See, I’m showing you my phone. No secrets.
She takes the device cautiously and silence falls as she skims through the messages. Blair has been somewhat responsive towards me and that’s obviously more than I can say for Cara, but she still won’t lock down a time to meet.
“Maybe we need to approach it differently,” she murmurs. “You’re a little demanding and she’s apparently being cautious.” Cara lifts her gaze, staring off into the distance as she thinks before she offers my phone back to me. “Text her as if you’re texting me.”
“Excuse me?” My eyes dart wide over the edge of my cup and I shift myself on the sofa, the thought bitter in my mind even as she suggests it.
She can’t be serious.
“She needs comfort and security right? Text her as if she’s a loved one. I bet she’d react better to that than these short requests.” Cara’s bitten lips pull up into a soft, warm smile even as uncertainty churns in my gut. Text Blair as if she’s Cara? No one else deserves that part of me.
“I don’t want to. She’snotyou,” I bite back after a moment of thought and Cara’s lips twitch faintly.
“Do you have any better ideas?”
“No… but I could never speak to her the way I speak to you,” I say realistically. Surely Cara knows by now how fucking exceptional she is? There’s no one in the world that gets to see the side of myself that she pulls out, certainly not Blair.
“It’s just pretending,” Cara presses gently. “I bet she’ll reply faster than she ever has in her life.”
I can’t think of a rebuttal. Ihateit but yet it’s probably the best idea we’ve had. I can see clear as day that Blair wants my affection. Maybe playing into such a thing wouldn’t be so bad if it’ll get her to talk to me.
In truth, being nicer to Blair will likely be in the cards regardless, especially where Samuel’s involved.
“Fine.” My word escapes like a bark and I snatch the phone back, staring at the screen before I turn my gaze to Cara and stare.
The attention warms her cheeks a pretty pink.
“What is it? Do I still have pasta sauce on my face?” she asks, quickly wiping the corners of her mouth. Dinner had been lovely- if rushed- but there isn’t a speck left on her.
“No, I’m just concocting a scenario where I have to persuade you through text when really, if this was us I would track you down in an instant,” I reply. Her eyes flash at me and pearly whites sink back into that luscious lower lip. It’s the truth, plain and simple.
I’d never let Cara get this far away from me thattextingwould be needed.
Still, if I must.
Turning back to the screen, I run a quick scenario in my head where Cara has left for a few days after an argument and I need to calmly persuade her to return to me. Then, after a moment I begin to type.
‘Blair, enough of this. I miss you. I didn’t think I would but knowing what you’ve been through, and raising Samuel on your own… please. Let’s meet and discuss things properly. We’re set to be in each other’s lives forever now, let us start things right.’
I flash the screen at Cara for her confirmation before I hit send.
There, the deed is done.
Setting the phone down, I rest my cup next to it and tilt my head back onto the couch, closing my eyes. This night has become more stressful than I care to admit. Blair working with the Russians, possibly blackmailed about our son, and now all alone out there, adrift in the peace our families have created.
In the back of my mind I know, even if it comes to light that Samuel was her pressure point, forgiveness will not be easy.
As the turmoil shunts about my chest, I reach down and rest my hand on Cara’s calf. Her muscles twitch under my touch and it calms me. Contact with the woman I love soothes a dark part of my soul I never realized was in pain.
Peace settles and with the warmth of Cara by my side, sleep threatens. Only for a few seconds though as my phone, resting on my thigh, buzzes into life.
Fuck.
Lifting my head, I grab the device and swipe the screen. A response from Blair flashes up and I sit up a little straighter as the information flashes before me.
She wants to meet for dinner. Tonight? Fucking hell.
“It worked. She wants to meet and have dinner in a couple of hours to talk.” I read out a time and place for Cara, already calculating how long it’ll take to get there and back. I’ll need to call Sienna and ask for some backup just to keep them happy. With any luck, I can just get Blair to take me straight to her house, pick up Samuel and bring them both here.