Throwing Love #2 (Throwing Love #2) Read Free Page B

There was a part of me that wanted to know what he had to say,
even if it was bad. Or maybe I just want to hear his voice, I wasn't too sure.
Either way, the more I thought about it and the more I drank, the more I wanted
to not only hear his message, but talk to him. Maybe that was why I shouldn't
listen to the message. If I heard his voice, then I would really be in trouble.
I would want to talk to him, I would call him, and then maybe I would be able
get out of this mess. I had been determined to let him go, to never talk to him
again, to move on with my life and not have to deal with any more rumors. So
why on earth was I still thinking about that voicemail message? I was becoming
obsessed and it was a little embarrassing. Why couldn’t I just move on? Hadn't
I been humiliated enough? Apparently not because all I wanted to do was here
that stupid voicemail message.
    I looked up at Connie and decided
I was going to do it, I was going to listen to that message. Maybe it did make
me an idiot. But I was gonna do it anyways. At least I would know one way or
the other. I hated wondering – at least this way, good or bad, I would
know what really happened. I would know what he had to say. And then I could
make a conscious decision from there about what I really want to do.
    “I think I'm going to hit the
ladies room for a minute, too many beers you know?”
    She laughed. “No problem.”
    I got up from the booth, my head
feeling a little dizzy. I maneuvered around tables and waitresses as I walked
to the bathroom. Maybe I should really cool it on the beer because things were
gain a little bit fuzzy for me. Once inside the bathroom, I went into one of
the stalls and sat down on the toilet. I had no intention of going to the bathroom,
I just needed a place to sit for now. I open up my voicemail messages and
clicked on Bennett's to take a listen to it. I couldn't believe how nervous I
was. It was just a message, after all, and I had already decided to end things.
So what was the big deal?
    The moment I heard his voice, I
wanted to cry. I wasn't sure why, but maybe hearing his voice made it all that
much more real. The hopes that I had for the relationship, the fact that I
liked him so much, and now the article that I would have to deal with every day
for the rest of my life – it was all too much to bear at once. I
shouldn't have to deal with any of these things. I had done nothing wrong
– I had just been living my life, minding my own business. And now this,
I hated having to do this stuff. And I didn't want to end things with Bennett.
Our date had been marvelous, but it all got tainted because of the article, and
I felt that he was at least partially to blame.
    “God, Emmi, I wish I
could have got you on the phone. My friend Brad just called me about this
ridiculous article he saw. Is that why you aren't answering my call? I just
need you to know that I had nothing to do with what they are saying; in fact I
am completely appalled by reporting so terrible as that. I cannot even believe
they printed that garbage, it's just tabloid fodder, Emmi, and it's completely
untrue. I just need you to know that, I would never do anything like that to
anyone, never mind someone like you. You're father has nothing to do with our
dating, and I would love it if we didn't let this get in the way of us seeing
each other again. I'm going to be travelling, Emmi, and then we have a game, and
so I won't be able to talk right away. But please call back and let me know
when it would be a good time for me to call you tomorrow. Good-”
    The message cut him off as he was
saying goodbye. I was speechless in my drunken stupor and wasn't sure what to
think. I wasn't sure if I should even talk to him again. Was there really any
point? What was done was done and we can't change what happened. I wasn't sure
if it was a good idea to call him back. If I called him back, I might as well
give him another chance. By calling him back I would be saying