“What’s wrong?” he asked.
“I can’t stay.”
“Other remedial daters you need to counsel?” he teased.
“Look, you’re funny. You’re cute. You’re probably a great guy.”
“But?”
“I already have a great guy and I want to hang on to him. So, me being here with you, it isn’t okay. It’s disrespectful on my part, to both of you. I wanted to see you again. You made me feel good about myself and I was lonely and that isn’t a good excuse. I wish you the best of luck.”
“Well, there isn’t a great deal I can say to that.”
“You can say no hard feelings, but only if you mean it.”
“No hard feelings, Britt.” He said magnanimously. “If it doesn’t work out with the other guy you have my number.”
“That’s tempting. I just know what—my boyfriend deserves and it’s one hundred percent. Not ninety percent with the other ten eyeing a back-up plan.”
“Thank you for your honesty. I hate girls that string me along.”
She thought about shaking his hand but decided against it. She went straight home and did some sit-ups to try to atone for all the caramel corn she’d eaten in despair the evening previous. After supper, she had a long shower and felt herself relax. She checked her phone for the time, not wanting to wake Jack up too early just because she missed him. There were three messages and two voicemails in her box. Jack had messaged her, asking if she was really okay, wanting to know what was wrong. The first voicemail was concerned that she might have had an upsetting day. The second was more frustrated, weary even.
“Look, I know you’re off work. I know you’re blowing me off for some reason. Either tell me what it is or let it go, because I’m not enjoying the cold shoulder, Britt. It’s been three hours since you texted me ‘ok’. Clearly something isn’t okay. Out with it,” he had said on the recording.
Britt bit her lip in annoyance with herself. She had been so proud of clearing the air with Greg who was really the only person she’d told the whole truth, that she forgot to text Jack back. Shaking her head at herself, she messaged him.
“Sorry. Just forgot to text back
took long shower. RU free to talk?”
Britt held her breath, waiting to hear back. When the display of her phone lit with a call from Jack, she breathed again.
“Hey,” she said, her voice sounding almost giddy to her own ears.
She was just in a better headspace now, she decided. She knew she was falling for him. She’d pushed away the things that were tying her in knots. She wanted to tell him so.
“If the texting gets on your nerves you can say so.” He said grudgingly. She was startled because he was usually so even-keel, so happy to talk to her.
“No, I like getting messages from you. What’s this about?”
“You tell me. You’re the one who wanted to talk to me. For a change.”
“Is something wrong?”
“No. Nothing’s wrong. I’ve just been busting my ass working extra hours so I could get home to you sooner and I called the first time to tell you that I’ll be home tomorrow. Not next week. Tomorrow. And my girlfriend decided not to answer her phone so I’m sorry if it annoys you that I’m hurt.”
“I just didn’t hear it,” she protested.
“How do you not hear all those texts and calls, Britt? Try a better excuse.”
“I’m sorry, okay?” she said, her voice rising. “I’m here now. Can we talk now instead of bitching about the fact I didn’t get your first call?”
“Are you even glad I’m coming home?” he asked bleakly. “I mean, for days you’ve tried to get off the phone with me, you’ve mumbled about being tired, your heart’s not in it. I’m hoping, I’ve been hoping that you’re just lonely, that long distance is hard for you. But maybe this is more than you can do.”
“It’s not. I—Jack, I have to tell you something. When you called earlier, I did hear my phone. I just was meeting someone for coffee.”
“I thought you went with Marj on Thursdays. It’s Friday.”