“What’s that?”
“I’ll blow out my birthday candles alone instead of blowing you.” It’s a low blow, yes pun intended, and I know it’s not fair to him. It’s not like he is in control of his highly demanding schedule. But still… It’s been too long.
“Tyler, baby,please…”
I let out a sigh and rub my aching heart, feeling drained. “Yeah… I’msorry…It just sucks sometimes, okay?”
“I know, Ty. Iknow… Please don’t apologize. It sucks all the time, actually.” It’s quiet for a bit, both of us drowning in our own heartbreak, that knot inside of me tightening again. “Tellme something new,” he eventually says in a soft voice, almost pleadingly.
“Something new?”
“Yeah… Tell me something I don’t know about you, or something new that happened today. Tell me something. Anything.”
He’s trying to divert the topic, and it’s working. The corner of my mouth pulls up in a soft smile, having the perfect anecdote from today.
“Lamar got stuck beneath a halter on the bench press today. I’ve never heard so many swear words that include goats.”
Jace snorts. “Goats?”
“Yes, he hates them.”
“Like he hates fish?”
“Yeah, afraid they can chew his dick off while swimming, remember?”
Jace laughs again. “Please tell me you captured it on video. How did he manage that? Didn’t you spot him?”
“Oh, I wanted to, but he called me a pussy and said he could easily bench three-fifty, didn’t need the help from—and I quote—Captain Crop-Top.”
“Captain Crop-Top?”
“Yeah, it has come to my attention that tumble drying polyester gym shirts is not a good idea.”
A snicker again on the other end of the line, and I cannot contain my smile at hearing the sound. I love his laugh. I miss his laugh. I misshim.
“Jace?”
“Yeah?”
“Tell me something sweet,” I almost mumble, repeating his choice of words from earlier.
He doesn’t hesitate. “I love you more than I love French fries.”
I let out a soft chuckle. “Wow, that’s big. We all know your dedication to fries.”
He snorts again. “I know, but my dedication to you is bigger. I can live without fries. But Icannotlive without you.”
Closing my eyes, I store those words away, keeping them safe. Keeping mesane.
“I love you, too. You know that, right? I didn’t mean to get…thatagitated, I guess.”
“That’s okay. I’m agitated too; I get it. Your feelings are valid, babe.” He then lets out a defeated sigh and mutters something unintelligible under his breath. “Missy followed me. She looks pissed that I bailed.”
My mouth pulls up at the corner when I hear a very familiar feminine voice giving my boyfriend some sort of lecture. I can’t make out the words, but her stubbornness is legendary and I’m positive she’s going to drag him back if he doesn’t start walking soon.
“Just go back, Jacie. It’s okay. Make that video,” I butt in when there’s a lull in their conversation. I might not like it; shit, if it were up to me I’d talk to him the entire night, but I know he has obligations.
Another heavy sigh. “But I don’t want to.”
