Page 76 of Under the Texas Sky
“It seems to me like you were a big baby and ran away,” Willow says.
I blow a raspberry into the phone, because I didnotrun away this morning when I woke up in a panic. “I didn’trun away. He walked me to the door, and even pressed a kiss against my forehead.”
And multiple across my cheeks, and when I asked him what he was doing he responded with,Kissing each of your freckles. I never thought I’d get the chance again, and I don’t want to waste the chance now.
So sue me. I kept that tidbit away from Willow, because if she got a hint of me falling for the gentle kisses, she would call me a man possessed. I don’t need to hear that right now. I need someone to talk me down off the ledge. This is what I wanted, I think. I wanted Trent back. But what if I don’t know how to keep him this time? He’s so different, and what if he’s changed, and he just leaves me behind because I didn’t change?
“Have you texted him?”
“Not yet. I’m trying to be mysterious. It makes me seem desperate if I message him so soon.” Lies, lies, lies. But Trent’s the one I promised honesty and truth to, not Willow. She’ll survive.
“Sweetie… I mean this in the nicest way possible, but you can’t be mysterious with him. You’ve said it yourself, he knows you even better than you know yourself.”
“I’m not the same kid I was when I left,” I defend myself, not knowing what else to say.
“You've changed, but what you’re made of hasn’t changed at all. And down to your core, you know that. I know you’re scared after everything. But you owe it to yourself to take a chance on this. You haven’t been the same lately…” She trails off, sadness lining her voice.
I inhale deeply and pinch the bridge of my nose, pacing the small hotel room I’ve been occupying. My clean clothes strewn over every available space, my dirty ones in a pile by the bathroom. It’s organized chaos. The same kind of chaos we usedto have at our apartments. Does Trent still do the same thing? Of course he doesn’t. If the small sections I saw of his house were any indication, he’s a clean freak now. I didn’t see a speck out of place.
“I know… I’m sorry, Will. I’ve just had a lot going on.”
She makes a pitiful noise across the phone. “You can talk to me, you know. You’re my best friend, Kian. I want to be there for you, but it feels like you’ve been shutting me out. I don’t like it. But when I picked up your phone call today, even mid-panic, you sounded happier than you have in months. That’s all I care about, you being happy. And if Trent makes you happy, go after him. Don’t let him get away. And if he hurts you, I have enough resources to get rid of him. Permanently,” she threatens.
Laughter bursts out of my chest. “One, I’m pretty sure you should never say something like that over the phone. Whoever’s listening will probably put you on a list. And not a good one. Second, speaking of resources, why doesn’t your car have a push to start? I made afoolof myself last night trying to start Trent’s truck.”
“Oh, I get it changed out in my cars. I don’t like push to start. I like the vintage feel of twisting a key in the ignition.”
“I hate you,” I deadpan.
“You loooove me,” she singsongs back, and I do. I can’t argue.
I update her on my modeling shoots, and she asks if I want her to come too. I think on it for a minute, because I would love for Willow to come. She’s always my plus one on the flights provided by the agencies. But another part of me wants to bring Trent, bring him with me to see the world. Even if it is only for the weekend.
“You’ll have to pay for your own plane ticket,” I warn.
“You’re seriously choosing your boyfriend over me?” She mock shrieks.
“He’s not my boyfriend, but yes. I’m going to ask him.” And put myself out there, no matter how much the rejection scares me. But he didn’t decline a date, so maybe he won’t decline to go on a trip with me. It’s a little different, but it won’t cost him any money, so really there’s no reason for him to say no.
“We could just take the private jet,” she suggests, like she does every time, like it’s not a big deal.
“No, we’re not wasting that much gas on the three of us for a weekend trip to California.”
“Technically, it would be more, because there would be us, the pilot, the stewardesses…”
“I’ll text you the flight details,” I say instead of acknowledging her words.
“Fine, fine. Whatever, decline the only perks I have to offer with my friendship.”
“You have so much more to offer, Will.”
She blows a kiss through the phone. “I know, love you. Send me a hot pic of your boy from the back. He has a nice ass in that picture on his Instagram.”
“WILL–” I yell into the phone, but the dial tone tells me she already hung up.
I don’t need to look at his Instagram, I know what picture she’s talking about…
You know what, one peek wouldn’t hurt…
