Ask Me (Mess with Me 2)
“You know what, you’re right. And I think I needed to hear that today.”
“Well, it was good to see you.” She orders her coffee and then waves as she leaves.
I get my latte and then carry it back to my car. My eyes wander over to my bag where I’ve kept my phone this past week. After the first two days, I turned it off. I couldn’t stomach seeing all the calls from Andre’s number. My resolve was weakening and I knew I’d eventually cave and answer.
But it’s time now.
As soon as I turn the phone back on and it gets a signal it lights up like a firecracker with red flags indicating all the calls, voicemails, texts and emails I need to read. I go straight to the voicemails since there’s only one of those. It’s from Andre.
Casey, I’m so sorry.
This is exactly the type of thing I wanted to shield you from. So even though I don’t want to, I’m going to do what you asked me to in the beginning. Leave you alone.
I love you.
Tears stream down my cheeks the whole way back to D.C.
24
* * *
After dropping off the rental car, I’m way too tired to deal with the metro so I take a cab back to my apartment. The lights are on so I know Ariana’s home. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see me doing something other than cry.
I unlock the door to find Ariana and Mya curled up on the couch watching a movie. When she sees me, Ari reaches out and pauses whatever’s on the screen.
“You’re back!”
I’m stunned when Ariana jumps up and walks over to hug me. Finally she says, “I’m not used to feeling all these emotions. Hug me back before it gets weird.”
Laughing I hug her before dropping my duffel bag at my feet. “I actually missed you while I was gone. Imagine that. My mom got a kick out of hearing some of my stories about you.”
Mya shakes her head. “Was she worried that you’re rooming with a serial killer?”
“After that tabloid story she was worried I’m selling my virtue to every businessman I meet.”
Mya winces. “Oh man. That must have been a hard conversation.”
“You have no idea. But things are good now. She gave me the kick in the pants I needed to get back to my life and stop running away from my problems. Which means I should probably stop being a coward and actually call Andre back.”
Ariana snorts. “No way. We haven’t forgiven him yet.”
“Because it’s all about you, right?” Mya throws one of the pillows from the couch at Ariana. “You should have gotten better at this since I needed you.”
“I am good at this. I did my part. I yelled at him when he came by,” Ariana says.
“He came here?” I grab Ariana’s arm. “When was that? What did he say? Did he come back?”
“Whoa, first loosen your talons, woman!” Ari peels my fingers from her arm. “And it was Friday. Way too late by the way. That’s what I told him. I felt kind of bad for him at the end. Hot men who are sad just get hotter somehow. It’s not fair.”
“No. It’s not.” I sink down onto the couch between them. “And he left a voicemail saying that he’s going to leave me alone now. That this isn’t what he wanted for me and that he loves me.”
“Do you believe him?” Mya asks.
“I honestly don’t know. How do I distinguish between what I want to believe and what’s actually true? All that crap in the tabloid article about the women in his past was a huge wake up call. I just know I can’t keep running. Eventually I’m going to have to see him again and I need to be ready to handle it.”
“Oooh, it’s going to be so hot when you see him again. All that sexual tension while his eyes smolder at you in Italian. Or you could just look at him on Instagram like all the rest of his thirsty fans.” Ariana pulls out her phone.
Mya screeches. “You can’t show her his Instagram, Ari. I don’t think that’s helpful when going through a breakup.”