Page 87 of Caleb
Use Me
WE’VE JUST ARRIVED FROM THE LOUVRE,and Red’s being led to the gardens where everyone’s ready to surprise her. Aaron and I are keeping our distance, allowing them to have “their moment” while Ambassador Murphy reveals the surprise to his daughter. Once Red walks down the steps to be greeted and congratulated by her guests, we come closer and keep watch from above.
Sophie and Cecile greet her excitedly with a group hug. I like those girls. I’m sure Red’s going to miss them when she’s gone. I hope it doesn’t take much time to make new friends in New York. Knowing that I won’t be there to support her in that transition makes me feel uneasy.
Cecile looks my way and whispers something to Red. My brows draw together, and I look away the moment Red turns to see me. God knows what she’s told her. They’re probably wondering why I keep staring at her, but fortunately, that’s my job ... or was, for that matter. I’ve got nothing but a few hours left on the “Staring at Red for a Living” clock, and I can clearly listen to the seconds ticking inside my head. Taunting me.
But if I can’t go with her, at least I can leave everything as ready as I can for her. Aaron’s agreed to keep me informed about this Thomas guy just for my peace of mind. He insists that he’s got it all covered and that I shouldn’t worry about a thing when I’m gone. And I should be thankful and at peace because I trust Aaron, but I’m nowhere close to feeling okay.
Looking around the garden, I notice Annette is nowhere to be found. Good. That will make it easier to set her aside to talk.
“I’ll be right back,” I say to Aaron. He nods and returns to his conversation with another two agents standing next to him.
Me:Can I see you in my room in 5 minutes?
Annette:Okay.
I stop by the lounge to grab a glass of water before heading to my room. Thankfully, Annette knocks on my door a couple of minutes after I arrive.
“Come in.” I shut the door behind her. She kicks off her shoes—a habit. It’s best not to have her heels clicking inside my room while we talk. Not that I care to keep up any appearances anymore. To hell with everything.
“What’s up?” she chirps, sitting on the edge of my bed and crossing her legs in that elegant way she expertly knows how to do.
“What’sup?” I scoff. “Why don’t you start by telling me what ‘the lucky guy’ had to say in that note that came with the flowers?”
“Oh,garçon,” she says, chuckling. “Don’t tell me you’re pissed at that?” I stare at her and let my silence speak for itself. “I thought you had thicker skin than that.”
“Annette,” I say, my voice a clear warning. I’m not playing games. And I won’t be provoked by her. Not only is it uncalled for, but we’ve been friends for years. And I know our last interaction didn’t end up the way she imagined it would, but acting this way is petty and immature, and I’m sure she’s aware of it. She’s anything but stupid. “Tell me.”
She sighs.
“He apologized for not reaching out to her sooner and wants to explain himself over dinner next week once she’s back in New York.”
Fuck.
“What else?”
“That was it.” She tucks a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear. “He wished her a happy birthday and such, but that was it.”
My jealousy is getting out of hand. Just imagining Red going out again with that guy has my blood pressure spiking. A part of me is thankful that I won’t be there to watch, but my protective instincts are too fired up to care. I’d much rather watch her go out with him every single day than be back in Israel waiting blindly for Aaron to report back on what’s happening.
“I’m sorry,” Annette says softly. And only then, at the sound of her voice, do I realize I’ve been pacing inside my room like a caged lion. “You really love her, don’t you?”
I stop and stare back at her. I thought that’d been made clear in our last conversation. But Annette’s eyes are filled with guilt and sadness. It makes me calm down a bit.
“That was immature of me.” She shakes her head. “I shouldn’t have said what I said earlier. I’m so sorry.”
“It’s okay.”
“No, it’s not.” She stands up and walks over to me. “You’ve always been there for me, and I—I’m sorry. It’s just that …” She drops her gaze as if embarrassed to complete the sentence while still looking at me. “I was jealous.”
My brows draw together, and she takes a deep breath.
“I was so jealous when I found out you called her Red. To realize your feelings for her go beyond the special friendship you have with her. And when you confirmed those feelings the last time we talked … I don’t know. It just hurt, and I wasn’t expecting it. But it did.”
Plopping down on the bed, I rest my elbows on my thighs and drag my hands through my hair, letting them rest on the back of my neck. This whole situation sucks.
“I’m so sorry, Caleb,” she says again, sitting next to me and placing her hand on my shoulder. I let her.
