Page 21 of Love Undecided
Chapter 10
Kat
I use the Bluetooth connection in my car to check new messages on my way home. I have a message from Brad.
“Hey, it’s me. We did a run by your house earlier today and I saw someone on the balcony. I checked out the house but didn’t see anything. And the app shows no alarm activity. Can you call me as soon as you get this and let me know if you had someone at the house doing work or something? I’m going to send you a text also.”
I hesitate to call him because suddenly the thought of talking to him makes me nervous.
Shit. Fuck. Piss.
I so can’t handle this right now. It’s either freak the fuck out over someone being on my balcony and not talk to Brad about it. Or call Brad and feel better. Because Brad has always made me feel better.
Plus, if I don’t call him, he’ll worry. I hate to be the reason for his worry. And, if he left a group run, he probably got in trouble for it. I hate to be the reason he gets in trouble too.
I dial, half hoping that he's asleep or something and I get his voicemail. No such luck, he answers after the second ring.
“Hey, hang on," he says softly.
"I'm so sorry," I whisper. "I didn't mean to wake you up, I just didn't want you to worry if I didn't call as soon as I got your message."
"Why are you whispering?" he asks, now at a normal volume.
"I don't know," I say, still whispering. “Why were you whispering?”
“Because I’m at the station, and some of the guys are sleeping, I didn’t want to wake them up,” he says.
“Why are you at the station? Shouldn’t you be off tonight?” I cringe as soon as I say that realizing he’s now going to know that I still remember his schedule.
“Ethan and I are covering for the Nelson brothers - they went to a family reunion or something.”
“Oh, that’s nice of you.”
“Why are you still whispering?” he asks.
“Sorry. I didn’t realize I was still doing it. I guess because it’s so late at night and the streets are empty. It feels weird to speak in a normal voice,” I say at a normal volume.
He laughs, so I do too. I forgot how much I love the sound of his laugh.
"So, did you have someone doing work on your balcony today?" he asks, getting right to the point.
"No, there should not have been anyone there." My heart starts to race, and my breath gets shallow.
Ok, so I guess I’m gonna freak the fuck out over talking to Brad AND the fact that someone was on my balcony!
"An overnight guest overstaying his welcome maybe?" he asks tentatively.
"No," I say sighing. “No overnight guests."
He lets out a breath I doubt he realized he was holding. He seems happy with that answer, but then again, I knew he would be.
"Are you home now, does everything seem okay? Did you have your alarm set?"
"Um, no I'm not home yet, but yes, I did have my alarm set. Should I be worried?”
“I don’t know. I'm going to stay on the phone with you until you get there to make sure everything is okay,” he says.
"You don't have to do that, Brad."
