Joe:Just wanted to see if you got home yet. And tell you that I miss you like fucking crazy already.
After a shitty welcome home, seeing Joe’s name flash across my screen was like having a cozy, sexy blanket draped over me.
Caterina:I’m home. And I miss you like crazy, too. I’m disinfecting my apartment now, but what time do you get off work tonight? I’ll call you.
Joe:Probably late. The place is packed today. But call me whenever you want. And I mean it. Whenever.
Caterina:Four a.m. it is ;)
Joe:I’d still answer if it was you.
A smile curved my lips as I stretched my arms over my head. Things would change now that I was home, and I’d start by taking out the trash.
34
Caterina
“Someone camein this morning and told me the video in our story was cool. I had no clue what the hell they were talking about until they showed me their Instagram.” The deep rumble of Joe’s laugh echoed in my ear.
I cringed and drew back in my office chair.
“Sorry about that. I logged on and posted something last night before I went to bed and forgot to tell you. But hey, it worked!”
“Of course, it did. My girl is a marketing genius. It’s the last weeks of summer, and we need all the business we can get. Still can’t come out on Labor Day?”
In the month since I’d been back, getting into a normal groove was kicking my ass. We had a campaign launch coming up the first week in September that took up most of my days, and, as we got closer, my nights and weekends too. The timing of the launch barred anyone on my team from making Labor Day vacation plans. I knew that at the beginning of the summer, but now that it cost me three days with Joe, I wasn’t so okay with it.
“No, I can’t. I’m hoping not to work the whole weekend, but it’s going to be a bitch. I would if I could.”
“I’m sorry you’re going to miss the Labor Day party we’re having. And my bed is lonely as hell. I’m not used to having all the covers anymore.”
“I don’t steal the covers.”
“Please, you almost hog the whole bed. I never minded since you were always on top of me, anyway. Like I wish you were right now.”
“Joe,” I groaned, my eyes clenching shut as I wished the same thing. “Don’t get all sexy when I’m spending the afternoon going through spreadsheets.”
“Don’t get all sexy?” His husky laugh made my heart squeeze. “I’m not sure if I could help it. Just comes out, you know?”
“Don’t I know it.” I rubbed away the ache in my chest, missing him so much it was painful. “Try to save it for later.” Joe still had moves across the distance, but phone sex depressed me. It only made me yearn for the real thing and pissed me off about a wasted long weekend even more.
“Come on, Cat. I’m starving and not eating at my desk again.” My friend Amy tapped me on the shoulder. “Let’s get some air for a change.”
I turned to her with a nod and held up a finger. She nodded as she mouthedboyfriend. Not wanting to explain the semantics, I nodded.
“Listen, I’m going to get something for lunch. My friend is forcing me out of my office. Talk later?”
“Of course. I’ll hold in the sexy until then.”
“I’m sure all the women still notice.”
“Doesn’t matter if they do or if they don’t. I don’t notice anyone but you.” His voice dipped low as the air shifted between us, even across the miles. Even though I was plagued with daily doubts of how we’d get this to work, the one thing I never questioned was how Joe felt about me and about us. He was all in, and so was I. Figuring out how to be all in yet so far apart was the taxing part. “Get out of the office and eat.”
I held the phone for a couple of seconds after he hung up. He kept asking when I could come out to see him, but I never had an answer. I hated the hope followed by disappointment laced in his tone whenever he’d ask.
“It’s been almost a month, and you haven’t told me anything except that you broke up with Trent and met someone at the shore,” Amy told me as she popped open her container of salad. We sat at a table in Pershing Square near Grand Central Station. Eating outside in the sunshine reminded me of Joe’s outdoor patio.Everythingreminded me of Joe. I’d sworn I’d spotted him on the train three times this week. A guy with the same light brown hair and profile made my heart jump, although, my head knew it wasn’t him. It sank when he’d turned around and confirmed it.
“Trent and I broke up right before I left. It’s why I left early,” I explained as I dug through my salad for the two pieces of avocado I’d asked for but couldn’t find. “He did something I couldn’t forgive, so I told him to get out by the time I got back home. But he wouldn’t leave.”
