do.” She sobbed into his shirt.
“Hey, it’s ok. You can call me anytime. You know that.” He let her cry a few more seconds before unwrapping her arms from his waist and leading her back to the living room.