Page 56 of Sliding Into Love
And he hated it. Didn’t want to be annoyed with her. But right now, everything else was at the forefront of his mind, and anger and annoyance crept into his voice.
“Hi.” The word was as harsh as the snap of a whip as it left his mouth. It stung like a whip, too.
“Oh, sorry, is this a bad time? Did you call accidentally? I saw the missed calls and— “
“No, it was on purpose.”
“What’s up?”
“It’s nothing.”
“Oh. Umm. Okay?” Ivy sounded taken aback.
“Fucking hell.”
She didn’t say anything for a few seconds, the silence echoing with his pounding heartbeats. Would she hang up? Be done with him for good?
“Are you okay?” Concern tinged her voice.
Fuck, he didn’t want her pity.
“I am fucking awesome,” he snarled, hating the sound of his voice. “The new manager? The one who replaced Marshall? She’s my mother’s college roommate. Her best friend.”
“Oh. Wow.”
“Yeah, it’s a fucking delight.”
“That sounds…difficult.”
“It was, yeah. So, I called you, but you didn’t answer.”
“Yeah, I was calling the school again. I saw on Facebook that someone I went to grad school with got a job at the same school I’m waiting to hear back from, so I was trying to get in touch with the assistant principal. Not that it worked.”
Shit, he was such an asshole for not even considering she might be busy, and realizing it made him feel worse.
“And,” he went on as though she hadn’t spoken, “I called my mother. And she didn’t have time for me. I should’ve realized things never change.”
“Damn, that’s— wow. Do you want to talk about it?”
“Not now I don’t.”
“O—kay… I’m here if you change your mind.”
“Are you though?” Fuck, he was being such a dick. He hated it, but the words just slipped out.
“What the hell, Ethan? I missed your call and now—what, you’re mad at your mom and your coach and taking it out on me? Are you the only one who gets to have a bad day?”
“Maybe this was a mistake.”
“What, calling your mom? It sounds like you weren’t ready to talk to her.”
“No, I mean— yes, but this. Us. A mistake.”
She inhaled sharply, the small sound like a stab to his already aching chest.
“Do you really think so?”
He hadn’t, but once it was out there…maybe…
