Her phone had been strangely silent. Channyon picked up her cell phone and checked once again to make sure she hadn’t left it on vibrate. Though, with as close as she’d been watching it, she’d have noticed if the screen lit up.
“Where is he?” She drummed her fingers, not expecting an answer. Mostly because she hadn’t told her sisters he’d left. In fact, she’d gone out of her way to go out, making it seem like he was still there. Still trying. But was that act in vain?
If he didn’t call her, did he really still want to get back together? Almost five days had passed since he’d left and he hadn’t sent word. Not even that he’d made it back home. Should she be the one to reach out? Was he worried she was angry? He’d asked her. Certainly that meant she was okay with him going, though she’d worried from the minute he’d walked away.
They still had so much to overcome. She felt attracted to him, but something held her back from showing it. There was a discomfort that hadn’t been addressed yet, creating an elephant between them that neither could see around nor cross over.
Talking wasn’t going to be what fixed them because it hadn’t worked so far, but she couldn’t act either. Her internal wall prevented it, leaving them stuck. Not that it mattered. He wasn’t there to talk to so she couldn’t even consider anything more.
At some point, she would have to tell her sisters that he was gone, and why. He’d left to go help a child. That child had been more important than their reconciliation. She understood why, but her sisters might not. They might question his motives and his heart. If they did, her rocky admiration might falter. Then where would she be?
She slipped her phone into her back pocket and headed for the Suburban. Karla caught her in the driveway.
“Channyon, I wanted to ask if I could drop you off at work and use the Suburban today?”
Sawyer’s car still sat in the driveway, so the request made no sense. “Why? Is something wrong with the car?”
“No.” She looked a little puckered and sour. “I just don’t want to use his car when we’re not talking.”
This was news. “Since when?”
“Last Friday. He hung up on me, then he told me he was sending some good guys over on Monday to work on the house. It reminded me of a conversation I’d just had with Aryn, where she’d said good guys were bad ones in disguise. Gut reaction, I hung up on him. And…I haven’t talked to him since.”
“Oh…four days. Whatever will we do?” Channyon slapped her palms to her cheeks and made the biggest obnoxious surprise face she could manage. “I’m sure you’ll be back together in no time. You guys have had spats before.”
“Together? We are not together.” Karla turned deep red and rolled her eyes, but it didn’t quite have the force she probably intended.
“I know, you two can’t really be together until you’re divorced. That’s great. But it’s obvious to anyone outside of you two that you are, in fact, together. Neither of you are looking at anyone else and you have no intention to. You have deep conversations together. You work together. It’s just a matter of time.”
Karla shook her head and glanced away. “I don’t really see it that way. I don’t know that I need any guy.”
Channyon wanted to laugh because it wasn’t about needing a guy, very few women needed anyone anymore, but having someone love you unconditionally—if that could be found—was priceless. “I don’t think either of you need each other, but you sure go together well and that says something. Especially with how badly Rob messed up the way you think.”
She headed for the Suburban. “I’m taking the truck. I think you’ll work it out with him and if not, just put gas in his car and return it this weekend.” She slammed the door closed before Karla could argue.
Sawyer may have done something to make Karla miffed with him, but just as likely they’d both done something and neither wanted to deal with it. It wasn’t like they had a long history to work through with every argument. They’d only known each other for four months.
A text popped through and she dove for her phone, fumbling it and almost driving off the road. She quickly glanced at the name long enough to see that it wasn’t from Becker. As she pulled over, another text came through from Davin.
Hey Auntie, Mom is a little crazy and won’t give me my allowance right now. I promise, I’ve been working hard. Can I borrow $20?
The second text held more excuses.
She thinks I’m going to order more oils or a new vape. I don’t think she understands that I can’t just buy those. So, can you help?
Karla might be one of those overbearing parents who were in their kids’ business all the time, but she was also doing a pretty good job of raising the little buggers. If Channyon were in Karla’s shoes, she wouldn’t want anyone else going over her head with her kids.
She gripped the wheel as a fresh wave of pain hit her. It always came out of the blue, like mourning the loss of someone so close to you they were practically part of you, yet, you never knew their name.
Sorry, kid. I’m on your mom’s side with this one. Earn back the trust and you’ll earn back the cash.
She pulled back onto the street and, a few minutes later, parked the truck in the employee lot. Her phone laid there on the seat, waiting for her to make a decision. She picked it up and feverishly typed a message to Becker.
Hey, miss you. Hope you’re doing okay.
She made sure it was on silent for work, then shoved it in her back pocket. If he answered, she’d have to wait until after closing to find out.