I took a deep breath and stared at my phone. I could take the easy way out and apologize through text, but that seemed like a cop-out. She deserved a phone call, a proper apology for how I’d acted when we broke up. I flipped through my contacts and clicked on her number.
Sifting my hand through my hair, I took a deep breath and readied myself to get bitched out. I dialed and put the phone to my ear. She picked up on the third ring.
“Hello?” she said, cautiously.
“Hi…” Already off to a great start. I really wanted to hang up and pretend that I wasn’t about to have this conversation, but this was the right thing to do.
“Didn’t think I’d ever hear from you again.”
“Neither did I.” I chewed on the inside of my lip. Talking to Lex felt like putting on an old pair of soccer cleats—I was familiar with them, but they didn’t quite fit anymore, feeling awkward and foreign. The right words weren’t coming, and I sat there for a few moments silently cursing myself for not thinking this out better.
She sighed into the phone and her voice softened when she said, “I’ve missed you.”
I shoved my hand through my hair. Shit, I didn’t want to lead her on. I needed to get to the point, and quick, before she got the wrong idea. “Lex. I’m sorry, but I don’t miss you. I’ve met someone.”
There was a long pause before she said, “Oh.”
I tapped my finger on the table, pushing myself to cut the crap. “I was calling to say that I’m sorry for how I treated you after we broke up. I was an asshole.” There. If she wanted to yell at me, at least I’d apologized for my wrongs.
The line went silent and I thought maybe she’d hung up. Right before I checked to see if I’d lost the call, she said, “Thanks. That means a lot. It was wrong to cheat on you, and if I could take it back, I would.”
My head whipped back. I wasn’t expecting this, not from her. “Thank you.” This was the first time she had truly apologized for sleeping with Dwayne. Maybe she’d treat her next boyfriend better. I was going to with Jules. I knew for damn sure I wouldn’t pull the I don’t know shit with her. “I’m really sorry for not being there when you needed me.”
“I know.”
There was another awkward pause. Not much else to say. I didn’t want to be friends with her, but at least I’d fixed any confusion between us. “Well, I guess that’s all I needed to say. Take care, Lex.”
“Yeah, it was nice. Have a good…um, life.”
I laughed and said, “You, too.”
I didn’t think it’d really make any difference, except for clearing my conscience, but a weight lifted off my chest as soon as I hung up. I’d been holding on to a lot of excess anger lately, and I was finally making it right.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Jules
Walking on Sunshine buzzed through the speakers as I walked into work. Normally these songs chafed more than my sports bra after a long run with Payton, but this song totally fit my mood these past few days. I didn’t know how it happened, but over the past month, I’d fallen for Ryan. Even if he was leaving in a month for Texas, I had to believe we could work things out. Ryan was a rarity—sexy quips, fun even when we were doing nothing, and could put up with my mother.
Yep, it was all clear now, I loved this guy.
I hummed the song as I walked to the back of the store. Maybe Ryan would want to go bowling tonight with me, Payton, and Blake. Finally, I could go out with them without feeling like I was a third wheel. As I stood next to the door to the break room, ready to punch in, I heard Ryan’s voice.
“I was calling to say that I’m sorry for how I treated you after we broke up. I was an asshole.”
What? Was he talking to Lex? A thread of guilt knotted in my stomach. I moved away from the door and fiddled with the contents of my purse. I really shouldn’t have been eavesdropping on his conversation. Then again, if he wanted a private conversation, the staff room of Office Jax probably wasn’t the place. I moved back to the time clock, hands poised on the numbers, when I heard him speak again.
“I’m really sorry for not being there when you needed me.”
My hand froze, mid-number-punch. Como? Why was he apologizing? A million bad scenarios ran through my head—Ryan going back to Texas and hanging out with Lex, Ryan making up with her and deciding our relationship wasn’t worth it, Lex’s fingers touching that damn unicorn tattoo. The list kept going.
Stop. This might not even be her. Don’t overreact.
“Yeah, it was nice. Take care, Lex.” He laughed and then said, “You, too.”
So it was her. I thought he said he was done with crazy exes. A stab of jealousy speared right through my heart. There could be a very rational explanation for this. That’s what Dr. Ahrendt would say. Maybe there was.
I tapped in my employee ID code and walked into the break room as Ryan hung up the phone. A smile was plastered on his face. Okay, so he was happy to talk to her. No need to freak out. “What’s got you all happy, DeShane?”
“You.” Smooth. And five minutes ago, I would have totally eaten that up.
I pointed to his cell, which he still had clutched in his hand. “Phone call?”