Page 104 of The Jealous Girl

The problem was I felt that way too.

Maybe things would be different if we had our own space.

I glanced around the guest room. Thanks to Charlotte’s interference, we didn’t even get to share a room.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out, my heart lifting when I saw Ryan’s name.

How’s your day going?

I smiled as I read his message. Just because he was busy, it didn’t mean he wasn’t thinking about me.

My thumbs flew across the keyboard as I typed quickly. Eager for the connection he was offering.

All good thanks. How about you? Anything I can do to help?

I waited, watching the screen for the little ticks to turn blue as he read my message.

They didn’t change.

Another sigh slipped out of me as I realised he’d already moved on. I’d been a fleeting thought in the busyness of his day. So fleeting he hadn’t even waited for my reply.

Did that mean the message wasn’t genuine? A moment of missing me? Or was I just an obligation? Something to check off his list before returning to the people, the things, that deserved his full attention?

I shook my head.

A message on a screen wasn’t enough to sustain a relationship any more.

Maybe it never had been.

I set the phone face down beside the gift.

‘Hey.’ Ryan’s voice pulled me back to the present.

I turned and smiled a big beaming grin. ‘You’re early.’

‘Yeah, it was such a nightmare of a day, I just needed to get home, take a shower and—’ His gaze dropped to the cards behind me. ‘Your birthday.’

He let out a groan as his body seemed to crumple before me.

‘It’s okay,’ I said with forced lightness.

‘I promised to take you out for dinner, didn’t I?’

I nodded, hopefully. Clearly, he’d forgotten to get me a card, but that didn’t matter. We could have dinner together. Celebrate.

‘Do you mind if we go tomorrow instead?’ he asked wearily.

Something hollowed within me. ‘I’m on the night shift tomorrow.’

‘Right.’ Ryan ran his hand through his hair. ‘The weekend then. That’ll be easier.’

‘Easier?’ I tried not to cringe.

‘Yeah, it’ll give me time to pick up a card, and figure out something for your gift.’

‘You don’t have to⁠—’

‘It’ll be better that way,’ he said, giving me a quick kiss on the cheek.