Total pages in book: 35
Estimated words: 32578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 32578 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 163(@200wpm)___ 130(@250wpm)___ 109(@300wpm)
“You be good while I’m gone and there will be more when I come back.” He meows at me before making a circle and plopping down on the bed. I bet when I come back, he’ll be in that same spot waiting for me. Sometimes I wish I could swap places with him. Life would be so much easier then.
I grab my purse and keys, and make my way to the car. Once inside, I head toward Gino's Italian Cuisine. It’s only a short drive from the house. I’ve been wanting to try the little Italian restaurant since I moved here, but the place has total date night vibes. I’d feel awkward going in and sitting by myself while I read my Kindle.
My phone rings just as I park my car. I pull it out, not recognizing the phone number. Thinking it might be the blind date the ladies set me up with, I answer.
“Hello.”
“Reesy!” My ex’s voice comes through the line. My stomach drops. I hate when he calls me that. It’s so cringy.
I haven’t talked to Robert since I left town. I blocked his number so he couldn’t get in touch with me. There was no point in us having any further contact. Since I quit the company, I didn’t need to have anything else to do with him. It was pointless to talk to him since we were never getting back together, and he sounded like a broken record with his excuses.
If anything, I was thankful I’d caught him with someone else. It gave me a reason to finally break it off. He should have broken it off with me, honestly. I think he suggested the whole boyfriend-girlfriend thing because he wanted an in with my mom and stepdad at the company. Still, I was a terrible girlfriend to him. I would have understood. The only problem I had with everything that went down was my sister’s betrayal.
“Why are you calling me, Robert?” I ask. I should hang up on him, but my curiosity gets the best of me.
“I miss you.” I almost laugh at his reason.
“You don’t miss me. We never even hung out outside of work, and when we did, it was to work.”
“That wasn’t my fault! I could never get you to do anything else.” I cringe because he’s right. Once he told everyone we were dating and not just friends, I never wanted to spend time with him alone unless it had something to do with work. I was scared it would lead to something.
“You’re right,” I agree.
“Does that mean that you’ll come back?”
“No! Where did you get that idea?”
“You said I was right.”
“Robert. Seriously. We were a terrible couple.”
“No, we weren't. Not if you’d stop being so rigid and cold. Every time I even tried to kiss you, you'd freeze up.”
Ouch. That shouldn’t burn, but it does. Not because it’s Robert saying it, either. When I was in high school, a boy had said the same thing about me after we’d gotten stuck together in the stupid “seven minutes in heaven” game at a party my senior year. I hadn't wanted to play the game to begin with.
When I’d gotten into the closet, I’d pretty much chickened out. Shane, at least I think that was the boy's name, had talked me into at least giving him a kiss. But once again, I got cold feet and pushed him back mere seconds after his mouth touched mine. When that closet door opened, he stepped out and told everyone I was an ice queen.
The line goes quiet for a long moment. Robert lets out a long sigh to fill the silence.
“We were a perfect couple. We could do so much together.” There it is. The real reason he wanted to be with me. He was only in it to advance his career.
“We don’t work. Even before I caught you with my sister.” I slip out of my car, needing to get some fresh air.
“I don’t want her. I’ve never wanted her.”
“I beg to differ.” I laugh. It sure as hell looked like he wanted her a whole lot when I caught them in the act.
“It wasn't like that, Reesy. A man has needs. I want to meet those needs with you.” I cringe again.
“So you used my sister?” I shouldn’t be mad for her, but I am.
“She’d been throwing herself at me for months. Then she showed up naked. The only thing she had on was a wig.”
Okay, that’s new information. I thought maybe they’d been doing role play or something. I’d seen the blonde wig laying on the floor. I don’t know what to do with this information.
“I have to go, Robert. Take care of yourself.” I hang up before he can say another word. I don’t even know why I stayed on the phone as long as I did. I drop my phone back into my purse and head into Gino's to see what awaits me.