I love him too much.
Chapter 40
Talon
“Talon,” Ira damn near screams my name on the other side of the phone Friday morning. “The deadline is today. TO. DAY. Why the hell have you not signed anything yet?”
I exhale into the phone.
I didn’t want to answer, but he’d already called me thirteen times this morning alone and he wasn’t going to stop until he got through.
Irie left me last night.
All I’ve been doing since she walked away was replay every conversation, every word that ever came out of my mouth trying to figure out where I went wrong.
She won’t answer her phone.
Won’t reply to my texts.
I stayed up all night, tossing and turning in sheets that still smelled like her.
“You know they can drop the offer altogether,” Ira continues. “They could also chop it in half—and you’d still have to take it because even half of what they want to give you is twice as much as what anyone else wanted to give you. I’m sorry, kid. I love you, but you’re a goddamned fool if you don’t sign this thing.”
He doesn’t love me.
He only loves his fifteen percent—the six million he stands to gain the second my pen touches that signature line.
“Something like this will never happen for you again in your lifetime,” he says. “You’re not going to take a few years off, turn twenty-seven, and then magically find yourself with another multimillion-dollar offer from the pros. This is it, Tal. It’s now or it’s never. We’re down to zero hour and you need to make a decision.”
“I’m aware of all of that, Ira,” I say, pinching the bridge of my nose as I pace my quiet apartment.
“Tell me … why the sudden change of heart?” he asks. “Is it the girl? Is that what this is all about?”
I stop pacing. “I never told you about her.”
He blows a puff of breath into his receiver. “Ah, come on. It’s always about a girl when it comes to this shit.”
“You’ve been talking to Mark, I see.”
“Talon …”
“As my agent, any communication needs to be directed toward me and only me. Not my fucking stepfather.”
“I’m sorry, kid. You’re right. It’s just he called me the other day because he was concerned since you hadn’t signed yet.”
“Then you should have directed him to me.”
“I tried. You know how he is.”
“I know exactly how he is,” I say. “I also know how you are. You’re no pushover.”
“Look, I get that you’re upset and you have every right to be, and I’m sorry for that. At the end of the day, we’re all just trying to look out for you, trying to make sure you don’t throw away your future.”
Oh my God.
I don’t know why I hadn’t thought of it before but it makes perfect sense now … Irie dumping me on the eve of my contract deadline has Mark written all over it.
“I have to go,” I tell Ira when he’s mid-spiel, still trying to cover his ass.
“Talon. You have to sign by three o’clock today or it’s all over. If you—”
I end the call, grab my car keys, and head across town to Bette’s. I thought time and space were all she needed, but now that I know her hand was forced into dumping me, it changes everything.
She didn’t want to leave me.
She felt like she had no choice.
I fly into Bette’s driveway, shift into park, and hurry toward the front door, knocking like a crazy person until the door swings open.
Only it isn’t Irie.
“Bette,” I say. “I need to talk to Irie—and before you tell me she isn’t here—”
“She isn’t here,” Bette says, point blank. “Feel free to take a look around if you don’t believe me.”
“Where is she?”
“Said she was going to go work on some project for one of her classes. Last I saw her, she had her bag and she was walking to the bus stop. I imagine she’s on campus. Check the design lab maybe? I know she hangs out there quite a bit. Or she did before she met you …”
Bette isn’t in an overly friendly mood—which makes me wonder what she knows—but the fact that she didn’t shut the door in my face is a good sign.
“Thanks, Bette,” I say as I trek back to my car.
Backing out, I head to campus to find my girl.
Chapter 41
Irie
I wander around campus in a daze most of Friday morning. We’re on the cusp of spring and everything’s coming alive, only I don’t see it.
It’s all gray to me.
The color, the life, it’s been sucked out of my world.
Every time I close my eyes, I see his face … specifically the look on his face when I told him it was over. The light went out in his eyes and his smile faded, and the instant they were gone I wanted more than anything to be able to put them back, to see the face of the man who stole my heart when I least expected it.