Page 109 of Breakaway Hearts
“Love you too.”
I press the end call button and gaze down at the screen for a minute. Time is ticking down until my apartment will be livable again, and even though that’s not necessarily an end-date on my fake relationship with Reese, it still feels like it will be the end of something. And I don’t want it to end.
Maybe he doesn’t want it to end either, I think, twisting my fingers together.
I keep wanting to ask him if I’m crazy for what I’m feeling, or if I’m imagining it. But every time I almost work up the courage to open my mouth, I imagine the look on his face as he tries to let me down gently or how awkward things could get between us, and I chicken out.
But maybe I need to just take the chance. Maybe I need to say something.
Because living like this is killing me.
After zoning out on the bus ride home, I walk the familiar route to Reese’s house.
When I put my key in the lock, I’m surprised to find that the door is already unlocked. It’s a bit unlike Reese, but I don’t think much of it since I can hear his voice inside.
“Reese,” I call. I step out of my shoes and walk into the living room. “I’m home…”
The words die in my mouth, and I stop in my tracks as if I’ve walked into a wall. I might as well have, with how close Sienna is sitting next to Reese on the couch.
“Hey, Firefly.” Reese looks up, greeting me with an unbothered smile. “How was class?”
“Uh, fine.”
“Hi, Callie.” Sienna finally tears her gaze away from Reese, offering me a nod. “Sogood to see you.”
Her hand is an inch away from his thigh, resting on the small amount of space on the couch between them. What’s worse is that she looks immaculate, with her blonde hair falling in soft, loose curls, much tamer than my own, and wearing a tight black dress that reveals not an inch of belly fat on her.
“Um,” I murmur, but I don’t know what else to say. It feels like I’ve completely forgotten the English language.
“Oh!” Reese smiles and gestures to a stack of papers that I hadn’t noticed on the coffee table. “Sienna came over because I have a potentially big endorsement deal coming through. I hammered some stuff out with my agent earlier, and we’re just looking through the contract before I have to go in for the meeting with the reps for the company.”
A rush of relief washes through me. It’s just business. But why did Sienna have to be the one to come over? I know for a fact that there are other lawyers on the Aces’ legal team.
And why did she have to comehere?Couldn’t they have gone to the office? Couldn’t they at least be sitting farther apart?
“Congrats,” I manage to say. “What’s the endorsement?”
“A healthy fast food company. They’ve got some good stuff.”
“We’re working on getting him into some of their commercials.” Sienna smiles. “He’s so handsome, it’s like he was made for TV. Don’t you think, Callie?”
I nod stiffly.
“If it takes off, you could make bank from it. Not to mention the potential for a bunch of other deals afterward.” Sienna gives Reese an excited look, tapping his knee, and he smiles at her. My stomach plummets. “All because you’ve been kicking ass out there lately.”
“You’ve been coming to games?” I ask as nonchalantly as I can. “That’s good of you.”
“Of course I have.” The cordiality in her voice fades for half a second. “I’m part of the Aces’ franchise. I want to support the team.”
A flood of embarrassment hits me at my pettiness. I’m here to support Reese in getting back together with Sienna. So why am I provoking her? Why do I kind of want to lunge across the living room and drag her off the couch by her hair?
“We’re almost done here,” Reese tells me. “This shouldn’t take us much longer.”
“No rush.” My voice sounds odd to my ears, and I try to mask it with a little laugh. “I was going to go out to grab some art supplies anyway. So take your time. Congrats again, Reese.”
I turn and am just about to walk back outside when Reese calls after me.
“Firefly, wait!”