CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
SEBASTIAN DOWNS
I fucked up.
When I pulled out my phone tonight and saw those three missed calls from Olivia my stomach dropped to my shoes because I just knew she was calling to confront me about the pictures that surfaced with me and Maya.
Instead, I’d heard her tired but cheerful voice lamenting about a rough day and urging me to call her back.
Thinking I had time to warn her about what she may see later, I saved the voicemail just as a text message from her came through.
Message received loud and clear. I won’t bother you again.
Swearing under my breath, I immediately call her to set the record straight, already realizing that my chances are pretty slim. She’s had time to form her own idea of what happened. On my fourth attempt, Olivia finally picks up the phone sounding groggy.
“H-Hello?”
“Olivia, I can explain.” There’s really no need for pleasantries at this point.
Silence stretches before Olivia speaks again, sounding confused.
“Sebastian?”
“It’s not what you think.”
I can tell the exact moment she comes awake fully. The grogginess leaves her voice and is replaced with icy anger.
“I don’t know, the pictures are pretty damning. You know, I thought I was special when I saw the pics from my trip and the way you looked at me. But I guess that’s just your default expression whenever the prospect of getting laid is on the table.”
“Olivia.” I don’t know why I can’t manage more but words fail me at the moment I need them most.
“Very convenient of you to forget you had a supermodel ex.” The anger in her voice is evident but so is the hurt and I feel like shit for being the cause of it.
Sighing, I try to string together my next few words carefully.
“Maya was in town for a family member’s funeral. I felt bad for her.”
It sounded silly to my own ears but it’s the absolute truth.
“So I’m guessing you felt bad for me too when we started our little fling. She looks pretty radiant for someone who’s grieving. How’d you pull that off?”
“You’re not a fucking fling!” I roar through the phone. “You’re everything. You have to believe me, Olivia.”
“I don’t have to believe anything. I made a mistake by letting down my guard around you. We should have left it all on the island.”
“Olivia, don’t. You know how I feel about you.”
“No, I don’t. I don’t trust a thing you say. I wouldn’t be lying here humiliated if your words were anywhere near the truth. Tell me something. If the shoe was on the other foot and you saw me out with another man, would you be okay with it?”
A beat passes as the line goes silent because she struck a nerve. Hell no, I wouldn’t okay with it.
“That’s exactly what I thought. You’ve been territorial over me since before our first kiss. If another man so much as looks at me, you go into an uproar. But you’re allowed to walk the streets with your ex after a date and I should just take it?”
Her voice is shaking with anger and I’ve never felt more disappointed in myself.
“I wasn’t think—”
“That much is obvious. But I won’t be a part of this little lineup you have. You won’t get the chance to embarrass me again, Sebastian. I’m officially removing myself from your sick little roster.”
“There is no roster! Would you just fucking listen to me?” I shout in frustration.
“You don’t get to be angry with me!” she yells right back, not missing a beat. “I didn’t do anything wrong. Unless you count trusting you.”
Her words sting, but I don’t have time to dwell on them.
“Olivia, please.” My voice is pleading. “I didn’t do anything with her. She means nothing to me.”
“She obviously means enough if you went running as soon as she called.”
“It’s not like that. I told you I felt bad.”
“Well lucky her,” comes her snide remark. “Listen, Sebastian. I have to go. Your pathetic excuses are the last thing I need to add to this shitty day. I’m jobless and homeless. I don’t really have the extra energy to deal with this at the moment.”
Her initial voicemail comes to mind and I want to know what happened. Even though I know the likelihood of her confiding in me is slim to none.
“Olivia, talk to me. What happened, baby?”
“I called to tell you all about it, but you were too busy taking a trip down memory lane to answer me. Look, I clearly misinterpreted my role in your life but I was serious when I texted you earlier. I won’t bother you again and that’s a promise. Please don’t contact me anymore, Sebastian.”
“Olivia, wait—”
She hangs up on me.
This isn’t over, Olivia.
As soon as I send the text, it bounces back with a generic message informing me that the recipient has blocked me from sending messages.
Furious, I shove everything off my nightstand. The loud crash doesn’t even register as I stand there fuming.
This cannot be the fucking end. I refuse to lose her like this.