Page 80 of Riverside Reverie

Jasmine nodded thoughtfully, mulling over my words. “Well, Theo’s not one to shy away from baggage. He can handle more than you think.”

“He shouldn’t have to,” I flopped backwards so that I was laying down, staring at her ceiling. “I’ll figure it out.”

Jasmine laid back too, turning her head to look at me. “You don’t have to figure things out alone, though. You have me.”

I turned to look at her too and smiled. “I know, and I’m so grateful for you. Thanks for always being there.”

Theo

An uneasiness had settled over me when I hadn’t heard from Lux in several hours. I tried to distract myself, knowing how ridiculous it was to be missing her so profusely after a mere eight hours.

But she hadn’t messaged me right away when she got back to Guelph. I’d texted to check in, and she didn’t reply until after dinner, saying that she’d arrived safely. Nothing more, nothing less, and after that it was radio silence.

I felt that silence in my soul.

“Snap out of it, Theo,” Talia demanded, drawing my attention back to her. We were hanging out on the back deck, playing Rummy. She was winning because I was so distracted.

Talia and I usually hung out and played card games when we were the only ones around. Normally, I was focused enough to hold my own. Tonight, though, my mind kept wandering back to Lux, wondering how things were going back home. Had she told her family she was moving yet? Was her sister giving her trouble?

“Sorry,” I dropped my cards, gave up, and rubbed my head, trying to ease the tension headache.

“Wow, Lux really does have a spell over you,” Talia’s brow arched, and she set her own cards down, revealing another winning hand. “I’ve never seen you like this before. Usually, you’re unflappable.”

It was true, I’d never felt this way before. Like a part of me was missing, and I knew exactly where it was, but it was too far away for comfort. Instead, I felt unsettled.

“Yeah, well. There’s a first for everything I guess.”

“You must really be into her,” Talia tilted her head, appraising me.

“I am,” I admitted. “I wasn’t expecting to fall so hard and so suddenly for her, but it happened. A few years ago, I would have run from those feelings. I wouldn’t have been ready or mature enough to handle the importance of them. But now, I feel ready for them, and I’m worried she’s not.”

“Are you forgetting the mess she left at home? She’s probably busy dealing with sister drama. You are in a place for this, she might not be yet—and you’ve got to accept that. Either way, you won’t know until you talk to her.”

“You’re right, I know,” I sighed.

“If I’m right, why are you still moping?” Talia demanded.

“I have an uneasy feeling. I don’t know,” I ran my hand over my face, trying to wipe away the troubled feeling.

“Call her.”

“I don’t want to bother her.”

“Then text,” Talia countered, lifting her beer for a sip. She paused before taking a drink, eyeing me with a challenge. “Don’t be a chicken shit, Theo. You’re going to feel all mopey and distracted until you talk to her, so talk to her.”

“I’ll call her later…” I said, watching while Talia finished her beer.

“Call her now, I’m going to go to bed. I’ve got an early day tomorrow; Eliza and I are going hiking.” Talia stood up, saluting me before she headed inside with her empty bottles.

The sliding door closed behind her, leaving me alone with only the sounds of crickets chirping and the occasional car driving by.

It wasn’t that I was worried she’d changed her mind about us—we’d parted on a pretty good note, with a kiss that I knew rocked Lux to her core as much as it had rocked me. But I knew the mental landmine she was walking into by returning home to that situation with her sister, and her short answer and radio silence wasn’t a good sign.

Not that I knew how she communicated via text, since we hadn’t done much of that in the past week, but I had a hunch.

Huffing in aggravation, pulling my phone out of my pocket. Talia was right, I wouldn’t be able to stop thinking about it until I talked to her. I clicked her contact information, listening as the phone rang.

Lux picked up after a couple of rings. “Hello?”

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