Chapter 42 Savannah
FORTY-TWO
SAVANNAH
Every single phone call to Camden goes unanswered. It’s been three hours, and I haven’t heard a fucking word. My heart is in my throat and my stomach is in knots.
I’ve tried to convince myself that I overreacted.
There’s got to be an explanation. Even if the bet was in place when we started dating, he cares about me.
He couldn’t have made it all up. Couldn’t have lied that well.
And why? He could have just dated me, or anyone for that matter.
He didn’t need to tell me he loves me and move me into his home. He isn’t that cruel.
I text him again.
Me: We need to talk. Please call me back as soon as you can.
I set the phone on the bathroom counter and stare into the mirror. My eyes are red rimmed, my skin pale. I’ll wash my face, do my makeup, and get dressed. Cam will be home soon, and we’ll figure this out.
There has to be an explanation.
The stress weighing on me over the bet situation is heavy, but the whole ex-girlfriend being my mother thing is almost enough to make my knees buckle.
My stomach rolls again. This fucking day can go get fucked.
I blow out a breath. Time to be a big girl. I should call my mother and talk to her. Convince her not to come. Maybe if I cut her from my life for good, Camden never has to know.
Do you hear yourself? I glare at my reflection.
Yeah, there’s no hiding this. With my mind a mess, I call my mother. I need more information. It rings once and then goes to voicemail. Ugh. This woman. She can’t drop a bomb on me like she did today and then just ignore me.
After the beep, I sigh. “Mom, we need to talk. Call me back.”
When I end the call, I find I already have a text message from her.
Mom: Hi honey. Sorry I missed your call. I stopped by your apartment, but you weren’t there. My pilot friend is going to be in Boston tonight, so I’m headed back to the airport. Hope you don’t mind, but I saw the cash in the envelope on the counter. I’ll pay you back. Promise!
I squeeze my eyes shut and ball my fists. That fucking money was for my landlord. Shit.
But then I breathe out. Because she’s gone. And she can’t blow up my life if she’s not here.
I don’t even let myself feel the sting that should come with finding out she’s running off with a man rather than sticking around to see me. It’s nothing new. At least she’s not trying to seduce my boyfriend like she originally planned.
The second I finish that thought, I close my eyes and shake my head. My life is such a damn circus. I don’t know how I’ll pay my rent if she doesn’t pay me back, and I don’t actually believe she will, but right now I’m more concerned about why I haven’t heard from Camden.
Pulse pounding, I call him again. I just need to hear his voice. I need to know I still have him. I’ll feel so much better if I can just talk to him.
But it rings several times, and then his voicemail picks up. A minute after I end the call, a text finally comes through.
Daddy: I can’t do this. I’m sorry. You should go back home.
A manic laugh breaks free as tears blur my vision. “Home?” Where the fuck is home? Is he serious? I call him again, but this time it goes straight to voicemail. When the robotic voice tells me to leave a message, I throw the phone against the wall. “Fuck.”
He wants me to go home. Do I even have one? Have I ever? This was supposed to be my home. My safe space.
And thanks to my mother, I can no longer even afford the small space on the third floor of my apartment building. The only other place that ever came close to feeling like home.
Camden felt like home too. And now I don’t have him either.