Page 124 of Committed to You

“What are you doing?” Noah asks.

“I’m going to call Meredith and keep her occupied so she doesn’t touch Vivian. We won’t be there for over an hour, and I can’t have her doing something crazy.”

“You sure it’s smart to talk to her any further?”

“I don’t know, but I can’t sit here and take the risk she might go apeshit before I get there. Just stay quiet.”

Noah nods.

I unblock Meredith’s number and put it on speakerphone.

“Chase?” She sounds excited and surprised.

“Hey. I’m on my way.”

“You called me on my phone.” She sounds like it’s Christmas, and I just gave her a pony.

“Yes.” I try to think of what to say. “What are you doing right now?”

She lowers her voice. “I was tellingherthat you don’t want her anymore. That I’m your girl, not her, and that she is going to pay for confusing you.”

I gulp and remind myself to stay calm.

This is a necessary evil.

Noah makes circles near the side of his head to tell me she’s crazy.

“That’s right, Meredith. You’re my girl.”

“Not her.”

“Not her. Just you.”

She giggles and says, “I think you have a lot of making up to do when you see me.”

I roll my eyes at Noah and try to think of what to say to keep the conversation going. “Yes, I sure do. Tell me why you went to the place you are at.”

“I inherited it. My grandfather left it to my mother, and now I own it.”

“I’m sorry about your mother, Meredith. Were you close?”

Her voice lowers. “We used to be until…”

“Until what?”

Silence ensues.

“Meredith, are you still there?”

“Yes.”

“Can you tell me what happened? Until…?”

“My mother said you were using me, but I told her she was wrong. I told her that you loved me and that we were getting married. She didn’t believe me, so I told her not to talk to me anymore until she could respect you.”

My mouth gapes, and I’m stunned. I had never told Meredith that I loved her. I was always honest that we were nothing but friends with benefits. I told her I would never have a relationship with her other than sex. I said that we would only be together if it were convenient for both of us to have a good time that day.

Noah knows what my guidelines were with all the girls I slept with.

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