She’s mad at me, and I don’t even know what I did wrong, but I can see anger and frustration written all over her. So I’m going to leave her be, let her cool down, and then she and I are going to have a coming to Jesus about who’s allowed to put their fucking lips on her.

Because I’m the only one on that list.

I shake my head and walk away, through the bar and to the street, when Adam catches up with me.

“Hey!” he yells. “What the fuck, man? Were you really out with another woman tonight?”

“It was a business meeting,” I reply in frustration.

“So things are good with you and Callie?”

“She’s upset,” I reply, shaking my head. “She needs to calm down, so I’m going to give her some space.”

“Knowing Callie, that’s probably a good idea,” Adam says with a nod. “Just don’t make me regret trusting you with her.”

“It’s a misunderstanding,” I reply and clap him on the shoulder. “We’ll figure it out.”

***

Someone is leaning on my doorbell, making it go off over and over again. I stumble out of the music room where I spent the night writing songs for the job Beth gave me last night and open the door.

“What’s wrong with you?” I ask Savannah, glaring at her.

“You didn’t hear it the first three times,” she says, breezing past me and into the kitchen, where she proceeds to brew a cup of coffee, then glances over at me. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks.” I slide onto a stool, longing for a cup of that coffee. “Didn’t sleep much.”

“Kate called me,” she says, eyeing me over her mug. “Did you get it all straightened out with Callie?”

“Not really,” I reply and scratch my head. “I saw her, but she was pissed, and I decided to give her time to cool down.”

“You’re an idiot.”

“Wait. What?”

“She’s upset, thinks you’ve been out with another woman, and you walk away to let her cool off? You’re such a man.”

“First of all, I don’t like the way you call me a man like it’s a bad thing.”

“It can be,” she says, but I keep going.

“Second, I know Callie pretty well by now, and I think she needed some space.”

“How much space are you going to give her?” Van asks.

“A day,” I reply. “I miss her.”

Van barks out a laugh, rinses her mug, and turns back to me. “If you miss her, go see her. You know, women aren’t as difficult as men believe. Hug us, tell us we’re pretty, and we’re happy.”

“Not true,” I reply, shaking my head. “Y’all are complicated as fuck. Trust me, she’s not hurt; she’s pissed. I know what I’m doing. I want to see her, but I’m respecting her space.”

“Whatever,” she says. “There was a reason I stopped by.”

“Aside from giving me awesome relationship advice? Great.”

“Smart ass.” She glares at me. “I have a hearing for the divorce next week.”

“I’m there,” I say immediately. Van will never have to be in a room with that asshole alone ever again. She nods and fights tears, and I stand, circle to her and pull her in for a hug. “It’s going to be okay, you know.”

“Why is it taking so long?” she asks. “It was supposed to be over long ago, but he keeps appealing everything.”

“His lawyer is a dick, but ours are better,” I assure her, rocking her back and forth. “He can legally appeal all he wants, but it’ll eventually lead to a court date and it’ll be over.”

“It could take a long time,” she says and sniffs.

“It’s okay. It’s all going to be okay.” I’m not sure who I’m trying to convince, her or me, as I rock us both back and forth.

***

She won’t take my calls or answer my texts, and the last time I tried to call, I went straight to voice mail.

She turned her damn phone off.

It’s been a good thirty-six hours since I last saw Callie in her office, and I’m done giving her space. I need to see her, hold her, and put this whole mess behind us.

But I can’t find her. She won’t answer the phone, and she’s not at the bar. She has to be at Adam’s.

I surprise Adam when I burst into the apartment. He’s in the kitchen, eating cereal dry and out of the box.

“Hello,” he says mildly and tosses some Lucky Charms in his mouth.

“Where’s Callie?” I ask on my way to her room, then return to the kitchen when I don’t find her.

“I don’t know,” he replies with a frown. “I assumed she was with you.”

“I haven’t seen her since the other night.”

The frown turns into a scowl as he glares at me. “What the fuck, man? You said you were going to give her space, not disappear!”

“A day and a half is space.”

“Two hours is space,” he argues and tosses the cereal on the counter. “She hasn’t been here since yesterday morning.”

“Well, where is she?”

Adam shrugs. “She hasn’t even mentioned your name. I assumed y’all kissed and made up and were fucking like rabbits at your place.”

“Did you tell her I was giving her a chance to cool down the other night?”