Page 21 of Whenever You Call

“I’m good. You?”

“Good,” she repeated.

“Really?”

A soft laugh escaped her. “No, probably not, but it’s what we all say, isn’t it? When people ask us how we are, we hit default and say we’re good because the alternative of saying that we’re falling apart piece by piece makes us sound pathetic, and no one really wants to hear that. Or worse,bethat.”

“They probably shouldn’t ask how you are if they don’t want to know. That’s on them.”

“Very true. Why do we do that?”

“I don’t know. Why did you ask me?”

“I was genuinely interested.”

I ran my free hand through my hair. “I’m…”

“Good, yeah. You said.” I heard the smile in her voice, and for some reason, I liked it. Imagining her with a smile on her face rather than the constant sadness I’d always seen there mademefeel better.

“Not much of a talker, are you, Logan?”

“I wasn’t expecting you to actually call.”

“Oh.”

Shit… wrong thing to say.

“That’s not what I meant. I guess I just assumed you’d get rid of my number once you closed the door that day. I saw how uncomfortable it made you to have me there. Plus, it’s been almost two weeks without hearing from you, so I kind of figured you, you know…”

“What?”

“That you didn’t have a need for me. For what I offered.”

“I didn’t realize there was an expiry date on that offer.”

“There isn’t.”

“So, it still stands?”

“I said whenever, Hannah. I meant it.”

“Okay then.” That smile of hers was there again. I could practically see it. “Maybe one day, I’ll need to take you up on everything.”

My lips twitched at the thought. “You do that.”

“I’m sorry Bella called you, though. I hope she didn’t wake you or anything. You must work some crazy hours.”

“Actually, she couldn’t have timed it better. I’m on leave.”

“For a vacation?”

“More like a staycation. Forced time off from my boss. Apparently, I don’t have much of a life outside of work,” I admitted, making myself sound even lamer than I probably already did. “He thinks it’s about time I went out there and got one.”

“Let me know how that goes,” she chuckled, just as Bella called out to her in the background. Hannah covered the cell up, and they had a conversation I wasn’t privy to. When she eventually came back on the line, she blew out a small breath. “I’d better go.”

“Is Bella okay?” I asked, remembering what Hannah had said only minutes earlier about how she’d been struggling lately.

“She will be. We’re working on it. It’s not easy but…”

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