Chapter 291: Am I Being Played?

Holly’s POV

I stayed curled up on Kayla’s couch like a human burrito, knees tucked tight to my chest, face smashed into the throw pillow that smelled faintly of Caden’s crayons and Kayla’s vanilla candle. The room was dark except for the glow of the streetlight sneaking through the blinds, striping the carpet like prison bars.

My phone wouldn’t shut up for over an hour.

It had started with one buzz while I was still sliding down the entryway wall. Then another a minute later. Then three in a row. Now it was full-on assault…ring, vibrate, ring, vibrate…like the damn thing had a personal vendetta against my sanity.

David.

I didn’t even need to look. Who else would blow up my phone like this after what happened?

I swallowed hard, my throat raw from crying. The pillow was damp under my cheek. I hadn’t moved in… God, how long has it been? An hour? Two? Long enough that my legs were numb and my back ached from the weird angle.

Another ring. Longer this time. Like he was letting it go all the way to voicemail just to make sure I knew he wasn’t giving up.

I sulked deeper into the blanket, pulling it over my head like a five-year-old hiding from monsters. Except the monster was my own stupid heart, still doing cartwheels at the idea that he was trying this hard.

He’s been calling for a while now.

Like… a lot.

I peeked one eye out from under the blanket. My bag was on the floor by the coffee table, phone screen lighting up again…bright white, then dark, then bright again. Each flash felt like a little stab.

What if it’s not just guilt? What if he’s actually freaking out because he knows he screwed up?

What if Rachel’s sitting right there next to him, laughing while he fake-panics to save face?

No. Stop.

But the phone rang again.

I groaned into the pillow, loud and dramatic, like a dying animal. “Leave me alone, David,” I muttered, voice muffled and pathetic.

It stopped.

Silence.

For a second I thought he’d finally quit. My chest did this weird twist…relief mixed with something that felt dangerously like disappointment.

Then it started again and my stomach flipped in anticipation.

I sat up slowly, blanket pooling around my waist. Hair stuck to my tear-streaked face. I looked like absolute hell and I knew it.

One more ring.

I crawled across the couch on my knees, reached down, and fished the phone out of my bag with shaking fingers but the call ended.

Twenty-three missed calls.

Seven texts flooding in as I unlocked my phone:

‘Where are you?’

‘Holly, answer me…please.’

‘We need to talk.’

‘It’s not what you think. Please.’

‘I’m coming over.’

No. No no no. He can’t come over. I don’t want him here.

I typed back with blurry vision, thumbs smashing the screen.

‘Don’t come here. Just don’t. Leave me the hell alone.’

Sent.

The screen lit up immediately, his name big and bold appeared on my screen.

My thumb hovered on the answer button.

I swallowed again, harder this time. Heart hammering so loud I could hear it in my ears.

He’s been calling for a while now.

Like… really trying.

Maybe it’s time I hear him out.

Maybe I owe myself that much.

Or maybe I was just a glutton for punishment.

I swiped answer before I could talk myself out of it.

“Holly?” His voice cracked on my name, rough and desperate, like he’d been yelling or… crying? No. Couldn’t be.

I didn’t say anything. I Just held the phone to my ear and breathed.

“Holly, baby, please…please don’t hang up. I know you’re there. I know you saw. I know what it looked like—”

I closed my eyes. Tears started fresh, sliding hot down my cheeks. “I don’t want to see you. Ever. Stay with your client. Or girlfriend. Or whatever she is. And leave me the hell alone!”

“She’s my ex. From LA. I can’t explain in detail, Holly. It’s complicated. But nothing happened. I swear.”

Ex.

Of course she was.

The jealousy roared back twice as hard, mixing with fresh hurt until I couldn’t tell them apart.

I laughed…ugly, broken sound…through the tears but I didn’t say another word to him. I just listened.

“It wasn’t what you think,” he rushed out. “I swear on everything. Rachel…she showed up out of nowhere, drunk or high or both, talking nonsense about old times. I told her to leave. I pushed her off me the second you walked out. I have no explanation. This is on me. I should have sent her away the moment she walked in. I’m sorry, baby. I’ve been losing my mind trying to find you—”

I finally opened my mouth again. My voice came out small, broken. “Then why did you let her sit on you in the first place?”

Silence on his end. Heavy.

Then… “Because I froze. Because I’m an idiot. Because I didn’t want to make a scene in front of everyone and have it blow back on you. But that’s no excuse. I hurt you. I let you think…God, Holly, I never want you to think you’re not everything to me.”

I laughed, wet and bitter. “You have a funny way of showing it.”

“I know. I know I fucked up. But I’m outside.”

I froze.

“What?”

“I’m outside your friend’s house. Been here for the last thirty minutes after I dropped you a message that I was coming. I’m sitting in my car like a creep…calling, texting and waiting for you to talk to me. To hear me out. I didn’t want to barge in and scare you. But I’m not leaving until you talk to me, Holly. Face to face.”

My heart slammed against my ribs. Does he mean that?

I stood up on wobbly legs, the blanket falling to the floor, and walked to the window. Pulled the curtain aside just enough to peek.

There he was.

Parked under the streetlight, headlights off, just sitting in his car. Elbows on the steering wheel, head in his hands.

He looked up then…like he felt me watching…and our eyes met through the glass.

Even from here I could see his were red…like he had been crying.

David? Crying? Because of me? Nah! I doubt that.

He lifted his phone, and mouthed please.

I let the curtain fall as my hand tightened around the phone.

This was either the dumbest thing I’d ever do…

Or the start of something real.

I walked to the door.