Page 66 of Fire

His verbal lashing greeted her before she had a chance to take a breath. “Where the fuck are you?” She tried to answer, but he talked over her. “Because you’re not fuckin’ where you’re supposed to be.”

She hung up. He wanted to be a dick, fine. But she didn’t have to listen to it.

Her phone rang again. She let it go to voicemail.

It rang again. She glared at it. “Nope. Not happening, buddy.”

She turned the corner into her complex just as she got a ding, alerting her she had a message. She waited until she parked before listening to it.

Blake’s voice filled the tiny space. “Listen, I’m sorry. Please call me.”

It was the apology and addedpleasethat had her ringing his number, not wanting to be petty or spiteful.

He picked up before it completed the first ring. “I’m sorry I yelled. It was a dick move. I was… worried.”

“I’m fine. I had time to take off, so I went to the meeting early.”

“In other words, you were trying to avoid me.”

That, too. But, of course, she didn’t say that.

“At least tell me you didn’t sign anything.”

“The contract was straightforward. No small print, no hidden loopholes.”

“Fuck.”

She could imagine him running his fingers through his hair as he always did when frustrated. But she had to give him credit, he was keeping his cool.

“Where are you?”

“I just got home.”

“I’ll be there soon.”

“No!” she interjected before he could hang up. “I mean, what’s the point? Unless you’ve changed your mind about what you want from me, I don’t want to see you.”

Silence filled the car. She couldn’t even hear him breathing. She worried he’d hung up before he heard her little speech, but the timer on the call was still counting, letting her know it was still active.

“I guess I deserve that,” he finally said.

That and so much more. But, again, she didn’t say that.

“Listen, I…” he started but then stopped.

She waited a beat, but when he didn’t continue, she said, “I’ve got to go.” She hung up before he could say anything else.

He didn’t call back.

And she told herself she was happy about that.

Herself didn’t believe her.

Gathering her things, she made her way up to her apartment. She was home a good hour earlier than usual and realized her mistake in not informing Allie of her plans when she caught her in a semi-compromising position. She was on the couch in a lip-lock with a blond—that she soon discovered was Dillan Cooper when he turned his head at the sound of the closing door.

Interesting.

“Sorry!” Gwen made a production of keeping her head averted as she beelined for the hall. “I’m going straight to my room.”

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