“But we’ll survive it.”
I know where this is going before he even speaks the words because of the mischievous glint in his silver eyes. “Some people don’t survive because they’re too busy looking over their shoulder. We have each other.”
Rolling my eyes, I shove his shoulder at the familiar lines. “You’re such a dork for remembering that.”
He winks. “It’s my job, baby.” His fingers squeeze mine, lining our palms up and cupping our hands. “It’s also something I believe. If you wrote it, deep down I think you do too.”
“I didn’t know I’d see you again then.”
“But you wanted to.”
He doesn’t need m
e to confirm it.
I just hold his hand.
I flutter my eyes open when I hear a voice muttering from outside the living room. Peeling myself off the couch, I stretch my arms and walk over to the archway. My head peers around the wall, seeing Corbin’s tense back.
The house is bathed in darkness from nightfall, but the cell phone in Corbin’s hand radiates light against his face. “…not a good time. Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s none of your business.”
I can hear someone talking on the other end, causing Corbin’s shoulders to lock up. His hand goes to his hair, a telltale sign he’s getting worked up by whatever conversation he’s having.
“I don’t want to talk about her,” he growls, walking over to the window. Moving the curtain aside, he stares into the night. There’s nothing to see but an empty backyard and trees.
Whatever the person tells him has his fist forming a ball against where it rests against the wall. Frowning, I study his tense stature and wonder who’s on the other line. Lena? Somebody else?
Corbin cuts off the mystery caller. “What the hell do you expect me to do then? Obviously your first suggestion was wasted on deaf ears. I’m not going to apologize for coming here.”
He pulls the phone back and cusses. “I have to go, Eddie. Just … keep this between us, okay? I don’t need people figuring out where I am and I’m not leaving until I’m ready regardless of what you say.”
Before Eddie can answer, Corbin presses a button and hefts out a sigh. Placing the phone back to his ear, he says, “Hello, Lena.”
My eyes widen as I use the wall for support. His forehead is pressed against the wall in pure defeat. Did I do that to him? A heavy feeling settles over me as he listens to what his wife says.
His hand slides down the wall, clenching and unclenching. “Can you please just see reason here. I—” Grumbling something under his breath, he pushes off the wall.
I turn just before he sees me, listening to his footsteps creak against the hardwood. They don’t come near me though. I’m not sure if I’m grateful or not. He either doesn’t want to wake me or to hear their conversation.
“You already know how I feel.”
A pause.
“The answer is no.” His voice is hard, definite. I’ve never heard it that way before. “I know I made that clear before.”
Wood scraping on wood must mean he’s sitting down at the table. When I dare a peek, his head is in one of his hands. I want to walk in and comfort him, but I have no place.
He’s talking to his wife.
Arguing.
Because of me.
Nostrils twitching, I keep my back against the wall and stare at the floor. Wiggling my toes into the carpet, I loosen a quiet sigh and close my eyes.
Corbin’s voice breaks the silence. “Do what you have to do then if you’re insistent on dragging this out. I’m sorry, Len. I can’t keep doing this with you. We had an agreement. I thought we both— Don’t you think I get that? It isn’t like I wanted to hurt you and deep down I don’t think you ever wanted to hurt me. I know a lot of this is my fault, so I understand why you’re doing this. But it won’t change anything between us. If anything, releasing more of those photos will make us worse.”
My front teeth dig into my bottom lip. Photos? He sounds guilt-ridden, something I’ve come to know the sound of well. What does that say about me? About us? That we’re ruled by an emotion constantly enough that it can be identified so easily?