Page 53 of Some Sort of Love (Happy Crazy Love 3)
My stomach clenched. “Hello?”
“Hey. I’m so sorry to call you.”
“That’s OK, what’s up?” But in the background I could hear what was up—a massive meltdown.
“It’s Scotty. He’s upset about the nightlight.”
“Oh, fuck.” I tipped my forehead into my hands. How could I have forgotten to pack the nightlight? And after a tough week, too. Fucking idiot!
“He says he has to have it to sleep?”
I swallowed, so angry with myself I wanted to punch my reflection in the mirror over Jillian’s dresser. “He does.”
“I’ve tried everything—other nightlights, leaving the hall light on, even leaving the bedroom light on, but nothing was right. This is the problem with letting him be so particular about things all the time.”
My temper flared, but I took a deep breath and counted to five. “Let’s not get into that now. Has he slept at all?”
“I don’t think so. But he didn’t really start to break down until about ten or so.”
I grabbed my watch. “Ten! Monica, it’s twelve thirty! Why didn’t you call me?” God, I was an asshole. I knew why she hadn’t called me.
“Because I was trying to let you have a night to yourself, Levi! I’m sorry!”
I exhaled, closing my eyes. “No, I’m sorry. I appreciate your trying to help.” And would it really have been any better if she’d called sooner? I’d have missed out on half the time I’d spent with Jillian. Maybe we wouldn’t have had the kitchen sex or the shower together. Maybe she wouldn’t have told me she loved me.
“I wasn’t going to call at all, but you said if it really got bad, you wanted to know.”
“No, you did the right thing.” I set my watch down and pinched the bridge of my nose. “Can he talk?”
“I don’t know. Let me try. Hey, Scotty? Your dad’s on the phone. Want to talk to him? Come on, it’ll make you feel better. Want to say hi?”
I took a deep breath, picturing the scene. Scotty balled up in a corner somewhere, hands over his ears, crying inconsolably, rocking back and forth. Don’t get mad. It’s not his fault. It’s yours—you forgot the nightlight, asshole. You were so excited about your nonstop all-night fuckfest, you forgot one of the essential things he needs to go to bed. And if you’re really honest with yourself, you’d admit that after the kind of week he had at school, an overnight at Monica’s wasn’t the right decision for him.
“He won’t talk,” Monica said. “I’m sorry.”
“That’s OK. I’ll come get him.”
“OK,” she said. “I wish I knew how to handle this better, but it’s so late, and the girls are trying to sleep, and we have to get up for church tomorrow…”
“Monica, it’s fine. I know. I’ll be there as fast as I can.” I looked around for my bag. “Tell him I’m on my way, and he’ll be able to sleep in his own bed tonight.”
“I will. See you in a few.”
“Bye.” I ended the call, set my phone on the dresser, and rubbed my face. “Fuck.”
“Bad news?”
I turned around and saw her sitting up in bed, her arms wrapped around her knees. “Yeah. I fucking forgot to pack the damn nightlight. He needs it to sleep.”
She nodded. “Poor little guy.”
“Jillian.” I sighed. I didn’t even have time to finish what we’d started, and my dick was at half-mast anyway. “I’m sorry.”
“It’s OK, Levi.”
“No, it’s not. But there isn’t anything I can do about it.” I spotted my bag on the floor near the foot of the bed and grabbed some clothes, throwing them on with jerky movements. “And I’m mad about this, so I feel even worse.”
“It’s OK to feel mad.”
