Page 42 of For Your Heart
“Yes, but… he hasn’t answered in months.”
“We haven’t tried in ages.” I shift off him and roll to the side so I can grab my phone. I hate that I have to scroll for a while until I find the chat with the three of us.
Me
Simon. Can we talk? Will you come home for a bit? Please?
I stare at it and wait. No change. He hasn’t read it. Nothing. Just as the pit in my stomach begins to churn, the little bubble that says he’s read it shows up and my heart jumps.
Again, I wait.Please answer. Please.
I refuse to apologize over text. That’s not enough.
Another minute passes as I hold my breath. I wait some more. When I’m ready to fucking scream, the little dots that say Simon is typing pop up. They dance. Disappear. Dance again. And then we receive a fucking message.
Simon
Okay.
That’s it. One word. Does that mean now? Is he coming over? Does it mean next week? Next month? On Christmas?
“When?” Declan asks.
Pulling up, I sit so I’m straddling him and just stare at the ‘okay’ on my screen. I shake my head. “I feel like it’s too pushy to ask. Jesus, I’ve never been afraid to fuck up so badly in my entire goddamn life!”
Declan pulls my hand down to take the phone from me so he can see the screen for himself. He bites his lip and just stares.
“Is he coming now?” he asks.
I laugh. It sounds jittery to my own ears and I absently rub at my chest where my heart is threatening to punch its way out from between my ribs. Fuck, I don’t know!
“What do we say?” Declan asks. “Do we start with an apology?”
“Probably best. But what then?”
Declan drops my phone beside him and covers his face with his hand, letting out a frustrated groan. “Why did we let this get so fucked up that we don’t even know what to say to him? I’ve nevernotknown what to say to Simon. Now I don’t even know how long we have to plan what I’m going to say.”
I grip his wrists and pin them to the bed to stare down at him. He smiles in amusement. “You really into domination now, hm?”
I snort. “I just want you to stop squirming so much and stop covering your face, Dec. Panic with me, but don’t hide behind your damn hands.”
He laughs and closes his eyes.
“Is this a new game?”
My head snaps up and I’m staring at Simon at our bedroom door. His hands are in his pockets. Pockets of jeans I’ve never seen before. And a shirt I’ve never seen. He’s still sun-kissed perfection with his dark eyes and pretty, perfect lips.
The thudding of my heart is so quick and loud I can only hear thewhooshingof blood in my ears for a second. Beneath me, though I still have his hands pinned to the bed, Declan’s twisted slightly so he can stare at Simon, too.
Simon has his usual amused smile on his lips and I desperately want to lick it. He looks no different except… tired.
“No,” I say, breathless. “But he’s a lot more restless these days. I’m trying a new tactic to hold him still.”
Simon’s smile grows a little as he looks at Declan. “I like it.”
I shiver, my fingers itching to pull Simon close.
He takes his lip between his teeth and looks over his shoulder. I can see out the door but I’m not sure what he’s looking at.
