AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Chapter Seven
Girls’ night out consisted of my staple band of paragons along with Anton’s cousin, Rose. We were lounging at The Nice Guy while nibbling on asparagus wrapped in prosciutto and guzzling on Rosè. It had been ages since I had let myself go, but tonight called for it. It was a celebrity hotspot, and I normally wouldn’t go to such a place, but Kells loved it here.
Dressed to impressed with my two-piece, low cut crop top and skin-hugging skirt ensemble, I exuded a confident millennial who knew what she wanted and ruthlessly went after it. I carried on as if I had no care in the world.
After my second flute of the happy pink bubbles, I couldn’t ignore the incessant buzzing of my phone any longer. Parker had been ceaselessly trying to converse since I became closed off and distant after our first physical intimacy.
“Hello, hello. I’m still alive, so fizzle out your bubbles, dearest boyfriend. I’m fine,” I took the call with as much enthusiasm as I could evoke.
There was a grunt on the other end of the line. “Where are you?” Parker asked. “You sound drunk. Tell me where you are right now. I’m coming to get you, Cara.”
With the people you deemed irrelevant, my mind replied. Instead, of saying that aloud, I chose the less feisty route. “I’m with my girlfriends; there’s nothing to worry about.”
Parker let out an irritated huff. “I do worry. You’re out partying, and people are going to think you’re single if you keep this up. Let me come over at least. That way, I’ll dismiss anyone’s doubts.”
I dared not think what transpired between us earlier this afternoon. I just couldn’t. Besides, I needed to be with my friends. It was one of those make or break moments, and I couldn’t be alone with my wretched thoughts.
Not only did I feel like I betrayed River, but I also felt like I hurt myself by trying to prove a point. I was in a state of denial, and I had no hopes of coming down from it. Not yet, anyway.
You’re really sending out bad vibes. I don’t wanna be around that type of negativity right now. I’ll see you soon, okay? Thank you mucho. Bye.” Instantly ending the call, I shrugged as I ignored the knowing looks my friends were giving me, possibly wondering if things were fine between me and Parker. I had yet to divulge this new development to them, and I couldn’t bring myself to talk about. Moreover, if they began to ask questions, I had no answers. So, for the time being, I was in the state of gray.
Although I had been firm and clear about what I intended for Parker to do, he seemed to not get the blatant message. Missed call after missed call, he went on until I had to put my phone on silent. I couldn’t shut it off in case there was a call from Addison.
Five and a half hours later, I came home after being dropped off at my front door by dear reliable Anton, totally inebriated, and still the calls had yet to cease.
Parker was doing his damnedest to irritate me to the fullest. Why, for the love of everything that’s holy, could the man not get what the word “no” meant? Well, unless he was trying to provoke me to do the inevitable.
Is that what he wants?
The answer was obvious. Best to deal with this then.
I took hold of my phone and changed my settings back to normal so that when the next call came, I would be ready for confrontation.
Alas, the call came less than ten minutes later. I needed not check the caller.
“Okay, gosh, lock it down. I’m fine. No need to go psycho on me. Holy hairy shit balls, I’m home now, okay?” Tried as I might to sound stern, my words ended up coming out slurred. “This is bad … Whoops. Sorrrry,” I hiccupped before I was hit with a mild hysteria of giggles. That Jäger in the end was a big no-no, but it had been too fun to resist.
“Who’s threatening to harm you?” The words rang in my ears, making me squint while my head spun. “Cara? Are you there? I’m about to call my security team to hunt you down if you don’t answer me right now!”
Security team? What? He had one?
“Cara!”
Then it clicked.
“River,” I rushed out, instantly frozen in the middle of my living room. How in the world did his voice not immediately register in my inebriated brain?How?
“Who’s threatening to harm you?” he asked again.
“Harm me?” I chirped. “No one. Well, none that I can think of.” Glancing around the dimly lit living room, I fiddled with the ends of my skirt, suddenly nervous that I found myself talking to my ex, the one who I couldn’t stop thinking about ever since I had given my body to someone else. It seemed the more I drank, my memory bank propelled to dwell further into the past. A part of me congratulated myself that I finally took the risk, and the other part wondered if River could hear my guilty heart echoing in my voice. “I didn’t know it was you. Why have you called?”
“I couldn’t help it. I wanted to hear your voice. It’s been one of those days …” he trailed off, seeming as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. “Hearing your voice always made me feel good. It’s been a rough day; that’s all.”
One could only wonder the pressure of being River Ellis. I surely didn’t want to be in his shoes, not for a minute, because I knew I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
River sounded like there was more to it than the normal pressures of being a Hollywood star. I had seen him in all sorts of work strain before, but this was more than that.
Deep concern immediately drew out from my heart, an instant reaction of overprotectiveness and concern.
