Page 52 of Losing Control
When I’m done, I return to Michael, who has a smirk on his face.
“That’s better.” Satisfied, he announces that we can now leave, and I follow him, feeling another little piece of my soul die.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Broken hearts
I’m sat at my desk, drinking a cup of coffee when my work phone rings. Placing my cup down, I pick up the receiver and put on a polite, cheery voice.
“Lucy?” the voice on the other end of the phone says.
“Cal?”
Shit.
“Why are you calling me at work?” I ask, a little abruptly.
“Why aren’t you answering your mobile? I’ve been trying to get hold of you for over a week now.”
Shit, shit and double shit.
“I… Um… It’s broken.”
Liar, liar, pants on fire.
“Is that so?” Cal replies.
“Yep.”
Keeping my answers to a minimum should enable me to cut this call short. I can’t risk Michael overhearing me. His desk may be on the other side of the room, but if he thinks that there is something wrong, he will be over here like a shot.
“Then how come you can message Kim, but not me? And how come you didn’t tell me that you had gotten engaged?” His questions throw me off guard.
“I’ve been busy.” I have never been like this with Cal. I’m always open with him, so for me to keep this from him, it’s going to raise his suspicions.
“Too busy to send a bloody text message or give me a quick call?” he asks incredulously.
“Sorry.” It’s like my default fucking response for everything nowadays.
“What’s going on with you, Lucy? Why are you being like this?”
“Like what?” Feign ignorance and the problem may go away.
“Seriously? You need me to answer that?”
“Yes, I do.” I don’t but I can’t tell him the truth.
“You’re different with me. You don’t seem to want to spend any time with me, and now you’re even ignoring me.” He sounds hurt and my heart breaks at the fact that our relationship is suffering.
“I’m the same as I always have been.” It’s ridiculous to say, but it’s all I can come up with.
“Bullshit. It’s Michael, isn’t it?” My silence speaks volumes and I bite my bottom lip, blinking rapidly to stop myself from crumbling. “Does he have a problem with me? With us?”
“There is no us,” I whisper, feeling my heart sink a little more.
“Lucy, I love you and you’re the person closest to me.” His words choke me. His sincerity hits me right at my core. “I don’t want to cause problems for you, but, fuck, I miss you.”
“I miss you too,” I say before I can stop myself. I mentally kick myself for voicing what my mind was thinking.
