Chapter Sixteen
Wyatt
Thirty-two hours.
That was how long it had been since I dropped Vera off after our date.
That was how long it had been since I’d heard from her.
Did she think she had to wait two days before texting to not seem too eager or something?
I had been thinking about nothing but her, and it had been radio silence on her end.
I knew she was a busy person, but our date, as unconventional as it had been, was the best first date I’d ever had.
Once we’d finished in bed, we’d had a quick shower together, touching and kissing and exploring each other’s bodies, before I’d made us dinner as I’d promised.
Pasta because our plan had been an Italian restaurant.
Jarred sauce because I didn’t have a full day to make anything fancy.
We’d sat on the couch eating pasta from bowls, me in my boxers, her looking sexy as fuck in my t-shirt.
We’d watched some DIY home renovation show and talked more about our days in construction.
I’d dropped her off after midnight. She didn’t want to spend the night because of Ben.
Fair enough, made total sense to me at the time.
But why hadn’t I heard from her since?
I was busy at work on Monday and enjoyed the distraction, but by the time I got home, I was desperate to know what the hell was going on.
I gave in and decided to text her. I typed into my phone.
Wyatt: Been thinking of you.
I backspaced and tried again; that was too needy.
Wyatt: WYD
No, I’m not a horny frat guy.
Wyatt: Still waiting on a status report. Did you throw out the toys after our date?
There, that was perfect. It was playful, fun and hinting at the fact that the sex was amazing. I hit send.
It was a full twenty-four hours, twenty-five and a half actually, before she texted me back, and by then I had run through every scenario in my head about what was going on.
Rationally, I knew she was probably busy, but lying in bed, smelling her on my sheets, I imagined her hurt or injured, or I don’t know, joining a cult and moving into the mountains.
Vera: Haven’t had time
That was it. That was all she said.
Wyatt: Working at the diner?
Another half-hour went by.
Vera: Building the nightstands, lots of orders
Made sense; she was busy.
Her answers were short and invited no further conversation. Either she’d been taken over by an alien form, something I had considered in the dark, or the more logical conclusion that she didn’t feel the way I did.
Or maybe I was right all along, and she didn’t need one more thing in her life.
After seeing my mom date, I swore I’d never be that guy who made a woman’s life harder.
Who was an obligation, not a partner. Somewhere between Saturday night and Monday morning, things had changed, and it wasn’t for the better.
The workdays went by quickly in a blur of activity, but the evenings and nights were torture.
On Thursday, we ran into another delay of materials, and I was stuck twiddling my thumbs. I was sitting on the couch in the office, staring at the wall when Layne and Elias came in, holding hands and staring at each other with goo-goo eyes.
“Hey Wyatt, are you bored?”
“You have no idea.”
“Why don’t you go and see your girlfriend?” Layne asked. I had told her and anyone who would listen about how awesome our date was, minus the spicy details. That was before she started ghosting me.
“Things didn’t work out, or aren’t working out, I guess.”
Layne frowned and came to sit next to me. “What happened?”
I dropped my head back on the couch, staring at the ceiling as I explained how the week had been going. The short texts or no reply at all.
“Have you called her? She’s an adult. I think if she didn’t want to do this with you, she would just say so.”
“I don’t want to be that guy, you know?”
“What guy? The one with adult communication skills?”
I shook my head. “She is making it clear she doesn’t have time for one more thing in her life, and I don’t want to make her life harder.”
Layne shrugged. “Then don’t.”
“That’s what I’m doing.”
“Okay, true, you are not making her life harder, but you are also not making it any easier or better, right? I know what you said about your mom and not wanting to be a burden like some of those guys were. Well, show her you aren’t a burden.
Show her that you two can work together and make each other’s lives better. ”
“How do I do that?”
“Depends on what the problem is, and to find that out, you’re going to have to call her.”
“Ugh, why is your answer to my problems always adult communication?” I teased Layne, but I knew she was right. I didn’t want what we had to slip away, so I had to at least try to fight for it.