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“Yeah. I’ll head in around four. You?”
“Same.”
She looked at the time. It was nearing five in the morning. They’d been talking for hours.
She stood up, stretching. “I should go. It’s been fun, Ethan. And thanks for not being a dick about the no-sex thing.”
He shrugged, a silly grin on his face. “I’ve had a good time with you, Evangeline. I’ll swing by the club sometime and check out the competition.” He winked at her and she rolled her eyes. Grabbing her purse, she shoved in her phone and turned back to Ethan, who hadn’t moved from the couch.
“Your hosting skills suck,” she told him with a grin, opening up his front door and taking the stairs down to the street. The place was deserted, but give it an hour, and there would be people around, getting a jump on the traffic. The walk home was quiet and she turned ideas over in her head about what she’d say when she saw Beau again.
As soon as she got home, she saw there was a text waiting for her from Natasha. It was only sent two minutes ago, so instead of messaging back, she just called her.
“How many?” her friend asked.
“None. I didn't sleep with him.”
Natasha was silent for a moment, finally saying, “You still love him.”
She opened her mouth to object but knew it to be true. She still loved Beau. She always had, and after this whole fucked-up Lisa situation, she knew she always would.
“What are you going to do?”
“After I get a couple of hours’ sleep, I’m going to go and see him.”
“And how will you get there?”
Evangeline smiled. “You’re going to lend me your driver.”
28
Beau rolledover and looked at his phone. It was almost noon, but he couldn’t seem to find the will to get up. Why would he? His life had changed so much in the last twenty-four hours, and he had no desire to find out what today would hold. John had had a few commiseration beers with him last night when he got home despite the fact it was past two when he got in. This morning though, he had to go to work while Beau hid from the world for just a little longer.
His thoughts drifted to his mother, wondering what she would’ve said about all this. She probably would’ve told him to suck it up and get on with it. Lying around in bed all day wasn’t the way to solve a problem. She would’ve told him to figure out the solution, then fix the damn problem, although her choice of words would’ve been a lot more selective and a lot gentler.
She would’ve been right, of course. Heaving a heavy sigh, he threw the sheet off his body and sat up. Today was going to be shit, but at least he didn’t have to deal with Lisa and her neurosis anymore. Getting up, he went through the motions of getting showered, strolling into the kitchen to get something to eat, wearing only a towel. He was putting the juice back into the fridge when the doorbell rang.
Could it be John?he thought idly, dismissing the idea almost immediately. Nope, that guy worked long hours, plus he had a key for his own damn apartment. He looked down at the towel and shrugged.
Pulling open the door, his breathing simply stopped for a second before his lungs got with the program and began pumping again.
“Vee?” he asked, blinking to make sure he was actually seeing her standing there.
Her eyes drifted down his body, lingering on his hips briefly before finding their way back to his face. “Can I come in?”
He stepped back, watching her walk into John’s living room. She had her back to him when he turned around, and he had no idea what was going through her mind. He cleared his throat and she turned. Her mouth opened, then closed once before she sat down on the couch.
Cautiously, he took the seat next to her, acutely aware that he was only in a towel. He shifted the fabric so it mostly covered him. He watched her curiously... hopefully.
“Man, I suck at this,” she said under her breath.
“Why are you here, Vee?” He finally asked the question he’d been dying to ask her.
“I made a mistake, Beau,” she said, standing up.
He jumped up too, unwilling to let her go. He grabbed her wrist, stopping her. “Don’t go, Vee.”
She smiled faintly. “I’m not leaving, Beau. I’m trying to find the right words.”
