The high-pitched trill of my phone echoes through the tiny cabin. Glancing at the screen where it sits on the bed, I see it’s my mom calling.
Again.
Sighing, I know I can’t ignore her much longer.
It’s been three days since I ran out, and the only person I’ve seen or talked to is Dax. Which is how I like it.
Sliding my thumb across the bottom of the screen, I answer. “Hi, Mom.”
“That’s all you have to say to me? ‘Hi, Mom’ after you ran away from your fiancé?”
I swallow down the annoyance that threatens to spill over. It’s not like she knows the reason why. The only person who does is Dax. Well, Duncan should be able to figure it out, but I doubt he has.
“I could have sent you to voicemail.”
“Chloe Ann Davis. Is that any way to treat your mother? I’ve been worried sick about you.”
“Look, Mom, I’m sorry, okay? I overheard a conversation Duncan was having and I couldn’t marry him.”
“What could you have possibly heard to make you run out on your wedding? You were so happy.”
“He was cheating on me!” I hiss. “How could I marry someone that can’t be faithful to me?”
“Cheating? I’m sure he wasn’t cheating. Duncan loves you.”
“Does he?” I spit out. “Because it sure sounded like he loves this other person more.”
“Nonsense, Chloe.” I can picture my mom—blonde hair fixed back in a neat bun, lips pursed together. “You must have misunderstood him.”
“Hard to misunderstand someone when they say ‘I love you’ to someone else.”
“And what if it was his mother?”
Now I can picture her quirking her brow at me. The same way she did when I was a kid and she was trying to figure out if I was lying or not.
“Why would he be on the phone with his mom before the wedding? I wouldn’t be calling you.”
“That would require you to answer your phone if I called.”
“Mom.” I give her an aggrieved sigh.
“There’s still time to make this right. Duncan has oh so generously said he would still marry you if you come back.”
“Oh he will, will he?”
“You don’t have to be so childish,” Mom snaps. “You need to be an adult about this situation. Who cares if he’s cheating? Duncan can provide you with the kind of life you’ve always dreamed of.”
“A cheating husband is the kind of life I’ve always dreamed about?”
“Chloe, I expect you back here at the house by Saturday at noon so the wedding-”
“Well, I’m sorry to tell you,Mom, that that will absolutely not be happening. I have no intentions of marrying Duncan. And since you seem to be in contact with him, you can tell him to fuck off!”
I hang up, feeling more frustrated than before. Should I have spoken to my mother like that? Probably not.
But when she puts Duncan’s well-being before mine and thinks she knows what’s best for me? I really don’t care.
I toss the phone onto the bed and storm downstairs. Dax is working out in front of the TV. Dax has been in my life longer than he hasn’t been in it. No matter what is going on in my life, Dax is always there for me.
