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“Dad—”
He hangs up. Phoebe stands still for several silent moments with her phone perched on her hand.
I take another step toward her. “Phoebe...”
She keeps her back to me. “So, they aren’t coming...” she mutters.
I lay a soft hand on her shoulder. “That’s their choice. But they’re wrong, all right?”
Phoebe slowly turns, guided by my hand. “Right.” She nods once.
“You mean everything to me. And Max. You know that.”
She nods again, just once. “Right.”
I cup her face, desperate to take the sadness from her big, gray eyes, but my tongue weighs heavily. I’m not great at saying the right thing in the moment. I’m much better at writing that stuff down.
“Pheebs, he’s wrong,” I say again. “And out of line. He has no right to assume or judge what we have. Don’t let it get to you.”
Still, she nods, though her eyes never change.
I lean down to kiss her forehead. “How about you and I make a mess of these sheets, eh?” I ask, trying to lighten the mood.
Her lips barely twitch and she looks away.
Fuck.
Foot meet mouth.
“Actually, I think I’m gonna take Stink for a walk,” she says.
I sigh as she slips from my fingers. “Phoebe...”
“I’m fine, Thad.”
“No, you’re not.”
She walks out into the hall, and I bite down hard.
“You want me to come along?” I ask.
“No, I’m good.”
I exhale. No, she’s not.
She’s definitely not good.
Chapter Three
Phoebe
Well, it’s been a while since I’ve had my heart ripped out like that.
Honestly, I thought those days were behind me.
I have a great job; as close to my dream job as I can get.
I have a great boyfriend; quite literally the man of my dreams.
