Read Online Frozen Barriers by Sara Shirley - Free Book Online

crazy thoughts of Jeremy. I look at the screen and read “Unknown Caller.” It could be just about anyone on my mother’s long list of contacts wanting to set up another interview. Usually, she schedules these herself, because she wants to ensure she’s there to control the questions and answers. She’s the freakin’ puppet master, and I’m the doll attached to the strings.
    I slide my finger across the screen and quickly answer the phone. “Emily Cameron.”
    “So, you do still have the same phone number,” a familiar male voice says through the phone. I glance back down at it, questioning how it’s even possible.
    “How?” I ask with a little more authority.
    A slow chuckle comes over the line, and I’m really trying really hard to figure out how he has my number. “Seriously, Em, you have no idea, do you?”
    “Jeremy? How did you get my number?” I wonder because if he’s had my number this entire time, why has he never called me?
    “Well, if you weren’t so worried about getting away from me at lunch, you might have seen me scrolling through my phone looking for a contact. You forget many years ago I made sure that when I dropped a girl off she called me when she got home. After she called me, that number stayed in my contact list because she promised me she’d call me later.”
    “You saved my phone number for all these years?? Are you kidding me?! Better yet, why are you just calling me now?” He had my number and never called. Not that it would have mattered. My parents would have shipped me right off to an entirely different state if anyone even attempted to interfere with their grand plan of what my career entailed.
    “I did call, a couple of times. You just never answered, and I never left a voicemail. But, enough about the past, the way I see it you now have my number, and I’ll be expecting a phone call from you soon, when you are ready to make good on that deal.”
    “Jeremy, I don’t have a lot of spare time. I just hope you won’t be disappointed again…”
    “Emily! No excuses this time around. I’ll be in touch, and we’ll go from there, okay?”
    “Yeah, okay.” I sigh. How is this ever going to work?
    “Oh, and Emily…the next time I see you, you can bet your sweet ass I’m claiming your lips again!” He must have heard me gasp loudly because he let out deep laugh through the phone. Little did he know, his voice was causing all kinds of tingles throughout my body. Things I’ve never felt before. He wanted to kiss me again, but why? “I’ll call you later. Have a good night, Emily.”
    “You too, Jeremy. Talk to you soon.” With that, we both end the phone call.
    I pull up into the driveway to my parents’ house. My only saving grace is that I no longer live under the same roof as them, although they still basically control my career and market me like I’m a fine wine when it comes to all the publicity stints I’m forced to do. When I was eighteen and trying to rebel against the sad state of my life, the only reprieve I was granted was some added space by them allowing me to move into the guest apartment above the three-car garage. I had my own space, which allowed me to come and go as I pleased, even though it was only to school and the rink all through college. Now that I’ve graduated and am basically concentrating only on skating, my apartment is like my sanctuary.
    I park my car in the garage and make my way up the back stairwell to unlock the door. I step inside, flicking on the kitchen area lights. Although it’s relatively small, I find solace in what is normally a chaotic life. When I stand in my kitchen area, I can see my entire studio apartment. With strategically placed furniture, I’ve managed to separate my bedroom, kitchen and living room quite nicely. Tossing my keys and bag onto the kitchen table, I slip off my flip- flops that are still slippery from my earlier pedicure. Grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge, I turn to flip on my