“How’s your vacation going?”
“Just perfect,” she snapped. “Especially after I found out you cheated on me with my best friend.”
Silence. Just when she thought he was going to hang up on her, he said, “I’m sorry.”
Huh. She expected a load of excuses or for him to be like Abbie and put the blame on Kalista for his hurtful behavior. “You are?”
“Of course,” he said. “What kind of guy do you think I am?”
A cheating one.
“For the record, Abbie and I aren’t together anymore.”
A tiny feeling of triumph filled Kalista. “That was quick. You guys lasted what, two, three days?”
“Three and a half.”
“Why did you break up?”
“I thought she was different.”
“In what way?”
“I thought she wasn’t like you.”
Ouch. “Ryan, that was low.”
“I don’t mean it that way. Well, maybe I do.”
“I’m hanging up now—”
“Don’t,” he said. “I want to explain.”
She wrapped the cord around her index finger. “Go on.”
“I needed a change.”
Her chin drooped. “From me.”
“From everything. I can’t live my life as a party guy anymore. I need a new direction—any direction than just filling my life with empty junk. When I mentioned that to Abbie after you left, I thought she felt the same way—that she was tired of being aimless too. Turned out she was just telling me what I wanted to hear so she could go out with me. To hurt you.”
“What? Why?”
“I don’t know, and I’m not getting in the middle of it.”
She was in shock. Ooh, she was calling Abbie next to find out what was going on. She was the worst best friend ever. But now Ryan was free again. “I’ll be home in August,” she said, starting to smile. “We can pick up where we left off.”
“I like you, Kalista, but you’re just too immature.”
“I don’t think so. We’re the same age!”
“Our ages don’t matter. What are your goals in life? What are you doing other than shopping, parties, more shopping—”
“I do other things.” She had to think for a second. “The spa. I go to the spa. And the beach. I love the beach.”
“Don’t you want to do something more important?”
“The spa is important.”
