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“A favor.” I begin pacing the hallway, peering over my shoulder every few seconds to make sure no one is within earshot. “Baby, come on. I feel like a dick if I back out and I hate when your mother is mad at me.”
“I thought you hated whenIwas mad at you?”
“You’re mad at me?”
I let out an exasperated sigh. “No. I guess I don’t have the right to be given the circumstances and where I am right now but… Parker and I aren’t even on good terms right now. It’s not like this has been some sort of romantic reunion. He’s pissed at me, for the record.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m a shitty person.”
“No, you’re not.”
Yes, I am.“To him? Yeah, I am.”
“You told him?”
“No. He’s mad that I didn’t get here sooner and I’m not sure he believes I slept through the phone calls. I mean, maybe he does? But that just means he’s mad that I was too drunk to hear the phone calls.” I bite my lip, trying to decide if I should tell him about his accusatory question about JP, I go for it, knowing that the only way to survive this catastrophe moving toward me is if Jacob and I are on the same page. “I think he suspects something.” I wince. “About you.”
“What makes you say that?”
“He made a point to ask again about you coming over and me leaving with you the other night. Then, about me not sleeping at the house last night. It’s not unheard of for me to stay at Chloe’s but he’s just speculating that I’m not being truthful about everything and I’m not.” I let out a breath. “I know I caused this. I know, I’m just overwhelmed. I’m here and you’re there and… I’m freaking out.”
“We did this, baby. It’s not just on you.”
“You didn’t cheat on my fiancé, Jacob. You didn’t betray anyone, I did.”He lets out a sigh and I remember he said he wasn’t alone when I texted him. “Are you at my parent’s house? You said you weren’t alone.”
“No. Trey is here.”
“What are his thoughts about all of this?” There’s a long pause and I hate that I know what that means.
“He’s just worried this is going to blow up in our faces. But that being said, he’s happy I finally got my shit together when it comes to you.”
“I’m scared.”
“Of what? Parker?”
I hear the apprehension in his voice. “No. I mean, maybe but not how you’re thinking. I’m just worried Trey is right and this is going to blow up in our faces.” I remember another thing Parker said. “He wants to meet you.” I chuckle as I rub my forehead. ‘Meet the man that’s obviously so important to my fiancée.’ His words.”
“Is that what you want?”
The thought of Jacob and Parker in the same room. A room that my parents will be in as well brings on a wave of nausea coupled with anxiety. “No. I don’t. But it feels inevitable.”
“Baby, maybe I should tell your parents while you’re in New York. I can deal with the fallout of that and then when you get home, there won’t be this pressure about telling your parents on top of everything else.”
I begin pacing faster, my hands are sweating and I’m wondering if a panic attack is coming on. “They’re going to freak, JP. What happened to telling them together?”
“I always thought it might be best if I told your father by myself.”
My father, who rarely yelled. Rarely lost his temper flashes through my head. I can only recall a handful of times when he yelled. The time Mason crashed the car. One of the times I got caught sneaking back in at three in the morning, drunk as hell. The time I threw a party while he and Mom were out of town. It was rare but when he did it was scary. Run for the hills, scary. I can only imagine how he would react to this. “Okay but while I’m here?”
“I won’t if you’re really against it.”
“Fuck. I don’t know. I don’t know what to do.” My eyes are welling up with tears and they begin falling down my face rapidly. “What do I do, JP?”
“Please don’t cry, baby. I’m not there and it’s going to send me over the edge because there’s nothing I can do to stop it.” I wipe my face and let out a shaky breath.
“I can’t believe I did this.” I look up in time to see Laura rounding the corner and throwing her hands up when she sees me. “Chloe, I have to go.” I speak into the phone as I begin walking toward her. I hung up the phone without waiting for his reply.
