I hesitated, then answered, trying to steady my voice. “Hello?”
“This is Amy from Pinnacle Loan Company. Is this Kathleen Avery?”
“Y-yes.”
“Good afternoon, Ms. Avery. I’m calling today because you haven’t responded to the email we sent you on October twentieth,” came the flat, emotionless voice on the other end. “Your payment is overdue. If you don’t make the next payment soon, we’ll have to double the interest rate. And if it goes to court, you’ll be responsible for all legal fees.”
My throat tightened. “I... I’m working on it. I’ll have the money soon. Please don’t increase the rate. I can’t afford that. I’ll never be able to pay it back.”
“You’ve already had more time than we typically allow,” the voice droned on, like they were reading from a script. “You need to make the payment, or we’ll proceed with the next steps.”
“I’ll figure it out,” I whispered, but even as I said it, I felt like I was sinking deeper. The weight of the debt pressed down on me, and no matter how much I tried to swim toward the surface, I couldn’t break free. I should’ve been looking for a job this whole time instead of playing house with Topher and Josephine. Now, I’d never be able to clear this loan.
My hand shook as I hung up the phone, the desperation clawing at me. For a split second, I was tempted to ask Topher for help. He could probably make this payment without even thinking twice. All it would take was a word, and the problem could disappear.
But then Alex’s words echoed in my head.How could he possibly be interested in you? You’re not built for a serious relationship.
What if Alex was right? What if Topher wasn’t someone I could truly rely on? Sure, he might give me the money, but that didn’t mean he cared. I’d be another task on his endless to-do list, another problem to solve and move on from. And the thought of opening up to someone, only to be left behind, made me hesitate.
Or what if he realized I wasn’t good enough for him? A billionaire couldn’t be with a debt-riddled college dropout. He’d see that for sure if I asked for money.
No, I would figure this out on my own. I wasn’t about to lean on someone else. Depending on other people had never worked out for me before. Why would this time be any different?
I was still trying to make sense of it all when I saw Topher down the hall. His face lit up when he spotted me.
He jogged over. “Hey,” he said, breathless, a smile in his eyes. “Mom’s doing great. She’s just wrapping up with the physical therapist now.”
“That’s good,” I replied, keeping my tone even, as my mind spun out of control. Alex’s words stuck with me, poisoning everything. Topher glanced over at me, his brow furrowing slightly. “You okay? You seem a little distracted.”
I shrugged, trying to shake off the heavy thoughts. “Just a long day.”
He didn’t let it drop, though. Instead, he leaned closer, his arm brushing mine. The warmth of his touch sent a flicker of heat through me, even as my mind tried to pull me in the opposite direction. He pointed at a sign on the wall. “Please Do Not Remove the Lobby Plants? Really?”
I smiled, grateful for the distraction. “People are stealing fake plants now?”
Topher laughed, his voice warm. “I’d love to see someone just casually walking out of here with a giant plastic fern under their arm.”
I grinned. “Walk confidently enough, and no one will question it. ‘Excuse me, sir, is that hospital property?’ ‘No, it’s my emotional support fern.’”
Topher lost it, his laughter loud and genuine. Seeing him like that, laughing with abandon, made me feel warm inside.
But as the laughter faded, he glanced at me, and his smile softened. His hand rested on mine. His fingers brushed against my skin, his thumb tracing slow circles on the back of my hand.
“When you went off with Alex earlier…” His voice was quieter now, his gaze locked on mine.
My heart quickened. “What about it?”
He hesitated for another moment, then sighed softly. “I didn’t like it. Seeing you with him.”
My heart stuttered. His hand, still on mine, pressed just a little harder, his thumb still moving in those small, deliberate circles. For a brief moment, the warmth of his touch and the sincerity in his eyes made me want to believe him. Made me want to sink into that feeling and forget everything else.
But then, Alex’s voice echoed in my mind:You’re not built for a serious relationship. There’s just some fundamental part of you that’s missing.Alex knew the truth: I wasn’t amazing at all.
Topher’s hand stayed on mine, the pressure increasing slightly, and his eyes searched mine, hopeful, like he was opening a door between us, inviting me to step through. But instead of letting him in, I gently withdrew my hand.
His gaze flickered with a brief flash of hurt, but it disappeared so quickly I wondered if I imagined it.
Then, Josephine walked into the room with her usual bright smile, her presence immediately shifting the energy. Topher straightened, stepping toward his mom, his attention now entirely on her.
