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Double fuck.
“How are you feeling?” I ask him.
He leans back against the pillows and lets out a deep sigh. “Like shit and I miss you. I wish they hadn’t made you leave.”
“Oh?” I realize the only way to prevent this conversation from turning sexual is to start a fight. “You certainly weren’t acting like it while I was there.”
“Baby, I’m sorry. It’s been a really shitty day.”
“Yes, I know. For me too. I spent practically a day traveling only to be berated when I got here for not getting here sooner and I am so sorry I wasn’t. Believe me I wish this hadn’t happened and that you were fine and safe.” I bite my bottom lip and look away from the camera, my eyes welling up with tears over so many different reasons. “You and your mother by the way which I’ve come to expect but that’s another story, made me feel like absolute shit today.” I take a step further. “Never mind that you’re absolutely fine and I’m missing a day of classes tomorrow and had to postpone turning in my paper which you didn’t even ask about by the way.”
“I’ve kind of had some things on my mind.”
“Like interrogating me about my last few days?” I snap.
“Whitney, enough I’m sorry alright? Why are you biting my head off right now?”
“Why were you biting mine off earlier?!”
“Because you weren’t here!”
I let my head fall back and a groan of irritation leaves my lips. “I said I was sorry, Parker. What do you want from me? You’re going to have to let it go.” I shrug as the indifference and impatience toward Parker begins to take over. We are going in circles and I know it was only a matter of time before JP starts calling. “Or don’t. But this is ridiculous, Parker. I’m here now, alright? I’m here. This is all because you don’t trust me and…” The words are on the tip of my tongue. Words brought on by frustration and anger and a very large glass of wine on a very empty stomach.
My phone beeps indicating I have a call coming through and I freeze when I see it’s JP and he’ll absolutely freak the fuck out if I don’t answer, knowing that I’m here by myself and wouldn’t have gone to sleep without talking to him.
“I have to go.”
“Wait… what?”
“I. Have. To. Go.” I repeat each word slowly, disdain dripping from my voice. I am angry and maybe I don’t have the right to be but I am. Yes, I am in the wrong for so many reasons I can’t even keep track but I’ve never given him a reason to treat me like this. I’ve been loyal and doting and present and…have you?My subconscious sneers.Have you ever let Parker into the part of your heart that you’ve only let JP? Or have you kept that part guarded ever since JP planted his flag there?
I huff. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Wait, Whitney, baby.”
“No.” My phone stops buzzing and a moment later, a message flashes across my screen.
Jacob: I hope you’re not asleep. I have plans for us, baby.The space between my legs begins to tingle in anticipation and for a brief second, I remember I’m on FaceTime with Parker and the facade slips as I swipe the message away.
“Who’s texting you this late?”
“It’s eleven p.m. in California, it’s notthatlate. It’s Chloe.” The lie comes out easily. “Let me guess, you’d like to see it?” I pray he doesn’t call my bluff and I’m grateful when he doesn’t respond. “I’ll be there in the morning.”
“Fine.” His eyes drop to the bottom of the screen, which still isn’t showing anything but I assume he’s hoping that something may have become exposed. “I love you.”
Part of me doesn’t want to say it back. Or sayme tooordittoinstead. Or something that would be totally out of character for me. But because Jacob has now started calling meagain,I take the easy way out. “Love you too.” I give him a weak smile before I end the call without another thought.
“Hi.” I lean forward as soon as his face shows up on the screen and I press a kiss to the camera. “I miss you so much.” I don’t wait for him to ask me why I didn’t answer when he called and texted. “Parker FaceTimed me, it’s why I couldn’t answer your calls or your texts…” I put a hand over my forehead.
He frowns. “You answered him… like that?” he says, referring to my naked, wet body.
“He didn’t see anything. I had the phone angled away from me and then I picked a fight so he wouldn’t ask. I got in here to wait for you.” I can see the relief on his face but he still looks irritated. “Are you mad?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “I trust you, baby.”
“I almost told him. I was angry and I snapped and it was on the verge of coming out and then you called me. In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t because that’s not the way I wanted to tell him. Here in New York, on the phone and not in person, while he’s in the hospital and his parents are here andyou’rethere in California.”
He nods. “Why were you angry?”
