Page 77 of That One Heartbreak

The second message arrived twenty minutes ago.

Did you get back okay from the station? I’m a bit worried about you. – Marley

And now her phone was ringing. His name was on the screen. “Aren’t you gonna get that?” Carlton asked, looking up from his newspaper.

Her chest felt so tight. “Yes,” she breathed. “I think I’ll take it upstairs.”

“Sure. I’m gonna head out to play with the kids.”

Addy and Ethan were in the yard. James was in his room. Kate tiptoed to her own and slid her finger across the screen.

“Hello?” she said softly.

“Hey.”

The sound of his voice made her feel a little weak. “Hi.”

“You okay? I sent you a couple of messages.”

“I…” She had no idea what to say. And then she heard somebody shouting, echoing through the line.

“Are you with your family?” she asked him.

“Yeah. Just got jumped by my brother, the asshole.”

“Do they know you’re talking to me?” Her voice lifted. The thought of them knowing, of them judging…

“No.” His voice was low. “But would it be a problem if they did?”

She let out a long breath. “Yes, it would.”

He didn’t reply for a moment. And she was trying to think of something to say to fill in the gap. To explain that she couldn’t think straight. That she hadn’t been able to since she saw Paul’s photograph on the wall of the fire house.

That every part of her hurt right now.

“Why?” he asked. “Are you ashamed of me?”

His question felt so pointed it was a knife to her heart. “No,” she whispered. “I’m ashamed of me.”

That was the truth of it. A tear rolled down her cheek.

She could hear Marley’s sharp intake of breath. “Well at least you’re honest,” he said.

“I’m sorry. I just…” She tried to get her breathing under control. “Seeing Paul’s photograph. It made me upset. Like it was a sign.”

“A sign?”

“Maybe we’re taking this too fast,” she told him. “Maybe we shouldn’t have done what we did last night.”

“You regret it?” There was hurt in his voice. And she hated it.

She hated herself more.

“I don’t know.” There were more tears. She wiped them away angrily. “I’m sorry. I’m a mess.”

“Let me come over.” His voice was gentle. “We can talk.”

“No!” The thought of it made her panic. “You can’t come over. Not during the daytime.”

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