The Beauty of Us (Fusion #4)

“Fine.” She clears her throat and looks between the three of us. “Wendy will keep me posted on what’s going on with you.”

“Oh, fuck that,” Wendy says. “I’m done with you too. I didn’t tell you Trevor’s good news so you could dick around with him. I mistakenly thought you were still a decent human being. You can go to hell.”

“Fine,” Stephanie says again, and walks to the door. She looks back at me dramatically. “You’ll regret this.”

“Don’t fucking threaten me.”

She blinks rapidly and leaves, almost jogging to her car, and drives away.

“I’m sorry,” Wendy says again, but I shake my head and pull her in for a hug.

“You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Okay. Please go find Riley. Make things right.”

“Yes, ma’am.” I smile as she pulls out of my arms and into Scott’s embrace. “You get this house sold. I’ll leave my keys with you.”

“I’ll take care of it.”

“I can help too,” Wendy says. “I’ll have movers come pack you. I’ll supervise it all, so you don’t have to travel back and forth.”

“That would be amazing.”

“Don’t worry about a thing.”

I smile at my friends, and then frown again. “Don’t make any calls quite yet. She’s still pissed as hell at me, and may not want to stay in a relationship with me.”

“She will,” Wendy says with confidence. “Once you explain it all, she’ll be great.”

“Let’s hope.”



The meetings today ran late, so it’s close to nine when I call Riley. She hasn’t answered any of my texts today, but to my surprise, she answers the phone now.

“Hello.”

“Hey.”

I take a deep breath. “Riley, I need to explain some things to you.”

“No, Trevor, you really don’t.”

“Trust me, I do.”

“The thing is, I’ve been doing a lot of thinking. The past few weeks have been really difficult for me.”

“I know, I’m trying—”

“I need to say this before I lose the nerve. I just don’t think I can do this, Trevor. I’ve been so sad and frustrated, and when I’ve told you that I need you, you’re just not there for me.”

“But—”

“And I know that you’re busy. We both have demanding careers, but I was hopeful that we would make time for each other, and that just isn’t happening. Maybe I’m needy. And if that’s the case, I’m honestly okay with that, because I deserve to be needy, Trevor. You were so attentive when you were in Portland, but that’s changed. I love you so much, but I am not built for a long-distance relationship.”

“Trust me—”

“I do trust you,” she says, interrupting me again. “That’s just it, I totally trust you, but I don’t feel like I have you, and I can’t live with that. So, as much as it hurts, I have to let you go. I wish you nothing but the best in life, Trevor. I want you to be happy, and I genuinely hope you find someone perfect for you.”

“Riley—”

“Good-bye, Trevor.”

She hangs up the phone and I’m left stunned, staring at the wall. She just fucking dumped me.

She thinks it’s over.

She thinks that she doesn’t have me.

And all of these things are my goddamn fault because I’ve been too busy living in blinders, chasing the day that I can wrap my L.A. life up and move to Portland.

But in the process I was ignoring the best thing to ever happen to me.

I’m not giving up.

No fucking way.

I immediately dial Chris’s number.

“Hello.”

“Hi, Chris, I’m sorry to call you so late.”

“I just saw you thirty minutes ago,” he replies. “It’s fine. What’s up.”

“I’m sorry to do this to you, but I have to leave town tomorrow morning.”

“No.”

I pause and sigh in frustration.

“Trevor, I’ve fought for this show that you want in Portland because I think it’s a great idea, and I know you’re anxious to get back up there, but we have presentations all day tomorrow. I am not going into that boardroom by myself. You will be there, or I’ll scrap the project altogether and you can go to Portland jobless.”

“Chris, I know you’re doing me a solid, and I appreciate it more than I can say. You’ve been awesome.”

“Then you’ll do me a solid and go to that presentation with me tomorrow. The network doesn’t approve new shows on a whim. We’re going to need both of us in there tomorrow.”

“You’re right,” I mutter. “Okay, I’ll be there.”

“Good.”

He hangs up, leaving me feeling completely helpless. I need to pull Riley in my arms and feel her. I need to reassure her that I love her more than anything, and that everything is going to be okay.

She’s right, being apart has sucked, and I’ve done the worst thing of all by burying my head in work. It helped mask the loneliness and homesickness for her.

As I look around my place, it occurs to me that I have a lot to do in a very short time. So I call Colleen, who surprisingly sounds like I’ve just woken her.

“Were you sleeping?”

“Yeah.” She yawns. “I spent all day being chased around Disneyland by children. They’re fast, Trev. And they like to tug on that heavy-as-fuck dress. One kid climbed me today. She climbed me like a motherfucking tree.”

“I’m sorry,” I reply, my lips twitching. “Are you working tomorrow?”

“No, thank God. I’m not going to move from my bed for about thirty hours.”

“Well, about that. Could I maybe talk you into coming to my place?”

“Tomorrow?”

“Now.”

“Now.” She laughs and I can hear her getting out of bed. “Yeah, I can be there in about thirty.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t look pretty right now, so don’t thank me so soon.”

“I don’t need you pretty, I just need you.”

“Aw, you’re such a sweet talker.” She snorts. “On my way.”

She hangs up and I immediately call my mom.

“What’s wrong?” she asks as soon as she picks up.

“Nothing. Well, nothing emergent.” I clear my throat, ready to get the “why don’t you ever call me” speech, but she surprises me.

“What’s up, buttercup?”

“Wow, you’re not going to yell at me for not calling you more often?”

“Well, that doesn’t work, so I’m turning over a new leaf. What’s going on, Trevor?”

“Well, I was hoping that I could come over tonight and get grandma’s engagement ring.”

“Okay, now I’m pissed. I didn’t even know you were dating anyone, and you want Grandma’s engagement ring?”

“I know, and I promise I’ll fill you in, but I’m in a hurry.”

“This isn’t like you.”

I sigh and close my eyes. “If the answer is no, just say so so I can make other arrangements.”

“Well, don’t get all testy,” she says. “Of course you can have her ring. She left it for you. I was just relieved you didn’t want to give it to that bitch you were married to before.”

“Stephanie wanted something more expensive.”

“Hmm, should have been a red flag, don’t you think?”

“There were lots of red flags, but this woman is different, and I want her to have the ring.”

“Then I suppose you should come and get it. And, Trevor?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m happy for you, sweetie.”

“Thank you.”

Colleen walks through the door just as I hang up with Mom.

“Are you dying? Do I have to take you to urgent care?”