I could hear the other voice on the other end.
Marcus.
“I didn’t think an overachiever like you knew how to have fun,” he said, his voice too playful for my liking.
Carmen’s laugh was light. “Don’t be fresh. I’m a fun person.”
Marcus chuckled, and it crawled under my skin. “I know.”—How the fuck does he know she’s fun?—“The team was just saying how much they miss you.”
“The team? Oryou?” she asked, her tone teasing.
My chest tightened, and my nose flared.
What the hell was that?
I shoved my hands deep into my pockets, gripping the fabric tight to stop myself from doing something stupid, like grabbing her phone and smashing it into the sidewalk.
Marcus was laughing again. “I plead the fifth.”
I could practically feel the smile in his voice. They were way too comfortable with each other.
“Well,” Carmen said, like she was done with whatever this was, “I think I’ve updated you about everything. I should get back now.”
Marcus, still in a relaxed tone, responded, “Right. I’ll get back to work. Good night, kiddo.”
Kiddo.
Carmen’s tone was flat when she replied, “Night, boss.”
The line clicked, and she hung up, her hand dropping from her ear. As she turned around, her eyes widened, locking onto me like a deer caught in headlights.
“Oh, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to take so long,” she said, stepping toward me with a soft laugh. I didn’t respond. I just stared at her, my jaw tight.
“Did you… overhear the conversation?” she asked, her voice uncertain.
“No.”
Nodding toward the street as the car pulled up, I tried to regain control over the irritation building inside me.
“Car’s here.”
“Okay,” she said, her voice a little quieter, her gaze lingering on me for just a moment too long.
I could feel the tension between us as I walked ahead, and for the rest of the night, I would probably still hear Marcus’ voice ringing in my ears.
This wasn’t how tonight was supposed to go.
We got into the car, and the drive back to the hotel was covered in a tired stillness. Rome passed by in blurs of lights and shadows, but all I could focus on was her profile beside me.
Carmen leaned against the passenger seat, her head tilted just slightly toward the window. Her lashes cast delicate shadows on her cheeks, and her breathing had taken on that slow, uneven pattern that came when her body started giving in to exhaustion, but her mind was still moving.
Same Ol’ Mistakes.
Yep. STILL Arrival Day.
We took the elevator up in silence.
The suite was dim and quiet when we stepped inside, the city lights washing pale blue across the marble floors through the wide balcony windows. She kicked off her heels near the door with a soft groan and walked across the room, her movements slow, shoulders slumped with exhaustion.
