Page 90 of Unpredictable
“Sure. I don’t have to be at the station until two, so we can spend the morning together.”
“Great.”
We’d never had such an awkward, stilted conversation. But maybe she was tired and just wanted to spend time with her friend. I knew how exhausted I was from the wedding, and I hadn’t had the job of ensuring everything was perfect like she did.
I closed my eyes, imagining her smile, her blue eyes. “I love you.”
“Love you too,” she said, then disconnected the call.
That night, as I walked through my empty house, as I tossed and turned alone in bed, I finally understood what Reg had been trying to tell me. Before Juliana, though, the silence had never seemed so loud. The bed had never seemed so empty. But now…now, I knew what life could be like with her. And even though it was one night, it felt like an eternity.
Plus, our earlier conversation weighed on me. I suspected she was upset about something, but I had no idea what it was. I could read her better than anyone. And I got the feeling she was avoiding me, even though it made no sense.
When I finally slept, it was restless. My alarm chimed from the nightstand a few hours later, and I fumbled to shut it off. With a loud groan, I finally managed to hit the right button to silence the damn thing.
After rolling out of bed, I threw on some athletic gear and made my way to my home gym. Every rep seemed to burn more than usual, or maybe I was just pushing myself harder. I was reracking a plate when I jammed my thumb.
“Fuck,” I groaned. “Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
I dropped the plate, barely stepping out of the way in time to avoid crushing my toes.
I growled as I made my way to the kitchen, annoyed with the pain and the interruption to my workout. My thumb was already swelling when I put ice on it, and I only hoped I wouldn’t have to go to the doctor.
After a shower and breakfast, my mood still hadn’t improved. I was banging around the kitchen, looking for my blender, when the house alarm chimed.
I stood and spotted Juliana with her back to me. I studied her movements as she took her time removing her shoes.
“Hey.” I walked over to her, my mood lightening just from her presence.
“Hey.” Her shoulders were slumped, eyes puffy. Had she been crying? It looked like she hadn’t slept at all last night.
I pulled her into my arms, just needing to hold her, hug her. “I missed you.” I pressed a kiss to her hair. She nodded into my chest but said nothing. “Have a good time with Harper?”
She lifted her shoulder, but again, said nothing.
I cupped her cheeks with my hands. “Baby, talk to me. What’s going on?”
She shook her head, unwilling to meet my gaze. Her silence was unsettling. And that coupled with the fact that she wouldn’t look at me wasn’t a good sign.
“I have to tell you something,” Juliana said, and it was then I noticed her hands were shaking.
“Uh oh. Is this an RDT?” I teased, despite my concern.
“I, um… RDT?” Her brows pulled together.
“Relationship-defining talk.” I rubbed my hands up and down her arms, needing her to relax.
“Oh.” She laughed, though it had a nervous edge to it. “Um, sort of. It has to do with Ryan.”
I thought I was going to be sick, but I tried to remain outwardly calm. “What about Ryan?”
She hadn’t mentioned him lately, and I thought she’d finally accepted his disappearance. I’d always honor his memory, but I didn’t want him to be such a looming presence as he had been. For a long time, it had felt as if there was a ghost with us, overshadowing our actions, our relationship.
“What about Ryan?” The words shredded my throat like shards of glass.
“Well,” she sighed, and the wait was killing me. “Harper has some contacts in the area where the tsunami occurred.”
I nodded, feeling as if my whole world was about to be obliterated. Blood whooshed in my ears, making it difficult to think.
