you.”
He cocked his head to one side. “You haven’t?”
She shrugged. “We haven’t really talked this week.”
“Why not?”
“Dammit, Dan! Because I don’t know what to say to him! What am I supposed to do? Ask him who he was in bed with on Friday night? Ask him who was using his phone?”
“Yes. To the second one. You know that someone was using his phone. You don’t know that someone was in bed with him.”
“I know. You’re right. I just … I have so much work to do. I … if … if it’s what it looks like, then I don’t want to have to face it.”
Dan gave her a stern look. “But if it’s not what it looks like—and I can’t believe it is—you need to know so that you can put it behind you. You’ll be able to focus on your work once you do that.”
“I know. I know. But what if …” She sucked in a deep breath. “I know I’m being a coward, Dan. But I can’t face the thought of finding out that it’s true. I don’t want to fall apart. I can’t afford to fall apart. I have too much studying to do.”
“Tomorrow’s Friday.”
“So?”
“So, you could talk to him and then if it’s bad news, you can take the weekend to fall apart.”
She stared back at him. He was such a sweet guy, and he really did care about her. He was the best friend she’d ever had. But he had no idea. He thought she could just fall apart for a weekend and then pull herself back together and move on by Monday?
“I know it’s not that easy. But you can’t keep sticking your head in the sand.”
“I know.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
She pulled her phone out. “I’ll talk to him, okay?”
She was surprised to see that she had a text from Ryan. It’d come in a couple hours ago.
When are you free? I want to talk to you.
“What’s up?” asked Dan.
She turned her phone around so that he could read it. He smiled. “He’s probably wondering why you’re avoiding him, too.”
She tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear with a shaky hand. “Maybe. Or maybe he’s decided that he needs to come clean.”
She stared at the screen for a few moments before she replied.
Tonight. That work for you?
She waited, wondering if he’d come straight back, but he didn’t. She looked at Dan. “I told him tonight. We’ll see if he answers.”
“Why don’t you just call him and get it over with?”
“I can’t. He might be working.”
“It’s ten-thirty at night there.”
Leanne’s heart hammered in her chest. What if he wasn’t working? What if he was with Brittany?
Dan took the decision and her phone out of her hands. He hit the call button and waited until it was ringing before he gave it back to her. “Talk to him.”
She closed her eyes as she listened to it ring. She longed to hear his voice, but she dreaded what he might have to say. After a couple more rings, it went to voicemail.
Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you.
She let out the breath she didn’t know she’d been holding and ended the call. She’d heard his voice—and for the first time, she’d registered that he didn’t say his name in his message.
“Voicemail?”
She nodded at Dan. “What does yours say?”
“My voicemail?”
“Yeah. What’s your message?”
“This is Dan, leave me a message. Why?”
“You say your name. I do, too. Mine says You’ve reached Leanne Miller. Leave me a message and I’ll return your call.”
Dan looked puzzled. “Why, what does Ryan’s say?”
“Leave me a message and I’ll get back to you. He doesn’t give his name.”
“Does that really surprise you?”
“I guess it shouldn’t.” She pursed her lips. “Who knows if Ryan is even his name?”
Dan nodded. “I think it is. But it might not be. But don’t start looking like that, Lee. He wouldn’t mess you around, whatever his name is. I think he’s been as truthful as he can be with you. I think he’s truthful about the stuff that really matters, and I think you need to trust him.”
“Yeah.” She took a big gulp of her drink. “I think you’re right. And I want to. But … I need to talk to him, don’t I?”
Dan smiled. “I’m glad you figured that out all by yourself.”
~ ~ ~
Ryan got out of the cab and slung his bag over his shoulder. He looked up at Leanne’s apartment building and pulled his phone out. A