line!
âHowâs things, Callie?â
He sounded chipper. Chipper? What the hell was that about? Even chipper was sexy with Paul though.
âThings are hectic. Iâm sure youâve seen.â
âSeen what?â
âThe newspapers, TV, the web ⦠the story of the crash is everywhere. I did a press conference.â
âOh aye.â
Was he really not bothered? âWell?â I said.
âWhat?â
âArenât you interested?â
âNo.â
âThey wonât leave me alone. But they want you too.â
âI know. They tried. I told them to fuck off.â
I sighed. This was going nowhere.
âHowâs Reginald?â he said.
âWho?â
âRoderick?â
My eyes rolled. âRupert.â
âThatâs the one. Bear boy. Happy, is he?â
âWhat business is it of yours?â
âJust curious.â
âIf you really want to know, Iâve kept him at armsâ length. Iâm not ready yet.â
âStill hanginâ around though, is he?â
âI want him to hang around. Weâll get back together soon. I still need some time, thatâs all.â
âRight.â
Pause.
âSo â¦?â he rumbled.
âWhat?â
âWhyâre you phoning?â
âThe press are still pestering me. Theyâre desperate to get me onto various chat shows and morning programmes. But, like I said, they want you too.â
âIâm not doing that stuff.â
âThey wonât leave me alone, Paul.â
âJust tell them to piss off. Youâre too nice, Callie.â
âI donât want to do any more on my own.â
âDonât then.â
âBut theyâre parked outside my house. They keep phoning. I can barely step outside. I feel like Lady Di!â
âNo.â There was a slight pause. âYouâre more beautiful.â
I fell silent. So did he. I could hear his breaths down the phone. I wished theyâd drop out of the earpiece and onto my skin.
âCallie ⦠itâs so good to talk to you again.â
Yes, yes, it was. âYes.â
âChrist, I missed you.â
âDid you?â
âAye. So fucking much, Cal.â
I barely hesitated. âMe too.â
âCome and see me.â He didnât hesitate either.
My stomach flipped like it did when he smiled at me, but I reeled it in. âI canât.â
âWhy not?â
âIt wouldnât work.â
âBut you want to do an interview with me.â
âThatâs different.â
âI want to see you, Callie. You tell you donât want to see me but you want to go on TV with me. I donât get it.â
âYou know what I want.â
âNot really.â
âI want ⦠to just ⦠you know â¦â
âNo. I donât know.â
âOh, bloody hell, Paul, stop being so obtuse!â
âThere you go with your big words again. Look, Iâm just asking a question.â
âYouâre like a dog with a bone.â
âWe didnât argue like this on the island.â
âExactly!â
âSo?â
âSo it would never work, would it? You and me. I just want to get the press off our backs.â
âTheyâre not on my back.â
âOoh, you are infuriating!â
âIâm not the one yelling down the phone.â
âLook, please just do one show with me. Thatâll keep them happy and then weâll just go our separate ways again.â
Further silence, save for the regular in out murmur of his breath.
âWhich one do you reckon?â he said at length.
âIs that a yes?â
âJust the one, Callie. For you.â
I released my gratitude in a sighed, âThank you.â Iâd see him again. Oh God, I was happy. âProbably best to do the Breakfast one. Theyâll go easier on us.â
âAlright. That host â
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