When I'm Gone (Rosemary Beach #11)(22)

I started to assure her that she didn’t have to if she wasn’t ready, but she spoke first.

“OK. Um, let me go get the book I read tonight,” she said softly.

Maybe it was selfish to let her do this when she was obviously so nervous, but I wanted this bad. “I’m honored,” I admitted.

A soft laugh came over the phone. “I keep telling myself you’ve heard me sing, and my reading isn’t as bad as that, so I can do this.”

Only this woman could make me grin like a fool over the damn phone. “This is true,” I agreed, teasingly.

She laughed again. “It’s not a deep read or anything. Tell me when you’ve had enough. My feelings won’t be hurt. This may bore you to death.”

I’d let her read the whole book if she would. “I will. Read to me.”

For the next thirty minutes, I settled into the rocking chair on my front porch with my legs propped on up the railing and listened to Reese’s sweet voice reading to me over the phone. She only got hung up a few times, and I helped her quickly so she wouldn’t get nervous and stop on me.

It was the best thirty minutes I’d had all week.

Reese

After my first time reading to Mase, our twice-a-week phone calls became a nightly thing. On the days when I didn’t go to my lessons, Mase called me. He wanted me to read to him before he went to bed. I wondered how much he really wanted to hear me read. I had a feeling he was trying to get me to practice with him. This was his way of making sure that I got comfortable reading in front of people.

Hearing his voice at night before bed was comforting. It was odd how easily I drifted off to sleep once I had talked to him. He always ended the calls with “Good night and sweet dreams.” As if my body was at his command, I had exactly that. Each night was good, and my dreams were always of him. So they were very sweet.

Getting control over my growing affection for this man was something I needed to do, and fast. Mase was a friend. One of the best a girl could have. I didn’t want to mess that up for anything. And if I made him uncomfortable, this could all end. That was too depressing to consider.

“Earth to Reese. I’m asking you a question. Where did you go?” Jimmy sat down across from me on the sofa.

His visit was unexpected, but he’d come with ice cream again, and I couldn’t kick him out. But my phone would ring soon, and I wanted Jimmy to be gone when that happened. I didn’t want to tell Mase that I couldn’t talk.

“Sorry. I was thinking about stuff. Ignore me. I’m tired.”

Jimmy cocked an eyebrow as if he didn’t believe me. “Really? Too tired for rocky road?”

No. I wasn’t too tired for rocky road. I was too excited about hearing Mase’s voice for rocky road. “Of course not.” I took the spoon he’d stuck into the container for me and took a big bite.

“Easy, girl. Brain freeze is a bitch,” Jimmy warned.

Smiling, I silently agreed and took my time before another bite.

“Next weekend. I’m not waiting anymore. You are going out with the doctor. It’s a double date. You pick the night. Friday or Saturday. Because it is happening. I’m done waiting for you.”

Crap. He wasn’t letting this go. He mentioned it at least once a week. I had been avoiding answering.

But maybe this was a good thing. I was so focused on Mase, and that couldn’t be good. If I dated, I might be able to distract myself. That seemed highly unlikely, but at least if Mase was getting the idea that I was interested in him, this would throw him off. He wouldn’t have to worry about my affection for him. And that meant he wouldn’t stop calling me.

“Friday night would be best.”

Jimmy beamed and punched a fist into the air. “Yes! Victory! Score!”

Before I could respond, my phone rang, and I glanced down at my lap to see the cowboy boots on my screen. I picked it up before Jimmy saw it. “This is important. It’s about a class I’m thinking of taking. Can we finish this tomorrow, maybe?”

He looked curious, but I knew the pleading look I was giving him would be enough to get him to leave. The phone stopped ringing but immediately rang again, and I answered it before it stopped. “Hey, give me just a minute,” I told Mase, then stood up to open the door for Jimmy, who was watching me with even more open curiosity now.

“I don’t believe you, but I’ll let it slide,” Jimmy whispered, wagging a finger at me.

I closed the door and breathed a sigh of relief. “Sorry. Jimmy was here. He’s gone now,” I explained.

“Did I interrupt anything?”

“Only rocky road ice cream and a nosy friend.”

He chuckled. “You could have told me you were enjoying some ice cream with him. I’d have called back later.”

Oh, no, I couldn’t. Not when my day revolved around these phone calls from him. “That’s OK. We were finished,” I lied.

The sound of tires squealing rattled the apartment, and before I could figure out what was going on outside, a gunshot rang out. I froze. I couldn’t move. Surely that wasn’t what I had heard. Maybe the car backfired. This was a safe area; it was why I had chosen this apartment.

A series of shots rang out, and I fell to my knees behind the chair in front of me. Screams echoed in the streets, and for the first time, I regretted being on the first floor. I felt completely open and vulnerable, unable to get to safety.