Chapter 7 Wednesday, December 21st #6
Once we’re back at the hotel, I fall stomach-first onto my bed, send off a quick text to Cat with only the words “I love you,” then pass out.
I didn’t get great sleep last night, and this is the first real chance I’ve had to rest since getting Miranda’s call yesterday morning.
I only wake up when Miranda rouses me a couple hours later, telling me she’s hungry.
I’m too damn tired to go anywhere and happily agree when Miranda suggests room service.
I check my phone, but there’s neither a message nor a missed call from Cat.
I haven’t heard from her at all today and it’s making me surprisingly antsy.
It’s not like I can’t go a day without hearing from Cat.
I can and I do. All the time. We’re both busy people; we don’t constantly expect check-ins.
Still, I’m oddly restless. I texted her twice today without a response.
“So, how are things back home?” Miranda asks, then takes a bite of her dinner that just got delivered to our room.
“Pretty good,” I say with a nod as I inspect my club sandwich. I take off the ham I had specifically asked them to leave off. Yuck.
“Do you still work at that bar?”
“Yep.”
“And Columbia? Is it everything you dreamed it would be?”
I chuckle. “Umm, sure.”
“Not very convincing, Rony!”
“I mean, it’s more school.” I shrug. “It’s fine.”
“What’s your major?”
“I’m still undeclared. Just doing the general ed stuff right now. I’m not totally sure what I want to major in, to be honest.”
“That surprises me,” she says, studying me.
“Why?”
Miranda shrugs. “I don’t know. You’re really good at making it look like you have it figured out.”
“I have absolutely nothing figured out,” I say dryly.
“Had me fooled.”
Yeah, I guess that’s kind of the point.
“Well, what do you see yourself doing in the future?”
“I don’t know. I’ve been trying to figure it out.” I take a bite of my sandwich.
“Does your feline know what she wants to do?”
“She’s majoring in psychology.”
Miranda nods. “That’s what I’d want to study if I ever went to college. I like figuring out what makes people tick.” Then she giggles. “Has she been trying to psychoanalyze you?”
“Not yet, but I’m sure it’s coming soon,” I chuckle.
“Don’t worry, Rony, you’re really fucking good at shutting down. You’re like Fort Knox when it comes to your psyche.”
“It’s a hard-earned skill.” I take another bite.
“Skill? More like bad habit.”
“Whatever you want to call it,” I mumble and shrug. My phone starts buzzing in my pocket and I pull it out. Cat’s perfect face lights my screen.
“Ah, speak of the devil?” Miranda laughs.
I nod and answer Cat’s call. “Hey baby,” I say, elated.
“Hi sweet boy. How are you?” Cat’s voice doesn’t give me any indication that something’s wrong. The restlessness in my bones ceases.
“Good. Eating some dinner right now. How about you?”
“I just got done with dinner and I’m getting ready to head to your apartment. I’m hanging out with Tori and Vada tonight.”
“Any plans?”
“No, I think we’ll just relax, watch a movie or something,” she says softly. “So, any news?”
I fill her in on the plan, letting her know I’m in Nashville now. “Randi’s flight leaves at five tomorrow morning. I’ll drop her off and then I’m heading home to you,” I say with a sigh.
“So, you’ll be home tomorrow evening?”
“Yeah. Are you around, or do you have plans?” Cat has been spending a lot of her evenings with Tori, or on schoolwork, or just with her family lately.
“No plans. Want me to meet you at your apartment when you get home?”
“Yeah. I want to see you badly.” I feel Miranda’s eyes on me. “Can you stay the night?” I ask Cat. I need to spend some uninterrupted time with her.
“I can,” she says with a smile in her voice. “Did you know our families will be spending Christmas Eve together?”
“Nope,” I say with a chuckle. “Good to know, I guess. I love spending time with your dad.” Try as I might, Cat’s dad isn’t particularly fond of me.
I’m not totally sure why. I don’t think I’ve ever given him a reason to dislike me, other than the fact that I have sex with his daughter, which I hope isn’t something he actively thinks about.
That would be… weird. But maybe it’s just a dad-thing rather than a me-thing. No idea.
“Oh, yeah, I know. You and him are basically best buds,” Cat giggles.
“Might just have to ask him to move into the apartment with Shane and me,” I say, making Cat giggle more. I fucking love the sound of her laugh.
“I’d love to see my dad’s reaction to that question.”
“Me, too,” I say. “How was your day?”
Silence follows. “Uneventful,” Cat says.
My brow creases. That pause didn’t feel natural.
Something’s up. I’ve always been good at picking up on these things, thanks to my mother’s volatility.
But before I can overanalyze the one-breath-too-long pause, Cat continues.
“I picked up a birthday present for Zack and Vada. And my mom’s in Christmas prep mode, so I’ve been trying to help her—and distract myself from missing you so much. ”
My heart gives a jolt and I close my eyes. “I miss you, baby.”
“Really?” she asks like she doesn’t quite believe me.
I blink at her question. “Yeah.”
It takes a second for Cat to respond. “I miss you more,” she finally says, a tone of sadness, or maybe it’s disappointment, tingeing her words.
“Baby, is everything okay?” I ask, very aware of Miranda’s gaze on me.
“Yeah, I’m fine,” she says quickly.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I’m sure. I just really, really want you home.”
“I’ll text you as soon as I get on the road in the morning.”
She sighs. “Okay. Mind if I call you while you’re driving?”
“Of course not. Nothing better than your voice. I love you, baby.”
“I love you, too, sweet boy. I’ll talk to you later.”
“She’s really lucky to have you,” Miranda says, sitting cross-legged on her bed when I hang up with Cat and toss my phone onto the pillow next to me.
“No.” I shake my head and pick my sandwich back up. “I’m lucky to have her. She’s honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me.”
“I can tell.” Miranda gives me a vigorous head nod.
“I can actually see your whole body relax when you talk to her. I could always tell how much she means to you. Just by the way your eyes light up, the way your face softens when you talk about her. I’m so glad you have something this good in your life, Rony.
You deserve it,” she says, her voice soft and warm.
“You’d deserve something this good, too.”
Miranda smiles but doesn’t look at me. “Yeah, I’d love to have something this good, but I don’t think it’s meant for me.” Her eyes lock on her dinner plate. Before I have an opportunity to contradict her, she says, “What time does my flight leave again?”
“Uh, 5:05 tomorrow morning,” I say, pulling up her flight info on my phone.
“So, we should be at the airport no later than maybe four, huh?”
I nod. “Yeah, probably. Just to give you time to check in an all that stuff.”
“So maybe no crazy partying until the early morning hours, then?” she says jokingly.
“Probably not.” I take another bite of my food.
“So, what should we do tonight?”
I chew and swallow quickly. “Uh, sleep?”
She grins mischievously. “Your bed or mine?”
I shake my head at her. “How about you sleep in yours and I sleep in mine?”
“Aww, but who’s going to keep me warm?” she asks with a giggle.
“Your blanket,” I say, and take another bite while Miranda laughs.