Emma
“Areyou ever going to answer your stupid phone?” Carley sounds exasperated. “He’s called a million times. For the love of cookies, answer it. Or mute it. Just end the ringing.”
She’s right. He’s called a lot. Not a million times but a lot. I sort of like that he’s not giving up. “I will. The next time he calls, I’ll answer it.” I’d already decided that. I mean, it’s been over a week. Eight days that he’s spent doing sweet things like sending me flowers, a box of candy, and several letters, one of which was four pages long.
And yes, I read them.
They were mostly about his time in New York and what happened with the team and how he spent his days. I guess it was his way of explaining that he was very busy. I don’t buy that he was so busy he couldn’t speak with me. Besides, I now know the reason he ghosted me. He addressed that in the first letter. That he was sorry for thinking the worst of me and that I’d been right when he’d let his father’s words play havoc with his own beliefs.
I feel the phone vibrate in my hand and look down.
Amber:I need help.
“What now?” I grumble.
“What? Did he finally give up?”
“It’s Amber.”
“What the hell does she want?”
Carley is over Amber. Correction. Carley’s been over Amber since high school but especially now. She still hasn’t left Madison. They dropped the charges back home due to lack of evidence. It was only suspected she was approaching truck drivers to, well, you know. That’s not the case, here, though. She was definitely caught attempting to solicit. At least that’s what the investigative officer said. And because I haven’t heard from her since the night Eli and I bailed her out, I assumed she’d stopped. Never assume…
No matter. I still have to find out what she needs.
Me:What’d you do now?
Okay, that doesn’t seem like the nicest response, but can you blame me?
Amber:I need a ride.
Carley is now planted herself beside me and has read the text. “Why am I relieved my car is in the shop?”
I give Carley stink eyes. “And even if there wasn’t something wrong with the alternator-thingy, I wouldn’t agree to do shit to help her.”
“I wouldn’t have asked you anyway.”
I turn my head and look at her and arch my brow. That’s when I say, “Yeah, I would have.” Just as Carley mutters, “Yeah, you would have.”
It makes me laugh. But then I get serious.
Me:I don’t have a car. Carley’s is in the shop.
Amber:Get your boyfriend. I really need help. I’m stranded in the middle of butt-fuck Wisconsin. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t an emergency because I know you’ve given up on me.
Oh, geesh. Now she’s laying on the guilt. She’s good at that.
Carley must agree, “Definitely. Call Eli. He’ll jump at the chance to see you.”
Crud.
I guess that means I’m not done with Eli Baxter.
Duh.
Me:Where are you? Exactly.
Amber: Concord
