“That’s just fine with me.”
“Thanks, Mr.Beeman.”I smile through my frustration, an uneasy feeling taking root in my stomach.
I hurry to my car and plug my phone into the charger.The five-minute drive home feels like an hour, and by the time I pull into my empty driveway, I already know Rick is gone.
A quick look around my house confirms it: his clothes, his shoes, and his shaving kit are all missing.
I turn and stare at my reflection in the window in disbelief.
He took my money.
He tookfive thousand dollarsfrom me and skipped town.
I barely have enough savings left to cover the invoice, let alone finish the project.
I should’ve known better than to let him take on the job.
Iknewbetter, and I let him do it anyway.
I press my fists to my eyes.
Dammit, Rick.
Maybe the bank will give me a loan.
I run back out to my car, climb inside, and grab my phone.The battery in the corner flashes when I turn on the screen.
There’s a message, but it’s not from Rick.
It’s from Ethan… There are two messages.
I quickly scan them both.He wanted to see me last night.Then he came over to say goodbye this morning, but I wasn’t home.So he took Kat to a shelter and caught the first ferry off the island.
My stomach drops.
I can’t believe it.Ethan is gone too.
I knew he was leaving, but I didn’t think he’d go without a proper goodbye.
Oh,whydid I have to stay out with Steve?I should’ve left the moment Ethan did, but I didn’t, and now I can’t breathe.
I tap on his name and wait for the call to connect.Each unanswered ring leaves me sinking lower, curling into the driver’s seat.He’s probably just driving.Maybe he has bad reception.
Or maybe he didn’t care for you as much as you cared for him.
That’s not true.
What we had was special.It was.
A robotic voice comes through the line.“The number you have dialed cannot be reached at the moment.Leave a voicemail after the tone.”
BEEP.
“Hey Ethan, it’s Chloe.”What am I saying?He has my number; of course he knows it’s me.“I was really hoping to… to talk to you before you left, but I fell asleep at Willow’s and didn’t get here in time.Anyway… I miss you already.Call me back?”
I end the call, even though there’s so much left to say.Ethan deserves more than a half-assed confession on a voicemail.All the words bubbling inside me are going to have to wait until I have him on the other side of the line.
He’ll see the missed call, listen to the voicemail, and get back to me as soon as he can.
