Page 73 of Your Play to Call

“Have you lost your mind? You call me out of nowhere and insinuate getting back together? Knowing I’m seeing someone else.”

“Let me swing by the apartment. We can talk it out face to face.”

“No. Do not come to the apartment.” I do not tell him I’m somewhere else. I’ll let him think I’m still there. “You’re not quite grasping how inappropriate this is. I thought you were better than that.”

“I’m not. When it comes to you, I’m not.”

“Dexter. Stop. It’s been months. You’ve got something built up in your head that isn’t close to reality.”

“What, are you going to tell me you’re actually serious with a football player?” His voice is sharp, and I know he means it as a dig. He’s always been good at putting his hooks where it hurts.

“Good to know you still pack a punch. And yes, I’m telling you that.”

“I don’t buy it,” he says with a sigh.

“You don’t have to. This isn’t about you.”

“He just doesn’t seem like a good fit for you and your—”

“Let me stop you there.Youweren’t a good fit. You made me run into and out of restaurants. We took umbrellas when we went for walks in public just so people couldn’t take our picture. We never went out.” The words are practically falling out of my mouth. “Tripp loves being with me in public and private.”

“It wasn’t that—”

“Then why don’t you tell me what itwas,” I interrupt.

“Do you know what it’s like? Your success, it just, it made me realize how much I didn’t have or didn’t accomplish. It shouldn’t bother me but it did, but I promise, I know how to be better, and—"

“You petulant child.” I take a deep breath, putting my head in my hands.

“What? At least I’m being honest!” He pleads but even now, he doesn’t get it.

“Do you want me to give you a gold medal for basically telling me, post breakup, not hearing from you for months, and during a three-year relationship, you essentially were too jealous? You couldn’t be happy for me?”

“Let’s talk about it now. Get it out in the open,” He suggests.

“No. I’m not doing this right now. There is nothing to dissect. I’m with Tripp. I’m happy. And I’m begging you to leave it alone. He’s different.”

“How is he different?” he asks. I know there’s one thing I can tell him that will make it click. Even though I don’t want to give him anything else, any more of time or effort, but I want him to hear me.

“I played him rough cuts for my new album. He’s the only one who’s heard parts of it.”

At first, the line is silent. I move the phone from my ear to see we’re still connected. He lets out a sigh.

“Of course, you did.” I know he’s upset by the way his voice goes up at the end. I can hear him pacing back and forth, wherever he is.

“I hope you find someone who can make you happy. I’m not that person.”

“You don’t know that, Will—”

“Bye, Dexter.”

Finally, I know the truth. Dexter was looking for someone he was bigger than, someone who would shine for him.

It was never me.

Chapter 39

Tripp