Page 27 of Catch Me
And yes, that does mean I’ve ignored the last few text messages and phone calls from my mother over the past few months.
I decide I have just enough energy to respond to my sister.
Me:
I’ve been busy. I will reach out to her and Dad soon.
Rose:
Did you get a job?
Another flip of my belly. The problem is I know she isn’t really interested in whether I’m working or how I’m faring here in L.A. She’s interested in whether or not I’m living up to the Sterling name. If I’m living in accordance with their definition of success.
Me:
Yes.
I opt to keep my responses short and sweet.
Rose:
Not that pitiful part-time job where you pick clothes and have them sent to women who can’t even choose a pair of jeans for themselves, is it?
God, she becomes more and more like our mother with each passing year. Rose is older than me by five years and we’venever been particularly close, but our relationship has only deteriorated in the past two years.
Ever since I made the family look bad by having a very public meltdown.
Me:
No. A different job. I have to go. I’ll reach out to Mom and Dad soon.
I sit back in my seat and lift my hands over my head to stretch after sitting in front of a computer screen for the past hour.
My phone buzzes again.
This time it’s a call instead of a text.
“Rose, I said I’ll call you guys when I have time.”
There’s a beat of silence on the other end. Then an unexpected voice breaks through.
“You didn’t wait for me.”
I pull the phone from my ear and stare at the unknown number. “Andreas?” I blurt out.
A deep, satisfied chuckle echoes through the phone. “You finally used my name for the first time. I like it.”
My body warms.
“Is this really you?” It’s a silly question because there’s no mistaking that deep, smoky voice. Still, I can’t fully wrap my head around it.
“The one and only. Were you in a rush to get home to someone?”
I blink, trying to get a grasp on the question and this entire conversation.
“You didn’t wait for me,” he continues, since I haven’t replied. “And it occurred to me that the reason may be because you already had someone at home waiting for you.”
Ms. Shelby decides to purr and walks between my legs, rubbing her body against my ankle as she passes.
