“Anyway, her condition only got worse. One day, I guess Conway couldn’t take it anymore. He left. No explanation, just a note letting me know where my mom had been moved to.”Moved to. Like she was athing. I grip the phone tighter, shaking the thought away. “She’s everything to me, Blue. The motivation behind everything I do, everything I’m working toward. My studies, getting a degree, saving money, it’s all for her. And my Saturday visits ... I don’t know. They’re like our secret, I guess. Me and Mom. Stolen moments I can only get when she’s having a good day.” I swallow, squeezing the back of my neck. “I didn’t mean to—”
BEEP.
“To listen to your voicemail, press one. To erase and rerecord, press two.”
I pull the phone away from my ear, staring at the stupid screen blankly. Goddammit. Running my hands through my hair, I swing my gaze to the quiet street, some dumb part of me hoping that staring hard enough will conjure Blue.
But then her expression flashes in my mind again, the way her face crumpled when she realized it was me playing the piano, and I curse under my breath. Just one more thing I kept from her. She looked at me the same way Mom did a few moments later—like I’d deliberately hurt her. God, that fucking look. I know I deserved it, but at least that part I can try to explain.
I’m dialing her number again before I even think about it.
“It’s me. Leave a message, bonus points if you make me smile.”
I dive straight in like I wasn’t cut off. “Remember that day I chased you in the rain? You said I have a musician’s hands, and I swear, for a second, I almost told you I play. That my mom used to be a music teacher. That playing together has always been our thing, just the two of us. She taught me piano when I was five, and we were writing songs together the day I turned six.”
I shove my free hand into my pocket, mindlessly kicking a twig on the sidewalk.
“You know, if we’d met before all this, I would’ve played just for you every day if you asked me to. But now ... it’s not the same. I’m not the same.” Squinting at the sun, I try to push down the emotions climbing up my throat, images from the past overloading me. “I don’t talk about it because playing is something I only do with my mom. I’ve tried on my own, but I can’t ... I can’t do it without ... without ... fuck, I’m just so sorry, Blue. For so many things. Just, please, call me. I have to do this in person, not through a damn machine. Please.”
I hang up and hop into my truck, throwing the phone on the passenger seat.Jesus. I’m way too wired. Blowing out a breath, I start the car and put the shift into drive. It’s Blue I want, not a fight. But right now, I’ll take what I can get.
As shaken up as I am, I don’t think twice about seeking out the one thing I know for a fact Blue doesn’t like.
Nor do I look twice at the familiar, tall figure standing on the other side of the Everests’ open living room window.
Tracking my every move, suit sleeves rolled up.
Nor do I stop and think twice, like I know I should, when he leaves his house, then starts up his own car immediately after me.
Blue
My hair’s still wet from my shower, water seeping into the floral stitching of my loose blouse as I finish rifling through the pile of clothes on my bedroom floor. No sign of my phone. I know I had it at the nursing home this morning, but I can’t remember bringing it on my run. Frowning, I skip down the stairs two at a time.
“Looking for something?” Kimmie’s sitting on the couch flicking through channels with the remote in one hand and holding my phone up with the other. “It was on the window seat.”
“Thanks.” I grab it, flipping it open and scanning the notifications. “Whoa ...” Three voicemails? Two from Joshua, one from Benji, and a missed call from Mom. This is a personal record.
“I know, right? Who knew you were so popular?” Kimmie winks, but she’s still flipping through channels, looking bored out of her mind.
My thumb hovers over the button to play my messages, but something makes me hesitate. If Kimmie’s still here, it means her dad didn’t show. Again.
I rest my hip against the wall, folding my arms over my chest. “Staying in today?”
She shrugs. “My dad’s a dick with a capital freaking D, my best friend’s out of town, my mom’s helping with her school’s open house, and your dad went out. So, yeah, unless I hear back about this party at Tommy’s soon, I’m staying in. Oh, by the way, what’s up with your boyfriend and your dad?”
Her question catches me off-guard, and my stomach flutters with unease at the thought of Joshua. The way he and I left things this morning.
“What do you mean?” I ask.
“Beats me. I was strolling inside after a swim, minding my own business, when I saw Tim standing at the front window. Like, literally, he was just standing there. All focused and stuff. But then I saw that he was watching your boyfriend slam the door to his truck and start the engine. Next thing I know, Sexy McSpeedy is taking off, and Tim is following after him.”
My brows shoot up. “What?”
“I know. About sums up my reaction at the time.”
“Where were they going?”
“Obviously, I was hoping you’d fill me in. No one tells me anything around here.”
