Page 4 of The Challenge

“Why would he not want you to stay if there’s an extra room?”

Where to even begin with that… “We’re not currently on the best of terms.”

“Why, though? It’s been so long.”

I sucked in a breath. “For starters, I got drunk one night in college and wrote him a letter. My therapist at the time had suggested I do that to let out my feelings. She’d encouraged me to write it, even if I didn’t end up sending it.” I paused, cringing at the thought. “Because I chose to write it while intoxicated, though, my judgment was off, and I decided to mail it, too. It was pretty mean, and I’ve regretted it ever since. At the time, I was still angry about his rejection. Unfortunately, there’s no way to take it back.”

The line went quiet for a moment. “He’s holding a grudge because of some words you wrote a decade ago?”

“I don’t know, Liz. I wouldn’t blame him if he was. It was a pretty scathing letter, even if I can’t remember exactly what I wrote. Only Evan really knows.”

“Damn.” She sighed. “So you’re just driving around right now with no plan?”

“I’m gonna go back there, get my stuff…and probably sleep in my car.”

“You said it gets chilly in Wyoming in October. It’s too cold for that.”

“Trust me. Evan is even colder.”

Chapter 2

CHLOE

“Red Face is back!” Effie shouted as I entered the house. She had pasta sauce all over her own face.

“You’re one to talk about a red face,” I noted. “But I’m happy you’re enjoying your spaghetti.”

Evan tossed her a napkin and muttered, “Wipe yourself, honey.”

Effie swiped it across her mouth and turned to me. “Your box came.”

Box? Shit. I’d ordered some stuff to be shipped here, since I didn’t want to bring everything from Chicago with me.

“I opened it,” she added.

I stilled. “You did?”

Evan cleared his throat. “We didn’t realize it was your name on the address label. Effie had been expecting a fort I ordered her. That was supposed to be delivered today, too.”

I swallowed. “I see.”

“Can you curl my hair?” she asked eagerly.

“Huh?”

“With the wand you bought,” she said.

“Wand?”

“Yeah.” Effie nodded. “I didn’t know what it was, so I asked Daddy, and he said it was a wand to curl your hair.”

My face had to be flaming now, because it hit me that the “wand” was a brand-new vibrator I’d ordered. When I looked over at Evan, he was stifling a smirk. Just when I’d thought this night couldn’t get any worse, the universe turned it up a notch. This was definitely my cue to get the hell out of here.

I gestured toward the bedroom with my thumb. “I’m just gonna grab my things and be out of your way.”

Evan arched a brow. “You found a place?”

Looking down at my feet, I shook my head. “No.”