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Everly reached for the pot of coffee and poured it. She lifted the steaming mug and breathed deeply.
“Morning, Everly,” Andrew said from behind her.
His voice caught her off-guard and hot coffee spilled over the side of the mug and burned her fingers as she spun around. Always taught to be a polite Southern lady, Everly forced a smile when she wanted nothing more than to curse him out.
“Good morning,” she said in a cool voice.Just go,she told herself.Walk past him without another word.
But, when she tried, he reached out and touched her arm. “Have a good weekend?” he asked.
God, did he enjoy torturing me?Everly lifted her sea-colored eyes up to meet his brown ones. “Fine,” she gritted out and moved her arm away. It seemed like he wanted to say more, but she didn’t care. Let him go talk to Madeleine.
On her way back down to her office, Everly rolled her eyes and flicked her wet hand. She lifted her burned fingers and pressed them against her lips.Damn him.Why did he still get under her skin? Why couldn’t she find closure? God, it was so stupid because she hadn’t even liked him that much.
Until he began to pull away. Then, her heart began to get involved and he had walked all over it.
Everly dropped down in the chair behind her desk, once again safe, and set the mug down. She clasped her shaky hands together and wished she had never met Andrew Gaines. The fact is, it was getting harder, not easier, to see him. Her best friend Tessa had warned her not to date someone she worked with, but Everly thought she knew better.
Tessa was 100 percent right, though. Never shit where you eat.
As a research assistant, or RA, Everly was on a temporary contract with the university for a full year and then planned to enroll in a postgraduate degree program and simultaneously teach. She specialized in languages and symbols which would probably bore most people to tears, but she loved it.
She had wanted to remain at the University of New Orleans, but now she felt so uncomfortable that she just wanted to leave. She realized that it was beyond pathetic that she was letting a man dictate her future.
Until Andrew, Everly had immersed herself in work and didn’t mind long hours because she enjoyed nothing more than learning as much as she could when it came to her field. She’d gotten into a routine that involved work, work and more work. And, that didn’t include dating despite the pressure from her parents to find someone.
And, then Andrew switched her priorities around and now being at work, the only dependable thing in her life and where she once found solace, was stressing her out.
Everly decided she needed a vacation. Problem was she had the time, but nowhere to go.
No one to go with, she reminded herself.
With a sigh, she stood back up, grabbed her purse and walked out.Screw this.She needed some fresh air.
Head held high, Everly marched back down the hallway, right past Andrew’s office without a glance, and to the corner staircase. She pushed through the door and started down. When she reached the bottom stairwell, she shoved the exit open and stepped out into the sunshine.
It was sweltering out, but she didn’t care. She’d rather deal with July heat in the deep south than Andrew freaking Gaines.
The university's campus was located in the New Orleans metropolitan area and sat on Lake Pontchartrain at the end of Elysian Fields Avenue. Everly walked over to a bench beneath a shady tree and sat, contemplating her dilemma: she had dated a co-worker and got burned.
Thank God, they had kept it quiet. At least she didn’t have to deal with the humiliation of all their co-workers knowing, too.
Everly felt the buzz of her cell phone in her purse. She pulled it out and saw “Mom” on the caller id. Great, just what she needed. More pressure from her Mom about finding someone and settling down. She hit “ignore” and felt bad, but she wasn’t in the right frame of mind to deal with her Mom’s constant attempts at matchmaking.
But, when her Mom called again, Everly frowned.Maybe something happened,she thought, and immediately swiped the bar over. “Hi, Mom,” she said.
“Hi, honey. I’m so glad I caught you.”
“Is everything okay?”
“Oh, yes. I just wanted to know what you were doing this weekend?”
Same thing she always did.Nothing.“I don’t know, Mom. It’s only Monday. Why?”
“Well, you know my friend Barbara’s son is coming to visit and we thought it would be nice to all have dinner. Maybe Saturday?”
Everly dropped her head back. "Doesn't her son live in New York?"
“Yes. He’s a fireman. FDNY. Isn’t that exciting?”
