Page 236 of Unexpected Hero

Going out tonight. You should work late.

Never having been one to read into things when proof doesn’t exist, I experience an unusual sensation as I scan her words repeatedly and sort through a vast array of potential hidden meanings.

In other words, I’m reading into things.

Nothing overtly wrong with the two sentences. It’s a factual update accompanied by a suggestion. Simple. Straightforward.

Yet dread pools deep in my gut. Each reread of her message further saturates it.

Especially after how things ended last night.

Fuck.

She cried into my chest in the shower. All I could do was hold her and tell her it would be fine.

I didn’t know what else to say.

After our shower, I shifted back into action mode. Once I wiped the video file from her laptop, I showed her what she needed to do when she was ready to delete it from her phone permanently.

She was silent through most of the conversation.

And I let her be.

If anyone understands the need for silence, it’s me.

Perhaps that’s what’s happening tonight. She just needs more time for introspection.

The last few days were up and down for us.

The confrontation over Mia morphed into her pressing me for details about work. Despite the rocky start to our anniversary, we got past it and had a fantastic night. That euphoria carried over to last night. Unfortunately, it made the crash even harder on her. And for me.

How could I be so reckless about the condom?

Was the Plan B a bad idea? She seemed to understand I was providing an option and not attempting to force her.

But she left it sitting on my table when she went home.

Does that mean she wasn’t even considering taking it? Then why was she crying?

Maybe she didn’t understand why I got it. Or she didn’t believe me.

Shit.

My head hurts. How am I supposed to get any work done while my heart is in my throat, clogging my airway?

This is stupid. Why am I jumping to conclusions? It could be nothing.

I should call her.

Then again, she hates phone calls. Will she even answer?

Nah. A call is out of the question.If she is upset with me, she won’t answer. It’ll piss her off that I dared to call.

I could text her to ask if she’s mad.

But would it make it worse? If she wanted to tell me what’s wrong, she’d have told me. Right? Or maybe she wants me to ask.

This is maddening.

---