Page 97 of Soul of a Psycho

They both look up at me, but I flinch when I see Callie’s eyes. They are rimmed red and puffy.

“No,” she croaks.

“I trynotto see Cade,” Ruby says.

I can’t even muster an eye roll, and I ignore her to tilt my head at Callie.

“What’s wrong?” I crowd in next to her, momentarily putting aside my worry for Cade. “What happened?”

She sniffles but doesn’t say anything, leaving room for Ruby to sigh. A silence stretches where I look between the two of them, waiting for someone to speak.

“Bobby broke up with her,” Ruby finally says.

“What?!” my voice is more shrill than it needs to be, but that doesn’t make sense at all.

“Yep.” Ruby nods. “With a note, no less. What a pussy.”

I shake my head. That doesn’t… It just doesn’t make sense. Anyone with half a brain could see how much Bobby is into Callie. They were definitely going to go all the way. High school sweethearts, marriage, kids, and a dog. There’s no way he would break up with her.

“And tell her why.” Ruby nudges Callie.

“The note said he had to go home.” Callie’s voice cracks. “That he had a family death and—”

“No,” Ruby cuts her off. “Tell her what you guys did.”

Callie’s cheeks turn pink, and she hangs her head. “That’s not why,” she mutters.

“What’s not why?” I want to be considerate, but my patience is gone, along with Cade’s presence.

Ruby gives Callie a cursory second to speak up, but then folds her arms and answers for her.

“They had sex.”

“That’snotwhy he left,” Callie snaps.

Ruby quirks a brow at me, like I’m in on this witnessing of denial.

“You don’t think it’s a bit odd that you finally give it up and he vanishes?”

“He’s not like that.”

“He sure sounded like a dick in that note.”

I shake my head again and peer around the dining hall, trying to find a clear thought in my mind while they bicker. I don’t think for a second that Bobby would ‘hit it and quit it’ as I faintly hear Ruby reference. Callie is right. He’s not like that. This is sweet and innocent Bobby we are talking about here. I don’t think he ‘hit’ anything. The two of them probably fumbled around awkwardly, blushing and shy.

He probably really does have a family emergency. Why he would break up with her, though, doesn’t make sense. Surely, he’ll be back to finish out the year. Maybe Callie jumped to conclusions when reading the note. Maybe he didn’t actually break up with her. That would make more sense.

“Do you have the note?” I interrupt the two of them.

“It’s in my room.” Callie swipes at her cheek.

I frown. I want to read it. To make sense of it and calm Callie. But I don’t want to drag us back to Lamb Hall right now. I still have to find Cade.

“I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” I say, and then hastily add, “Don’t listen to Ruby.” I start to extract myself apologetically, hoping I have enough time to make it to the shack and back.

Ruby scoffs, but I’m already turning.One problem at a time, I tell myself.

Chapter Sixty-Five

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