Page 54 of Salto

My finger hesitated over the send button.

I took another breath, closed my eyes, and finally pressed the button.

Message Sent flashed across the screen, and my stomach twisted into a nervous knot.

“Oh gosh,” I said aloud, abruptly standing from the chair. I was really doing this.

I paced the rug for a few minutes, biting my lip and trying to cope with the mess of feelings in my stomach. Fear, excitement, dread. I couldn’t seem to land on a single emotion.

And then my phone started to ring.

It buzzed on the desk, startling me. I froze in my tracks and looked over at it. The incoming call display lit up the room far better than the table lamp.

I walked over slowly to peek at the screen.

UNKNOWN NUMBER

I hesitated, assuming it was probably spam. But what if it wasn't?

My overthinking brain got the better of me, and I answered.

“Hello?”

There was a brief moment of silence before the person on the other end finally spoke.

“Hey, Red.”

CHAPTER 20

Ireached out, gripping the back of the chair.

My gaze darted around my parents' office. I could hear their muffled conversation on the other side of the door, and my heart rate picked up.

“How did you get my number?” I finally managed, my voice barely above a whisper.

“From the papers you just signed and emailed me.” His voice sounded deeper over the phone. The calm nonchalance in it made me picture him lying on his couch, eyes closed, his arm draped over his face.

“You were waiting for me to submit them?” A small, disbelieving laugh escaped me.

“What else would I be waiting for?” he said matter-of-factly, as if it were a stupid question.

I turned around and addressed the bookshelves across from me as if they were the Finnish Olympian on the other end of the line.

“I don’t know. Anything but my contract,” I said, making gestures with my hands even though he couldn't see me. “A notification letting you know your DoorDash arrived.” I paused. “A text from your girlfriend.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend,” he said. “And I don’t DoorDash.”

I rolled my eyes, trying not to take too much notice of the fact that he was girlfriendless.

“Well, why are you calling? To tell me you saw it?”

“No, I’m checking to make sure you have everything in order. We need to get started as soon as possible. Have you found a place to live?”

The question caught me off guard.

“No, not yet,” I said.

“Do you at least have a lead?”