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“From working so much.”
“Yeah.” And from being in a relationship with a guy who was halfway across the world. And from lying to that guy’s girlfriend. And from lying to myself.
There was a knocking sound, and I heard his mother’s voice in the background. “I have to go,” he said in a tight whisper.
“Yeah. Okay.”
“I’ll call you soon.”
“Right.”
“Peter, please—”
“I’m not angry.” My foot tapped and my stomach churned. I wasn’t happy either, but I didn’t want to split hairs. “Go before you get in trouble with your mom.”
“Sunsphere?”
I closed my eyes and nodded. “Yeah. Sunsphere.”
***
I sat atRobert’s desk sorting through the prior week’s mail and making a pile of urgent bills when the Outrageous Video phone line rang. I picked it up absently, expecting another solicitor.
“Outrageous Video, this is Peter speaking.”
“Hey! I’m glad I caught you,” Daniel said. He was out of breath, and his voice was so unexpected that I almost dropped my coffee.
“Oh, hey.” Trying to sound casual, I made space for my cup next to the account books I still needed to balance. “Long time, no see.” Well, a couple of weeks, but it’d seemed like an eternity.
“Yeah, been busy lately. That’s why I’m calling you actually. I know you’re not official with ARK yet, but I have this opportunity that’s come up, and I was wondering if you might stop by and check on Bobby for me?” Daniel sped on, his voice excited and eager. “I’ve already done most of the weekly stuff for him. You’d just have to put Milky Way out, and maybe talk with him a little. Nothing big.”
“Um, yeah, sure. I can do that.” I glanced at the clock. “I’ve got an hour left here but then I can head over.”
“You’re the best, Peter. Thank you.”
“Sure. What’s the opportunity?” I asked. “Something for school, or…?”
“Oh, Jack’s got the afternoon off, and he suggested we go hiking out on House Mountain.”
Stomach plummeting, my words came out breathy and wounded. “Who’s Jack?”
Daniel hesitated. “I figured you’d have heard from Robert. He’s a guy I’m seeing.”
The silence on the line crawled up and down my spine and lodged in my throat. I couldn’t say anything for fear my voice would crack, but not talking was so much worse.
“Hey,” Daniel said softly. “He’s a nice guy. We’re just hanging out right now.”
The words wrung my heart painfully. I’d heard that before and look where it’d gotten me. “Cool. Well, have fun. I’ll take care of Bobby.”
Daniel hesitated. “Have you heard from Adam?”
I pinched my thigh, rooting myself in the pain so I could talk. “Yeah, I spoke to him the other day.”
“How’s he doing?”
“Eager to get home.”
Daniel was silent for a moment and then he asked, “Home to you? Are you still waiting for him?”
