Chapter 10
I try to stay busy the rest of the day so I won’t have time to think about Derek, but every time I see his number on the inside of my hand, a hot wave flushes through me. Eventually I go to the bathroom to wash off the ink, but not before I jot the number down on my calendar pad. I’ll need to get in touch with him about his mother’s funeral, I tell myself that’s the only reason I save it. I should also call him now while I’m thinking of it, tell him thanks but I’m sorry, I have to bail tonight after all. I don’t call, though, and throughout the rest of the day I remind myself I have to, I must back out of whatever he’s planning for later. But the longer I put it off, the harder it is for me to pick up the phone.
Before I know it, six o’clock rolls around, my workday is over, a
