Page 148 of What About Us

Okay, I’m glad I came because I needed the reassurance.

The truth is, I’m scared as fuck.

I let myself fall in love with her, depend on her, lean into the idea of being with her for the rest of my life, and she threw me for a loop yesterday.

“I don’t usually do relationships,” I say as I stare over Cooper’s shoulder. “Never have. She’s my first serious girlfriend, and I’m in my fucking thirties.”

“Well, she’s a good one to get serious about. Ivy’s one in a million,” Britney says.

She’s everything.

“She’s wife material,” Britney continues, and those three words make my heart beat faster.

Fuck yes, she is.

She’s only been gone for two days, and I miss the hell out of her. I hate that the weather is so bad back home and she’s there by herself. I had Tucker plow for me, but is she staying warm? Does she have enough blankets?

Is she drinking water?

“Did she tell you that she’d be on a flight tomorrow?”

I shrug a shoulder. “She hasn’t sent an update yet. So, I don’t know.”

“Call her,” Britney says.

“I haven’t talked to her since she left,” I admit and then wince. “And now I know that sounds really fucking stupid.”

“I’m glad you know,” Cooper replies and laughs when I glare at him. “So call her now. Are you going to just give her the silent treatment forever?”

“I fucking hate the silent treatment,” Brit says as she shakes her head. “Most women do. It makes us overthink, and then we spiral, and it doesn’t solve anything at all.”

Christ.

“If she doesn’t have a return flight booked, you need to get your ass on a plane to Montana,” Cooper says. “Because I’ll be honest. She’s the best fucking thing that ever happened to you, and you don’t want to fuck that up.”

“What if she has no intention of coming back? Maybe I should just break it off before she can.”

“I fucking hate the miscommunication trope,” Britney says, rubbing her temple.

“I don’t know what that means,” I tell her.

“Honey, I own a romance bookstore.”

“Yes, I’m aware.”

“And one of the themes in some of the books is miscommunication, and it always makes my eye twitch. We’re all adults. Just have a conversation and get over it already.”

“Is that what you did last month when you were on your period and I didn’t get you a Snickers at the store because you didn’t tell me you wanted one, and when I got home, you threw a tampon at my head? Communicate?”

“First of all,” Britney says, “it wasn’t a used tampon, so count your blessings. And second of all, if I’m ever on my period, I want a Snickers. In fact, bring two, just to be safe. You should be able to read my mind by now.”

“See? Miscommunication trope,” Cooper says to me with a smile. “Ain’t it fun?”

“Dude, you should have got her the candy bar. You should just have a secret stash of them so you can whip it out when she’s on her period and give it to her after her shower. Wrap her up in a cozy blanket, give her the candy and the remote, and⁠—”

“Call her,” Britney says. “Right now. Or I’ll marry you myself.”

I stare at my phone and take a breath. They’re right, I should call her. It’s not too late in the evening. I’m sure she’s awake.