Page 103 of The Tomorrows After You
With that gone, I was left with nothing but raw hurt. I was loath to think that I was settling into my new reality without her. But here I was, pulling on my stupid mechanic uniform to go to work like it was just another day. It was normal and so incredibly abnormal at the same time.
I was still pissed at Brennan for not telling me he knew Nicolette had ulterior motives. But the one thing he actuallycouldconfirm was that she really didn’t know about the recording. She hadn’t known it existed, and she hadn’t been the one to release it. A wave of guilt crashed over me. All those terrible things I said to her.
Unable to stand it any longer, Isenther a text message.
I know you didn’t know about therecording.
And that you didn’t send it.
So, I apologize for blaming you.
I waited for the confirmation that it was delivered but it didn’t come.
Not Deliveredunder the message mocked me like a dancing monkey. What did that mean?
I could ignore it.LetNicolette Parker slip into my past where so many other peopleremained. I shouldputit to rest. Delete her number andletherdo whatever itwasshewantedwith her life. I should be the mature one and stand by my decision to ask her to leave…
Yeah, fuckin’ right.
I pressed the call button immediately.
“Hello, you’ve reached Nicolette…” My heart pounded with fear and hope at the same time. Did that mean she blocked my number? Or was her phone off?
Damn, Iwasclueless with this shit. Ineededto ask someone whounderstoodwhat any of thismeantand I didn’t want to involve Brennan, even though he could probably pinpoint her location.
“You look like shit, bro,” Evan greeted me warily when I walked into the auto shop. I nodded in his direction, taking my position in the bay beside him. The morning was uneventful until an old Cadillac was called in. My heart sparked with hope but it wasn’t hers.
She’s gone. You told her to leave town.
I remembered the way her beautiful skin was marred with a red flush and the way her eyes were swollen and how she cowered into her shoulders as if she was trying to disappear inside herself while I screamed at her.
I pulled my phone out.
“Hey, uh… Evan?” He looked up from underneath the Chevy he was working on. “If a message says ‘Not Delivered’ does that mean I’m blocked?”
An amused, mischievous grin curled around Evan’s face. He stood up, wiping his hands on a rag.
“You’re busted up about a girl.”
I scowled. “I’m not. I’m just… Wondering— I’ve never used… I don’t know what I am,” I stammered.
His eyebrows rose in amusement and I scowled deeper. “Oh yeah, you’re definitely busted up. Let me see.” I handed him the torturous piece oftechnology.
He ran a hand over his chin. “Could mean you’re blocked, could mean her phone is off.”
I sighed in frustration, snatching the phone from him, I hit the call button.
“Whoa, dude, what are you doing?” Startled by his reaction, I hit the end button before it connected. “You can’t justcallher!”
“Why not?” I asked.
Evanstaredat me blankly as if he didn’t know the answer.“I dunno… you just can’t. You gotta find a mutual friend, andhavethem ask her ifshe’smad at you or if sheblockedyou. Then wait for that person to get back to you and tell you whetheryou’reblockedor not.”
I stared at him, trying to make sense of his foreign social language. Is this what Brennan felt like all the time?
Without breaking eye contact with him, I hit the call button again and brought it to my ear. He shook his head like I were a lost cause.
“Hello, you’ve reached Nicolette…”
