At the sight of the caller’s name on the screen, I almost decide to ignore it, the same way I’d pushed his earlier calls out of my mind. What could Jack want from me? Why was he calling?
Picking up the phone, I swipe my finger across the screen as I raise it to my ear.
“Hello Jack.”
“Rachel,” he sounds relieved. “I’m so glad you answered.”
“Yeah… I’m sorry about your calls earlier. I was busy and I didn’t feel the phone vibrate.”
“That’s a relief. I assumed you didn’t want to talk to me.” There’s a short pause. “I learned you’re in San Francisco on an assignment. How’s that going?”
“Great.”
“Okay,” I hear him sigh. “Rachel, the thing is, I’m a little disappointed that we didn’t get to talk like we planned.”
“You wanted to talk,” I point out. “I’m not very sure what we have to talk about.”
“I miss you,” he says simply. “Isn’t that enough to talk about?”
“You keep saying you miss me. What exactly do you want? For me to tag along so you can amuse yourself with me when your fiancée isn’t available?”
“About that,” he says, “I’m going to be in Argentina for about a month starting from next week.” He pauses. “Claudia and I decided to take a break, see how things go.”
I shake my head in disbelief. “What? That doesn’t even make any sense.”
He is quiet. “I thought you would be glad.”
“I’m indifferent.”
I hear him take a breath. “Rachel, I’m not saying this because I no longer have a fiancée, but I know I’ve taken you for granted in the past. I’ve had time to think about all that, and I’m sorry.”
He’s never apologized to me before, and it takes me by surprise. My anger towards him dissipates, and I don’t know what to say.
He continues. “I shouldn’t have sprung the engagement thing on you like that. You’re my closest friend, and we have a history. So… I’m sorry. I just wanted you to know that… whatever it’s worth.”
Whatever it’s worth. I sigh. The thing with Jack is that he’s so good at straddling that line between a close friend and a romantic interest, that I’m never entirely sure if I’m finally being pursued, or if I’m still stuck in the friend zone. “I’m sorry about your engagement,” I say softly.
“I’ll get over it,” he replies carelessly.
“I’m sure.”
“I heard that you were working with Landon Court,” He says after a moment.
“I’m writing about his new hotel.”
“Yes. I read somewhere about him buying it out from right under Evan’s Sinclair’s feet. Hotel had been in the same family for generations. But then, Court has always been very ruthless in business. He’s also known for being heartless with women when he’s done with them. Being around him so much, don’t fall in love with him.”
I almost laugh. “Someone should have told me that when I met you.”
“That’s not fair.”
I sigh. “It’s nice that you called Jack.”
He laughs. “That sounds like a dismissal.”
“I’m working.”
“Okay, but just so you know. I’m not giving up on you. You’re still my favorite person in the world.”