Page 40 of The Challenge

“You promise to come visit?” she eventually asked.

“Of course. For as long as I’m here in town, I’ll always come visit. And like I said, you can visit me, too, whenever you want, if it’s okay with your dad.”

She nodded, but the sadness in her eyes was palpable. I felt like a piece of shit for disappointing her, even if it was inevitable. I tried to console myself. Wasn’t it better that I left sooner rather than later? It would’ve only been more difficult the longer I stayed here.

“Daddy told me last night before he went to bed that he’d make waffles for breakfast, but when I went into his room this morning, he said he’d changed his mind and would make them another day instead.” She looked down at her now-soggy Cheerios. “That’s why I’m having cereal.”

That hurt. I suspected Evan had canceled the waffles because of Scott showing up. Now poor Effie had to miss out because of me. My eyes met Evan’s for a brief moment before he looked away and sipped his coffee.

After Scott came out of the bathroom, he clapped his hands together. “Ready to get packed up?”

“Yeah, uh, I’m just gonna have some cereal with her first, though.”

He turned to Effie. “Mind if I join you guys?”

“That’s fine.” Effie shrugged.

To my surprise, Evan set his coffee mug on the counter and walked toward Scott. “We haven’t formally met. I’m Evan.”

They shook.

“Thanks for having me last night,” Scott said.

Evan nodded curtly. I noticed his ears turning red. Then he abruptly left the kitchen.

As I sat there eating my cereal and making small talk with Effie, all I could think about was Evan and what he was doing in the other room. I felt an intense urge to go to him.

By the time I forced down the last of my Cheerios, Evan still hadn’t reemerged. Thankfully, Scott had started a conversation with Effie. With the two of them occupied, I took the opportunity to talk to Evan in private.

I found him in the laundry room, leaning against the washer. He wasn’t doing laundry, though—just staring blankly out the window with his arms crossed.

“Hey.” I closed the door behind me.

He turned, his voice low. “Hi.”

“You okay?”

After a long pause, he answered, “I don’t know.”

“Is it because of Scott or—”

“Like I said, I don’t know why I’m angry, but it doesn’t matter.” His tone was bitter.

I inched closer. “Why doesn’t it matter?”

“It doesn’t matter how I feel about him showing up…or how I feel about you. That’s my problem. The situation is what it is. I’m sorry I couldn’t get myself to be more hospitable to your guest.”

“You don’t owe me that, Evan.”

He rubbed between his eyes. “Just know I’m still here for you, if you need me. I want you to be happy, Chloe. You deserve it.”

That sounded like goodbye, and that was unsettling.

The words were at the tip of my tongue: I’m not happy with Scott. I should’ve ended things more clearly before I left Chicago. The only moments of happiness for me lately have been with you and Effie. And I’m so damn attracted to you, Evan. More now than ever after witnessing the amazing man you’ve become. But I’m scared to tell you all this because I can’t handle another rejection.

Instead of pouring out the truth, I said, “I hope you know how much I appreciate you letting me stay here and the offer you made to let me stay indefinitely.”

He nodded and just kept looking at me. His stare made me feel like my skin was about to melt off. There was no sense of time in here; I had no idea how long it’d been since I’d left Scott sitting at the table with Effie.