She's my responsibility. Whatever this arrangement is, whatever it becomes, we need to establish the rules.
I pull up her contact. Antonella Romano.
My thumb hovers over the call button.
No.
I can't call her. Can't hear her voice.
I'll lose my temper. I know I will.
I switch to messages instead.
We need to talk.
Four words. Simple. Direct.
I hit send before I can change my mind.
The message shows as delivered. Then read.
I wait.
One minute. Two.
No response.
She's probably unpacking. Settling in. Trying to make sense of the room that's now hers. The life that's now hers.
Or maybe she's ignoring me.
I wouldn't blame her. I humiliated her at the altar. Wheeled away like she was nothing. Like she didn't matter.
She doesn't matter.
That's what I keep telling myself.
Three minutes.
Still nothing.
I toss the phone onto the bed. Run my hands through my hair. The silence in my room presses against my skull.
This is fine. She doesn't have to respond right away. She doesn't have to respond at all. I gave her the opening. If she wants to take it?—
My phone rings.
The sound cuts through the quiet like a blade.
I grab it. Her name flashes across the screen.
She's calling me.
Fuck.
I stare at the phone. It rings again. Again.
Answer it. Just answer it.
