When I open my eyes, I watch as Logan comes to stand next to Rhett. Immediately, I notice how much they’ve grown. Rhett is still the tallest in the group. I used to reach his shoulder, but now the top of my head barely makes it to his shoulder, and that’s with the extra height I have from wearing the boots.
“I haven’t heard from you in over three years, Rhett. Three years and four months to be exact. Even before I lost my phone, you weren’t talking to me that much anymore. Hell, I was so worried I came to New York, just to make sure you were all okay.”
I suck in a deep breath and looking away at the buildings across the street, I whisper, “The first time I came to see you, you were overseas. You left the country, and you didn’t even bother telling me. I got the message loud and clear that day, but like an idiot, I had to try again. The second time I tried to see you, I was told to make an appointment. I made an appointment, which you cancelled. Like I said, I got the message loud and clear. I just wish I knew what I did wrong to make you all break contact with me.”
“Why didn’t you talk to any of us when you came to New York the first time?” Carter asks.
Anger starts to simmer in my chest, as I glance at Carter.
“I tried. I said hi, and you both ignored me.” I glare at Logan, and even I can hear how bitter my words are. “Logan saw me. He looked right at me and just walked by.”
Rhett turns his back on me and grabs fistfuls of his hair, as he lets out a roar of anger. He pivots around and only stops when he’s right in front of me. I’ve never seen him so angry before, and it makes me instinctively cringe away from him. He yanks his phone out of his pocket and opens a chat before holding his phone right to my face.
“We fucking messaged every day!”
The screen is a blur and I have to move back, so I can focus on the words. I start to shake, as I reach for his phone. At first, there are only panicked messages from Rhett and I can see that they’ve been read. As I scroll up, it feels as if the ground is opening up beneath my feet.
Mia: I’m not moving to NY! I’m staying here. We can make some time over the holidays to get together.
Rhett: FFS! I want you near me. It feels like every time we make plans to get together, something fucks it up. I don’t like you being that far away from me.
I keep reading, not understanding anything anymore. There are dozens of messages. Rhett thought he was talking to me? More important, who the hell pretended to me?
“I didn’t send any of these,” I whisper, feeling an icy chill ripple up my spine. Something is very wrong.
Rhett grabs the phone from my hands and goes to his contact list. He brings up my name and shows me the number. It feels unreal, as I stare at my old number.
“I thought I lost my phone. Someone must’ve taken it. Why would they do that?” I’m not asking anyone in particular. I just can’t wrap my head around it all.
“You said you got a new phone,” Rhett says in a much calmer tone than before. “Let me see it.”
I pull it out of my back pocket and hand it to him, not seeing how it’s going to solve any of this.
Rhett’s fingers fly over the screen, before he frowns again. “Mia, you have the wrong number for me.”
“What?” I grab the phone back and look at the number. A shuddering breath works its way through my body, as I go to Logan’s name, and what I see freaks me out completely.
“I put in the right numbers. I know I did. I triple checked each number before I saved it.” I hold the phone out to Rhett so he can see. “The same weird number is under Logan’s name. I never thought to check the numbers, because I made sure I typed them in right the first time.”
“I have your old number as well,” Logan says, as he takes his phone out and dials my old number. He puts it on speaker phone, so we can all hear. It rings for a while, before my voice sounds up, “You’ve reached Mia. Please leave a message.”
I don’t know what this means. My eyes dart over them all, but it’s Jaxson who places his hand on my shoulder. “You thought we just left you?”
I nod as a fresh wave of tears threatens to wash me right off my feet.
“Sweetheart,” he whispers, as he pulls me into a hug, “I’m sorry. We should’ve tried harder to see you. I thought you were busy with your studies.”
I keep nodding against his chest, knowing I won’t be able to say anything.
When he pulls back, there’s a look of intense pain on Rhett’s face. His eyes are shining with tears, and his voice sounds rough when he says, “You thought I just left you? All this time you thought that?”
The look on his face reminds me of the day we were told Dad and Mom died in a car accident. My heart squeezes painfully, just like it did then. I’ve tried to be strong the past few years, but hearing that they didn’t just leave me, didn’t forget me … fills me with incredible relief and joy.
I dart forward and throw my arms around Rhett’s waist. I bury my face in his chest and ugly cry from the relief I feel.
“I missed you.” It’s all I can say over and over.
Chapter 4