Page 95 of Will Bark for Pizza
“He gets creative. Changes his number sometimes.” Kira reached for the phone resting beside her, and I watched as she navigated to her voicemail. “I don’t get it,” she said, sounding more frustrated than sad. “If you block a number, why the hell can they still leave a voicemail?”
But it wasn’t just one voicemail. It was several. At least a couple dozen. Maybe more. All with recent time stamps.
“Have you told anyone?”
“You?”
“Maybe Luke?—”
“No,” she said quickly.
“He cares about you.”
“I know there’s a heart somewhere beneath all those layers of ice,” Kira said, “Which is why I can’t let him know. He’ll do something stupid like get arrested trying to make a point. Not a great look for the police chief, you know?”
Well, fuck. She had a point.
“Maybe it’s a sign,” I said.
“A sign?” she asked, an incredulous laugh slipping out.
“A sign to move home.”
“Oh.” She sniffled again, and I handed her another tissue. “Maybe. But what would I do?”
“Write more books?” I offered.
The tears that had dried started up again, and I wondered what I said that was so damn wrong. I wrappedboth arms around her, pulling her tight against my chest once more. I pressed my lips to her forehead. “Whatever it is, Kira, it’s going to be okay.”
“There are no more books,” she said on a shaky sob.
“What do you mean?”
It took her a few minutes to calm down enough to speak again. At some point soon, someone would come looking for us. And finding us together on her bed would not go over well with anyone downstairs. But I wouldn’t rush Kira. Not now. Not ever.
“I haven’t written a single word in a year. Not since I finished the last book. I—I can’t write anymore.”
“I’m sure that’s not true.”
“Hebrokeme. He fucking broke me, and no matter what I’ve tried, I can’t seem to fix it. I can’t believe I was stupid enough to fall for him. Stupid enough that I pursued him and followed him to Nebraska when he got a job transfer. Stupid enough to believe he supported me when really he was jealous. He did everything he could to strip me down to nothing.”
“Kira—”
“I’ve been rebuilding. I’m proud of how far I’ve come. But Diana—” She shook her head against my chest. “She’s done writing. And once my readers find out, they’re going to hate me.”
“They won’t hate you.”
“You leave your readers on a love triangle book, and tell them the guy who didn’t get the girl will never get one, and see how that goes.”
“Maybe you just need time,” I said gently.
“I’ve had ayear. And before you say I’m being too hard on myself, I already know I am. It’s not going to change anything. And the worst part? No one knows. Not my readers, not my friends or family. Not my PA. No one.” She turned her head, looking up at me, her blue eyes shiny. “No one but you.”
“I’ll keep your secret,” I said, pressing another kiss to her forehead. I should probably stop doing that, considering the friend pact, but I didn’t give two fucks right now. I couldn’t fix all her problems—only she could do that—but I could reassure her she wasn’t in this alone.
“Thanks.”
We should get downstairs soon, but instead, I tucked her head back against my chest.
