Page 29 of Risk It All

“No, I have enough clothes.”

“What about money?”he jokes and I snort.

“I’m staying with Alexander and Eden.”

“Ohhh, so you’re living the good life.”

“Pretty much.”

He laughs and we catch up for a few more minutes before we end the call.

I look around the empty room, wondering what in the hell I should be doing now.

CHAPTER13

Emerson

It’s been the longest,most stressful three weeks of my life.Between packing up our old apartment in Los Angeles, driving a big moving truck across country, setting up our new, somehow smaller, apartment in New York, and me starting my new dream job, I haven’t had a lot of time to process everything that’s been happening.

Layla finally has the apartment set up the way that she wants.I let her have the bigger room since it also has to be her office and she’s the one who spends the most time in the apartment.

We live closer to Chelsea but it’s still close to Malhoy Gallery and Alexander and Eden’s place.

I’ve been avoiding Eden and I feel bad.She seems so nice and I really like her and her husband… I just can’t handle hearing about or seeing Anthony right now.I pass by a comedy club every day on my way to work and every single day I wonder if he’s going to be performing there tonight.If I’ll run into him outside of it one day.

He’s been texting me every day.

It started with him trying to apologize and asking to see me but when I didn’t respond, he started having one-way conversations with me.

He told me that he didn’t get the spot and my heart broke for him.I had almost given in then and called him but then I would remember how he had let me walk out of the bedroom after I told him that I loved him and I had set my phone aside.

He told me that he’s staying in New York and working on his comedy until he auditions again in a few weeks.Actually, he should be auditioning again tonight.

Part of me wants to go and support him but I’m weak.I know that I would fall back into his arms if he opened them for me.

My phone buzzes in my purse and I fish it out, biting back a smile when I see that I have another text from Anthony.

ANTHONY:Alexander just asked me to move in with them permanently.

I can’t holdin my laugh at that.While it’s obvious that Alexander and Anthony love each other, it’s always buried under a huge layer of sarcasm and ribbing.Alexander would never admit that he enjoyed having his brother stay with him.

Someone bumps into me, and I almost drop my phone.I’m still getting used to how pushy everyone seems to be here, especially around the end of the day when everyone is heading home for the night.

I just clocked out of the gallery a few minutes ago and my feet are killing me.I have to wear dressier clothes here to fit in with the New York fashion and that means slightly higher heels.Heels that I’m still trying to get used to walking around in all day.

I spot my slightly run-down apartment building up ahead and let out a sigh of relief.Another message comes through as I walk inside and head for the stairs.

ANTHONY:I miss you.

He sendsme that every day without fail.I know what the next message will be before it comes through.

ANTHONY:Have dinner with me.Let me apologize and beg for your forgiveness in person.

Just like every other day,I bite my lip, twirling a strand of hair around my finger as I debate it.

I want to see him, of course I do, but I know that I need to protect myself too.I can’t let him suck me back in.It would only hurt more when he pushed me away again.I need someone who is going to catch me when I fall.

So like every other day, I do my best to push thoughts of Anthony out of my mind.

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