Strings (1 of 2)

Chapter 37 - Moving On

'I overreacted.'

'I don't want to tell you all this over text, can you call me back so we can talk?'

'Call me back or at least text me to tell me you are ok?'

'I fucked up. I shouldn't have said what I said.'

'Emily, I've called 5 times. Text me and say you aren't dead.'

'Please.'

'Fuck it. I'm coming to get you from work today. We need to talk.'

I gulp as I read his latest text and look up out the front window to the parking lot. I gasp.

As if on cue, he is standing there leaning against his bike a few feet from the door with black sunglasses covering his eyes but I can feel them on mine. His mouth is in a tight line but his expression isn't angry like the last time I saw him. It's now calm or at least neutral. Which is a lot to ask for with him it seems.

He isn't wearing his jacket today surprisingly, instead just in a black t-shirt and dark blue jeans that hang from his hips perfectly.

Stop, Emily.

Why was I thinking about his hips? There are much bigger issues than how hot he looks.

I stare at him with my lips slightly parted in shock and my phone still in my hands as I feel someone come up beside me.

"Tenacious fucker, isn't he?" Jake's voice rings in my ear and my eyes bulge. I slam my phone face down on the desk, but it's too late. I can tell he read the texts, or at least enough to understand what is happening.

I turn to him, my face heating up and surely bright red. "Sorry, I know I'm not supposed to be on my phone at work." I say in a rush.

He shakes his head and smiles reassuringly. "Don't worry, it's dead right now." He gestures around to remind me of the lack of customers.

I nod with a small smile and turn back to stare at Nathan. He hasn't moved, despite likely being able to see Jake close beside me. I guess that's a start on the jealously issues...

"You should go." He says and I turn to him with a worried look. I should go? Is he firing me?

"Go talk to him, I mean." He says and I sigh, relieved but even more confused. Do I even want to talk to him after everything that happened last week?

"I don't know..." I say slowly, pondering.

Is it weird that I'm talking about a guy with my boss? My boss that I've known since high school and is friends with my sort-of ex?

Probably.

But his kindness is too hard to pass up.

"Go work it out. Move on from whatever happened." He says and reaches for my large purse under the desk, handing it to me.

I take it and stand in front of him for a moment longer, staring at him awkwardly. I think he can sense my hesitation and smiles at me.

"Emily, look. I know we aren't super close or whatever. But I saw you guys here last month and when he picked you up last week. He makes you happy. More carefree and more confident in a way. I don't know him or what he did to piss you off, but I think you should go try to talk to him."

I gawk at him blankly, shocked by his words. That might be the most I have ever heard him say at one time.

"Plus he did come all the way here to see you." He says with a smirk, making me laugh.

I squeeze his hand resting on the desk tightly for a second before letting go. "Thank you," I say earnestly.

He nods with a shy grin as I walk around him and out the front door to face the crazy man I can't help but still feel attracted to. Despite all the drama and stupid petty fights, I know deep down what Jake said was true. 

He does make me happy when it is just me and him.

That was the goal with our whole arrangement in the first place. He doesn't have to be the perfect guy I'm going to marry one day. This was supposed to be a fun summer with a hot boy before I move and start my new phase of my life. That was the plan, however messed up it got.

Maybe if we refocus on that and not the other bullshit, the plan might actually work out.

Author's Note:

Thanks for reading!!

I'm seeing a bit of a lull in reads/readers since last weekend, not sure why! Maybe I posted too much haha but I thought that would have the opposite effect. Either way, if you are reading this, can you please share my book with any of your fellow wattpad friends/readers or on your social media if you feel comfortable doing that? That would mean the world to me!

I'm still going to keep writing whether I get 0 new reads or readers because I love these characters and what this story is becoming. I started this book to write for myself and I still do that, but I also love the gratitude and happy feelings I get when I see new reads or someone new reading my story from the beginning and knowing they liked it enough to read past Ch 1!

Anyways, rant doneeee.

Please vote and comment!

Xoxo