I opened my mouth to explain, but my phone rang before I could. Glancing over at it on the bedside cabinet, I recognized the number. “Oh, I have to take this.” I snatched it up and answered, all the while waving at Rae to get out of my room to give me some privacy.
She stared at me stubbornly for a second but finally edged out of the room.
By the time I got off the phone with my dad to arrange everything, it was late and Rae was lying across her bed fully clothed. Her snores filled the entire flat.
* * *
Rae was already up and gone by the time I woke up. It was puzzling because Rae was never out of bed before me. I’d lain awake for most of the night worrying myself sick about Cole and forcing myself not to call him. There wouldn’t be any point trying to talk to him when he was still riled up.
Exhausted, I walked into INKarnate, heading straight for the coffee machine. I was feeling a little breathless, anticipating seeing Cole after our first huge argument as a couple. Technically I think maybe he’d broken up with me, but I couldn’t even process that right then without wanting to burst into tears, so I concentrated on the coffee.
I chewed on my lower lip, trying to decide if I should take Cole a cup.
“There you are.”
I looked over my shoulder at Rae standing behind my desk. “Morning.”
She scowled at me. “Whatever. Cole called in sick. You need to phone and reschedule his appointments for today.”
My heart took a swan dive out of my chest. “Sick?” Cole never called in sick.
“Like you care,” she snapped.
“Rae.” I stomped my foot in exasperation. “Why did Cole—”
“I can’t hear you!” she yelled childishly, and strode away from me.
I hurried out of the closet onto the main floor. “Rae!”
“Don’t push me.” She stopped and glared at me over her shoulder. “You’re my friend, Shannon. I care about you, but if I have to choose, I choose Cole. So back the fuck off before I slap the fucking stupidity out of you.”
Aghast, I stood there, stunned, as she disappeared into the back.
I was still standing there when Simon ventured out of his room. From the look on his face he had heard everything. Whatever he saw on my face made him hold up his hands in surrender. “I don’t want to know. I’m sorry, babe, but I’ve got my own shit going on with Tony.”
I crushed my rising panic. “Are you okay?”
He shrugged glumly and walked past me to get a coffee. “We’re trying to work through this baby thing.”
“I’m sorry.” I slumped against my desk, wishing relationships didn’t have to be so bloody heartbreaking.
Simon gave me a sad smile. “I’m sorry too.”
* * *
Frozen out by Rae for the rest of the day, I’d lost strands of hair from tugging it in frustration so much. I couldn’t believe what she’d said to me. I didn’t even know what I’d done to deserve it.
Finally, after locking everything up for the day, I reached for my phone. I felt so sick I thought I might actually vomit, and the only way to get rid of that sensation was to call Cole.
It went straight to voice mail.
Rae came out of the back wearing her jacket and bag. Simon had already left. I reached for my own jacket. “Don’t even think about walking me out,” she said, sneering, as she strode by my desk.
“Where the heck is Cole?” I called after her.
“With Hannah.” She shook her head at me, all childishness gone and replaced with disappointment. “Don’t bother them. He’s visiting the baby.”
I slumped. “I didn’t mean to hurt him, Rae.”
“You gave up on him. How was that not hurtful?”
“I never gave up on him. I’m just trying to keep a promise to someone.”
“The wrong someone, apparently.” She shook her head. “Cole’s really been there for you, and you’ve gotten in deep with him, which means somewhere along the line you’ve made promises to him too. Maybe you should work out whose promise is the one you should concentrate on keeping.”
“Why does it have to be an either-or situation?”
“Because someone is making it that way . . . and again, maybe that’s the someone you should be taking time off from. Not Cole.” She slammed out of the studio, leaving me alone to lock up and ponder the many ways I’d somehow managed to let everyone in my life down in less than seventy-two hours.
CHAPTER 25
T here’s nothing quite like the feeling of fear you get in your gut when you know you’ve hurt someone you care about. The fear turns into a flurry of nerves the more time passes with everything unresolved.
I was scared sick.
That night I tried calling and texting Cole, but he didn’t answer. Desperate to talk everything through, to fix it, I took a taxi to his place, hoping he’d cooled down enough so we could talk.
However, Cole wouldn’t answer his door.
I returned home that night with this heavy, thick, swelling sickness in my gut.
That feeling only worsened when I walked into work on Monday to find myself face-to-face with Stu. “Cole needs a break, so he’s off on some photography trip with his friend Nate for the next couple of days. I’ll be covering his appointments.”
I was a little breathless at the news that my boyfriend had up and left town without informing me. “Trip? Where?”
Stu shrugged, not meeting my gaze. “Not sure.”
“Stu—”
“Look, Shannon.” Stu shrugged at me, sympathy mixed with hardness in his eyes. “You’re good at your job, but if your presence here is going to be a problem for my best artist, I will have to let you go.”