Sparks - Wendy Higgins Page 0,47

shit. I didn’t know what I was going to do, but I’d deal with all of that later. Right now, I was going to eat.

Because I’m a total coward, I texted Silas after dinner instead of talking to him in person.

Thank you. I wish you wouldn’t have done that, though.

Don’t make it weird.

I threw my head back and groaned. He was the one making it weird.

I’m not! But you really don’t have to do that. It makes me feel bad.

I’d like to think you would do the same for me if I needed it. Because that’s what friends do. But if it bothers you, you can pay me back $11.

“Pfft,” I said to myself. More like twenty dollars for that dinner with tip and fees, and then there was the latte this morning. I let out a huff and shook my head at the phone until another text popped up from him.

Good night.

My heart squeezed. Freaking Silas. I wasn’t going to make a big deal of this. He was right. He was my friend, and my friends were wrong to try and make anything more of it.

My phone whistled and I wondered what Silas was going to say now.

But it was Shawn’s name that popped up, making my full belly fly upward.

You busy? Can you talk?

I knew I should say no, but I also knew damn well I wouldn’t. My heart thumped hard at all of my pulse points as I texted back.

I’m on an overnight in Vermont. At the hotel now. I can talk.

I closed my eyes and lay back on the bed clutching the phone to my chest. I felt like I might come out of my skin. When the phone rang I took a second to gather myself before answering.

“Hey,” I said.

“Hey!” His voice had a hint of laughter to it that made my chest flutter. “How’s the Sky Muffin tonight?”

“Fine, fine,” I said, snuggling down and unable to stop smiling at the sound of his voice. “How’s it going with you?”

Are you single yet??

“Ugh.” He let out a sigh. “That’s why I’m calling. Sorry to be weird but I kind of just need someone to talk to.”

His words shouldn’t have made me feel so warm and fuzzy but they did. He needed me.

“Of course,” I said. “What’s up?”

“Natalie and Bennett left to go back to Charlotte a day early. We got into it.”

“About Japan?” I asked.

“Yep.”

I was torn. Part of me felt horrible for him. But knowing they were fighting gave me a glimmer of hope. Perhaps this would be the thing that forced them to either work it out or let it go. It wasn’t my place to be feeling any of this, despite the fact that he was telling me about it. I needed to tread carefully.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

“Not really. I told her I’m taking the position no matter what. If I stay where I’m at I’ll be passed over for promotion to Major, and it’ll offend a lot of people. It’s just not done. I leave in two days for a two-week stint to meet the team in Okinawa and find a place to live. Then in a month and a half I’m gone.”

Gone. Across the world. Why did that make me tremble? I’d only known him a few days.

“And what did she say?”

“That I’m selfish and she’s not going. That I’m choosing not to have a relationship with my son.” His voice got thick on those last words and my hand went to my throat.

“That’s not fair,” I said softly. “I’m so sorry. That’s an impossible situation to be caught in.”

“Yeah.” He cleared his throat. “I really thought if I took it she would come. That she might not be excited at first, but…”

My freaking heart ached. “But that she’d come to accept it? And you’d all be together, and it would bring you closer?”

He let out a caustic laugh. “Yep. That.”

“Some things can’t be forced, Shawn. Personally, I think she’s making the wrong decision.” I bit my lip, wishing I hadn’t said it. I didn’t know Natalie at all and my opinion shouldn’t matter.

“Maybe,” he said. “Or maybe this is exactly what needs to happen so we can be done once and for all. It’s just Bennett…” His voice lowered to nearly a whisper. “He’s my little prince. I can’t imagine only seeing him once or twice a year.”

I had no words. “I wish I could hug you.”

For a second, I felt nervous until he said, “That’s exactly what