Emmett tore into the box with very little care. It would make it a little difficult to return if things came to that. Hopefully it wouldn’t be necessary. The phone was on the higher side of cheap. He would have gotten something that only made calls and messages but the seller had managed to talk up the importance of web access to him. Tiffany would certainly appreciate the multiple points of contact.

He'd dashed home as soon as the purchase was complete, hoping for some message on his landline. There was nothing yet. It made his heart ache with anxiety.

The cellphone was a decent distraction. The only comparably complicated pieces of tech he owned were an old desktop computer he never turned on and an espresso maker that spent most of its time in a cabinet due to his limited space.

Emmett read through his instructions a few times before beginning the activation process. It was a foreign language. He was just trying to figure out internet connections when the phone by his bed rang.

Emmett's heart seized at the sound. Was it finally him? He reached slowly for the phone. Caller ID displayed Edan's number. He put the phone to his ear.

"Doll face, I thought you were going to leave me to starve out here."

Said as if they'd never been apart. Emmett choked out a sob. He’d really meant to say something but what he seemed to have instead was tears. Seriously?

“Wait, are you crying, Emmett? What’s wrong?”

“Ah, this is embarrassing.” Emmett swiped the back of his sleeve across his cheeks, letting out a long sigh. "I thought I'd fucked things up, that we were gonna be over already."

"What, cause you missed a call? You know, I'm actually more persistent than that." Edan's tone said surprised; Emmett told himself that he didn't hear offended.

"I'm sorry. My mind always drops to the very worst possibility. We're talking now so tell me all about it, your nice job overseas. Is it underwear? I'm just going to picture that regardless."

"It's cold over here."

Emmett reached for his cigarettes as Edan went into detail. A photoshoot at the foot of some mountains, dinner with some important people Emmett should've known the names of... Another shoot planned for today and tomorrow... A runway show… so much.

"I want to come with you next time."

"I'm sure we can make our schedules work out better. What have you been doing?"

Emmett looked around his room as if it had the answers. Comparatively, Emmett had done almost nothing. "I bought a cellphone. Give me your number?"

"Ah, you didn't need much convincing, did you?" Edan sounded glad as he passed the number along, which helped Emmett's mood a little bit.

Emmett slowly tapped out the contract information. He would have to get used to the flat screen and tiny keyboard. "There. You're the first number in my phone."

"You're not done until you've got a picture for me too."

The phone chimed in Emmett's hands as picture after picture came through. They were nice, smiling photos.

"Doesn't really look like you." Emmett tilted his head as he looked at them, wondering. "Oh. It's cause none of these faces are saying 'I can't wait to fuck you.'"

Edan chuckled on the other side of the line. "It sounds like you're asking me for dirty pictures."

"Hmm. I wouldn't say no to anything like that." Emmett leaned back into his pillows, stubbing his cigarette out in an ashtray.

"Maybe later. I'm sharing the hotel room. I think she's already pissed at me for keeping her up."

Emmett's heart gave a violent thud in his ears. Edan didn't like women too, did he? He knew he should answer but the words wouldn't settle into a coherent sentence.

"Don't tell me you're the jealous type." Edan said.

"I am." There was no point in denying it. "I wish I'd put a real noose around your neck so people would know you were taken." The words were bitter and he didn't feel bad about it this time.

"I wish you had too."

Emmett swallowed against the bitter tang at the back of his throat that said tears were on the way. He didn't want to cry again. "How many more days?"

"Just three."

"Still three."

Emmett thought he heard a sigh on the other side of the line. "You're making this hurt more."

He rolled over in bed, pressing his face into the pillows. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to. It's not your fault."

"Make it up to me by keeping your phone with you tomorrow. I'll be bored otherwise. And send me some pictures for my phone too."

Emmett managed another small smile. "Of my face or of my ass?"

"Why don't you surprise me? Goodnight Doll."

"Goodnight."