Page 22 of Always Us

“Yeah, because you’ll probably have to call Sean when I’m done with Harper.”

I call her and she answers right away. “Jade, I’m sorry to bother you when you’re with your family. Can you talk?”

“Yeah, of course. How are you feeling? Did the surgery go okay?”

“Yeah, it was fine. That’s not why I’m calling.” Her voice is shaky and it sounds like she’s crying.

I look at Garret. “Harper, is this about Sean?”

“He came to the hospital. I told him not to. I knew he didn’t have the money for a plane ticket, but he came anyway.” She sniffles. “But my parents wouldn’t let him see me. They told the hospital staff to keep him away. Now I don’t know where he is. I’ve called him a million times. Texted him. I’m worried about him, Jade. He always answers his phone. What if something happened to him?” She sniffles again. “I talked to one of the nurses and asked her if Sean told her where he was staying. She said he didn’t tell her, but that she thinks she saw him sleeping in the park last night.” Harper’s crying even more now.

Garret’s shaking his head, annoyed with Sean for not taking the money we offered him for a hotel room.

“Harper, don’t worry. Garret will call Sean and we’ll figure out what’s going on.”

“Can Garret call him right now? I have to know if Sean’s okay.”

“Yes, he’ll call him right now.”

“Thanks, Jade. And you’ll call me back, right?”

“Yes. Bye, Harper.”

We hang up and Garret’s already got his phone out. He calls Sean, putting the phone on speaker. It rings and rings but Sean finally answers.

“Hey, Garret.”

“Sean, where the hell are you?”

“I’m at my apartment.”

“I thought you weren’t flying back until Sunday.”

“Plans changed. I came back early.”

Sean sounds strange. He’s talking slow and his words are kind of drawn out.

“Jade just talked to Harper.”

“So you know what happened.”

“Yeah, but you need to call her back. She’s freaking out because you’re not answering her calls or her texts.”

“Why would I answer her? We’re not dating anymore.”

“What the hell’s going on with you? Why are you acting like this?”

“Because it’s over.” He slurs the last word. Garret noticed it, too. “And I need to accept that and move on.”

“Have you been drinking, Sean?”

“It’s Saturday night. That’s what people do.”

“You sound drunk.”

“Whatever. Maybe I am.”

“Just call Harper and tell her you’re okay.”

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