Calling Me Back Read Online Free PDF Page A

think.”
    “Promise me?” he asked, his eyes intently fixed on mine.
    “Okay. I’ll see you at Haven and Jake’s.”
    The black cloud over him seemed to pass as quickly as it arrived. He grinned, ruffled my hair and stalked off down the street. I stood for a few seconds, more words in my mouth than I’d let escape. What had he meant about Richard changing things between us? I was desperate to know what he was thinking.

 
    Luke
    It had been a while since Ash had had a boyfriend. Everything was moving too quickly. Emma wanted things to change between us; Haven was married; Ash was getting serious with someone. I longed for things to be how they were. I wanted Haven and Ash to wake up hungover in the guest room; I wanted the three of us to have dinner together, for the three of us to have the easy laughs that I’d grown up with. None of that had happened recently. I wanted to be able to hold Ash’s hand because we had been friends for forever, not pull it away because her boyfriend arrived.
    Because Emma would be home and I didn’t want her to bring up getting married again, I’d worked late. Not. I’d thought of little else but her recent declaration, but I didn’t have any solution for her. All I could focus on was how marriage would take away things from my life, not add them. It was almost ten, and I was just heading home. Hopefully, she was asleep.
    I let myself in and immediately heard the sounds of the television. My heart sank.
    “Hey,” Emma called.
    “Hi,” I said, wandering into the living room.
    “There’s leftover spaghetti in the refrigerator,” she said.
    “Thanks.” I shrugged out of my jacket, pulled off my tie and headed to the kitchen.
    Emma got up from the sofa and followed me. “Do you want me to heat it up for you?” She never got me dinner unless it was her day off. We both tended to fend for ourselves when we were working.
    “I’ve got it, thanks.”
    She pulled open the fridge, grabbed a beer and handed it to me.
    “Thanks,” I said, forcing a smile.
    “No problem. There’s never going to be a good time to discuss this, you know.” she said.
    I took a deep breath, and I tipped my head back. I really didn’t want to have this conversation. “Emma, I’m really tired.”
    “I know, but there’s barely ever a time when one of us isn’t shattered. If we wait until we’re both full of energy, we’re going to carry on like this for years.” Her voice was softer than usual, but I could tell she wasn’t about to let this go.
    “We’ve done okay ‘like this’ so far. I like my life.” I was happy with things how they were. I was about to make partner. Work would be crazy for the next few years. And her job was really demanding—where did she think we were going to fit in kids? No longer hungry, I took my beer and went to collapse on the sofa.
    Emma followed. “It’s time to move to the next stage in our lives. Don’t you feel that?”
    I couldn’t look at her. I didn’t know what she’d see in me. Fear, maybe.
    “I’m happy as I am. I thought you were too.” I’d never led her to believe I wanted anything more; at least, I didn’t think I had.
    “I want to get married and have children,” she replied. She didn’t say whether or not she was happy now, as if it didn’t matter. “Don’t you?” she asked.
    I could do nothing but focus on what I wouldn’t have if I married Emma. Particularly if we had kids. We would give up our freedom. What I loved about Emma was that she was independent and she didn’t need anything from me. If I became her husband and then a father . . . Those were roles that provided and protected. I’d done that my whole life with Haven. At the time, I’d wanted to do it, though my parents’ death had meant I’d had to. But there was nothing in me that wanted to take on that responsibility with Emma, or anyone else. It would change our entire relationship.
    “This is important to me,” Emma said, kneeling on the sofa,