Page 70 of Forever Mine

“Scott, don’t.” An ache spread behind my eyes and I wanted to end the call this minute.

“Vaughn, listen to me.” His mellow voice was like salt rubbed into the wound he’d just opened in my heart, but I sat as if turned to stone. He sighed and dragged a hand over his mouth and chin. “What I’m trying to tell you is that I won’t be back for another week.”

My tongue was paralyzed and I couldn’t have said a word even to save my life. I’d been full of fresh hope, only to be cut off at the knees. Why was he in the company of the woman he claimed to despise? And what was preventing him from coming back to me?

I tuned in to him when he said, “I’m asking you to be patient with me, okay?”

I couldn’t process anything he said after that, and when it was my turn to speak, all I could come up with was a lame response. “Let’s talk tomorrow. Okay?”

He sighed and pushed his hand into his hair, creating a bigger mess. “It’s nothing close to what you’re thinking.”

Pulling my shoulders back, I injected some life into my voice. “You don’t know what I’m thinking.”

Desperation clouded his deep-blue eyes. “You’re not okay. I see it in your eyes.”

After an awkward silence, I forced a response past the knot in my throat. “Whatever you’re thinking is way off base.” I realized my words didn’t make much sense, but I couldn’t stop myself from adding, “It’s still better if we catch up tomorrow.”

“I’ll call early.”

Scott’s reassurance didn’t comfort me, and I struggled to come up with a response.

“Fine.”

I met Scott’s confused gaze, but didn’t have the energy to utter another word.