"Just arrived, but I'm hanging outside so we can talk. To be honest, I'm not in a partying mood without you."
She still has another week of filming in Australia, and dammit, I never thought being apart from someone would be this tough. Sure, I missed Elissa when we were studying on opposite sides of the country, but it was nothing like this. Missing Angel is like having a slow-motion heart attack. My chest hurts like hell, and hearing her voice only makes me miss her more. Considering this is my first relationship that's lasted longer than me showering after sex, I have no idea if this is normal or not.
One thing I do know is that our separation is my own stupid fault, because I wanted to come back and help Elissa with the benefit concert. Even though I could tell Angel wasn't thrilled about me leaving, she supported me one-hundred percent. But what she didn't know is that I was also running from how it felt to watch her fall in love with another man every day on the film set, even if it was just an act.
I've never considered myself a jealous person, but watching Angel make out with someone else? I now have a deep, empathetic understanding of how it felt for Dr. Jekyll to transform into Mr. Hyde. Julian is an okay dude, and when it's just the two of us talking about comics or video games, I'm fine. But the second I see him talking to Angel, or worse, touching or kissing her ... Yeah. Veins bulge, muscles tense, and I want to leave fun, affable Josh at the door so needlessly violent Josh can come out and play.
I know my reaction stems from my feelings of inadequacy, but that doesn't mean I'm wrong in thinking a guy like me doesn't have a snowball's chance in Hades of keeping a woman like Angel.
To her credit, Angel does a good job of making it seem like we could work, and despite my doubts, I really want to believe her.
"God, Josh, I miss you so much. Did you know it's been next year in Australia for ages now?"
"Yeah? Did you have a good time last night? Party with the cast and crew?" And of course, by cast and crew I mean hunka-beefcake leading man, Julian Dickface Norman. Let's not forget about that stupidly likeable asshole who's probably gearing up to replace me in her affections.
"It was nice," she says, stifling a yawn. "The producers put on a fancy spread at a venue right on Sydney Harbor. The fireworks were incredible. Julian said they were the best he's ever seen."
"I'll bet." I can just imagine him being all wide-eyed and enthusiastic. What a prick. "So, kiss anyone interesting at midnight?" I'm trying to sound casual, even though I'm gripping my phone so tightly, the plastic case creaks.
Angel laughs. "To be honest, I kissed a lot of people. There was a whole line of them. Men, women, waiters, dwarves, stilt walkers, a couple of Japanese tourists who wandered in by mistake. After the first dozen, I stopped counting. But don't worry, sweetie, there was strictly no tongue. I'm saving that for you."
I lean back against the wall and breathe. "You're trying to make my head explode with jealousy, aren't you?"
"Is it working?"
I let out a weak laugh. Normally, I enjoy her teasing, but right now I'm incapable of thinking about her kissing people without conjuring up an image of her and Julian. I've watched them go at it on set enough to know what their lip-locks look like. Julian kisses her like he never wants to stop, and even though I understand how the sweet heaven of Angel's mouth is responsible for that, he still has no right to feel that way about my woman.
"So what are you doing today?" I ask. "Taking it easy, I hope." If she tells me she's seeing Julian, there's no way I'm not losing my shit. I mean, how would she feel if I spent all my free time with a likable, attractive woman?
My phone vibrates, and when I check the screen, there's a text from Lissa. "HURRY UP, BITCH! Get your ass here NOW."
Okay, so, a likable, attractive woman other than Elissa.
"Actually," she says, "I have a cool day planned. The director's brother is taking me out for a cruise around the harbor on his yacht.
Okay, director's brother. Probably an old dude. Nothing to worry about. "That sounds sweet. Is it just going to be the two of you?"
"No, there are a few of us going."
A blood vessel behind my left eye starts to throb. "Oh, yeah? Like who?"
"Oh, you know," she says with a laugh. "The usual suspects."
I turn around and press my forehead into the wall. I know she doesn't mean to torture me, but being vague isn't fucking helping. "Right, so Megan, Kasey, Mark ... Julian?"
My heart sinks when she says, "Yeah, I think so." But then she says, "Oh, wait, not Julian. He had a press thing to do."
I'm not sure, but I'm pretty certain I hear a whole fuckton of angels singing, "Hallelujah."
"Aw, shame. Oh, well, you guys will have a great time anyway, right?"