Page 21 of Deceit

MARTY: Since when?

EMMY: Since when what?

MARTY: You’re the only female I know that hates stores and trying shit on.

EMMY: Sometimes, you just have to suck it up and go.

MARTY: I was gonna see if you were around.

I recognize what that means, even if he won’t just blurt it out and say it.

Marty needs someone around to keep his mind off parenthood. Which is dumb because Stormi is probably nearby to console him.

Despite everything, I’m happy he still wants me around. And thankfully, so does Stormi. I mean, who could blame her?

EMMY: Order us a pizza. I’ll be over soon.

Which will have to be me leaving pronto because I still have an hour trip. I wish he’d call Mills to have a “boy’s night,” but technically, I’m considered one, and be as it may, Mills drives Marty crazy.

MARTY: Be here in an hour?

EMMY: Shopping, remember?

MARTY: You’re shopping, my ass.

MARTY: You’re lying.

EMMY: Prove it.

MARTY: I did.

EMMY: How?

MARTY: Mills taught me how to GPS a phone, and you’re about an hour out.

MARTY: Funny, the rental that Bishop and I rented out is a good sixty minutes from here. Fancy that.

Damn it.

How dare these assholes use the skills that I taught them against me.

MARTY: Get your ass here when you’re done doing whatever it is you’re not doing.

The slamming of a car door yanks me from my screen just to find a woman and child walking from a red van.

He’s not here.

I thought maybe I could “run into him” after the dozens upon dozens of text messages I’ve sent with no response. I’ve aspired to give him space, to plainly chill out, except it’s been more challenging than I thought.

My heart drops a little as the truth slaps me in the face like it always does, never missing the opportunity to.

Bishop doesn’t want to be found or talked to.

We’re over.

We’ve been over for years.

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