Page 43 of Palm South University: Season 3

I try to swallow but come up dry, my stomach twisting.

“Jess?”

“Yeah,” I croak, fighting the tears pooling in my eyes. My emotions are more unstable than an alcoholic at an open bar.

“Talk to me.”

“What am I supposed to say right now?” I ask, sitting up in bed. “Two weeks ago you were telling me I’m everything you want, and then you go back to New York and you’re sobusywithJennythat you can’t call me or answer a text with more than one word?” I try masking the pain in my voice, but I know it’s ringing out loud and clear. “I mean, what is there to even say?”

“Please, try to understand,” he begs, exhausted. “This job is important to me, to my career, and yes, I made a choice to throw myself into this project and do it right. Just because I was busy for a couple of weeks doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

“You’ve been spending every hour of every day for the past two weeks with another woman,” I point out. “How would you feel if the shoe was on the opposite foot? What if I said I’d been too busystudyingwith Bear to call you.”

“I’d say, ‘Bear studies?’”

“Not funny.”

Jarrett sighs. “Jenny is just my co-worker, Jess. I’m going to have to work with females sometimes, and your jealousy doesn’t make this distance thing any easier.”

“Wow,” I say with a click of my tongue.

“What happened to what we talked about when I was there? Where’s the trust? Where’s the belief that we can make it?”

“Belief is like a flower, Jarrett, and mine hasn’t been watered for two weeks.”

Jarrett’s voice is muffled, as if he’s running a hand over his mouth before responding. “I can’t do this. I don’t have time for it. I’m stressed out, I’ve barely slept, I don’t even have time toeatright now, unless you count coffee as a food item.”

I pinch the bridge of my nose, shaking my head as we both sit silent on the phone.He can’t do this. It’s over. We’re done.

“So… you’re breaking up with me?”

“What?”Jarrett laughs. “No, God, no. Are you breaking up with me?”

“No!” I cry quickly, letting the tears run.

Jarrett sighs into the other end. “I wish I could hold you right now. I’m sorry, Jess. Look, what about this…” His voice trails off and I hear the clicking of keys in the background. “Come see me for Thanksgiving. We can do the holiday in the city, and you can meet Jenny and everyone else I work with. I want you to be a part of this journey, too. I want you to understand, and to feel comfortable.” He pauses. “And more than anything, I want you to see that even when I’m gone, even when you’re not with me, I never stop loving you.”

I choke on a sob, smiling through it. “I love you, too. I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I promise to call you more. I owe you that. I know this is hard.”

“I don’t want to be the needy girlfriend,” I say with a sniff. “I don’t want to stress you out more than you already are. Just… I don’t know, send me a text while you’re pooping.”

He chuckles. “I can do that.”

“And book that plane ticket.”

“Already done. I’ll forward you the itinerary.”

I wipe my nose with the back of my wrist, heartbeat settling back to a steady rate as I pull the covers over my legs. “Sorry I’m such a hot mess.”

There’s a soft laugh on the other end, and I’m comforted by the sound, by the clarity the phone call has brought me.

“As long as you’re my hot mess, you’ll never hear me complain.”