Page 43 of When You're Home
“Rhett, it gets worse,” she confessed. He balled his free hand into a fist. He calculatedly set his gaze on the cedarwood infrared sauna. That would cause the least amount of damage if he needed to punch something before this call was over.
“Spill it, Madison.” He could hear the rage in his own voice, seething and desperate, but he was too focused on not hitting something to control his tone.
“She called me.”
Rhett barked out a laugh. Ten seconds ago, he honestly couldn’t imagine how the situation could get any worse, but she was right. This was worse.
“I shouldn’t have answered. I didn’t even mean to answer. But I was drunk, and it was late, and I panicked.”
Rhett dragged his hand down across his face. He couldn’t remember ever being this pissed at his little sister. She couldn’t even claim ignorance. She was one of the few people who knew what Tori meant to him. She knew exactly what they were doing in Michigan this weekend.
“Tell me exactly what she said, Maddie. Word for word. I’m not fucking around here,” he whispered into the phone. His voice was sinister and unfamiliar even to him.
Maddie hiccupped before she replied. “It started okay. She asked me about the team and told me congratulations for making captain. I tried not to say much because I was so afraid of saying the wrong thing. After a few minutes, she asked if I was already back from Michigan.”
Maddie paused. Rhett held his breath.
“I told her I hadn’t gone yet—that I was leaving tomorrow. Then she asked if you were already there. I didn’t know what to say, Rhett. I told her I didn’t know your exact plans for the weekend.”
Rhett exhaled. This wasn’t as bad as he had thought. If she had kept it ambiguous, he could easily smooth things over with Chandler.
“Then she asked me if I knew where Tori was this weekend.”
“Goddamnit!” he barked into the phone. This was not okay. He was breathing heavier now, no doubt from holding his breath on and off for the last several minutes.
“I don’t remember what I said. I don’t think I actually said anything because she just kept talking. I didn’t even have a chance to respond.”
That sounded like Chandler. He had been at the receiving end of enough of her tangents to know it was hard to get a word in edgewise once she was on a roll.
“She said she saw a picture Tori had posted on Instagram, so she was just curious. She didn’t sound mad. She seemed composed and calm, actually.”
Rhett froze in place. The picture of the sunset last night. The picture Tori had taken just minutes before she agreed to be with him again. The picture he had encouraged her to post, even after she double-checked to make sure it was okay.
“How did it end, Maddie?” He felt like an ass for freaking out on his sister. This wasn’t her fault. He had no one to blame for this mess but himself.
“She said goodnight and hung up like it was no big deal. She’s never called me before, we’ve only ever texted, but she acted like we were friends catching up at eleven on a Saturday night. I tried to call you last night, Rhett. I tried to warn you…” She broke off into another sob.
“Shhh, hey, hey. Listen to me, Maddie. You’re okay. This isn’t your fault. I’m sorry I lost my cool. You didn’t do anything wrong,” he soothed her.
He dragged his hand through his hair and sat back down on the edge of the tub. From this angle, he could see Tori’s form through the double-sided glass fireplace. She was still lying in the bed they had shared all weekend, blissfully unaware of the mess that was unfolding.
“I’m so sorry.”
“I know. It’s going to be okay.” The reassurance was for her as much as it was for himself.
“What should I do if she calls again?”
Rhett considered his options. He didn’t want his little sister stuck in the middle of this mess. This was his problem, and it was his responsibility to make it right.
“Just send her to voicemail. I’m going to call her later anyways. She won’t bother you again,” he stated with finality.
“Okay. I love you,” Maddie sniffled.
“Love you, too, kiddo. I feel bad you had to deal with this, Maddie Girl. I’m sorry I didn’t answer last night when you tried to call me.”
“It’s okay, Rhett,” she responded, accepting his apology without reservation.
“No, it’s not. But it’s going to be. Go get some sleep,” he instructed as he hung up the phone.
