CHAPTER SEVEN
NORA
I NEED TO TAKE A step back from Evan, get my feelings for him in check before I can continue our friendship, and the only way I know how to do that, is by forcing myself to move on. Paul—a guy I work with—doesn’t set my body on fire the way Evan does, but he’s attractive, nice, and persistent. Therefore, I caved and accepted his offer to take me out. I suggested a light Sunday lunch at a restaurant in Millennium Park. I was hoping for something casual while I tested the waters, so to speak.
Thirty minutes before I’m ready to leave, a sharp knock on my door startles me. After a quick glance through the peephole, my heart starts beating faster. Sucking in a deep breath, I plaster a smile on my face and open the door. “Hey, Evan. What are you doing here?”
His eyes rake down the front of my body, taking in the yellow spaghetti strap sun dress I’m wearing.
“I was just about to leave—” Before I have the chance to finish my sentence, Evan wraps his hands around my neck and pulls me tightly against him where his lips devour mine in a kiss that ignites my body.
Slowly, he walks me backward, kicking the door shut with his foot before he lays me down on the couch. “You aren’t going on a fucking date,” he growls, but his words are like a cold bucket of water on my libido. I’m not sure what’s going, on but I can’t do this.
“Wait,” I ground out, pushing against his chest. “We can’t do this.”
“I’ve been taking things slow. Giving us both time to adjust, but if you think I’m okay with sharing you, then you’re dead fucking wrong.”
I flinch at his comment, and my reaction doesn’t go unnoticed. “What’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong?” I repeat, doing my best to shove him off me. When he gets a good look at my face, his eyes darken.
“I can’t…I can’t do this with you.”
“Why?” he asks, doing nothing to mask the defeat in his tone.
“We’re friends, and you don’t want me to go out on a date, yet it’s okay for you to…” I make air quotes, “take appointments every night?”
His eyes soften. “Baby, I’m not.”
“You’re not what?”
He rolls his eyes and slides off the couch. “I stopped taking appointments before I even met you. I was bored and hanging out at The Meat Market when your friend came in. Jason was already full the night your friend requested, and for some reason, I spoke up and said I’d meet you.” Evan rubs his hands over his face and sighs. “I never should have met you, yet I did, and the only reason I can come up with is…we belong together.”
My eyes begin to water while I shake my head. “That’s not true.”
“Why?” he immediately questions.
“Evan, I can’t…” I trail off, wiping my hands over my face, trying to mask my tears. “You’re great. You’ve restored my faith in myself, and it’s because of that, I can’t play second.”
His nostrils flare while his eyes narrow. “What the fuck are you talking about?”
“You’re still in love with your wife and—” I place my hand up when he starts to open his mouth. “There’s nothing wrong with that. True love, it’s rare. Most people never get to experience a love strong enough that it last years after their partner passes, but you did and that’s great but…” my voice cracks, “I want to experience that same type of love myself.”
He turns his back to me and looks out the glass balcony doors. Even from here, I can hear every breath he pulls in. “Bethany…she used to be a closed subject. I couldn’t talk about her without breaking down. I…” He rubs the back of his neck but he makes no attempt to turn around. “I worked for years for a company I hated, so after saving some money Beth had hoped we’d use to have another baby—I decided to quit and open my own business. In theory, it was a great idea, but the reality was, even after a year, I wasn’t making shit. Shortly after we had Aidan, Beth quit her job and decided to stay home with him, but it didn’t take long before our bank account was in the red. Our marriage was on shaky ground as it was, but Beth felt there was no other choice, so she enrolled Aidan in daycare and went back to work. She...” He blows out a long shaky breath. “A winter storm had moved into the area. Aidan’s daycare had already closed in advance the day before. I…I was counting on Beth staying home with him. I didn’t think twice when I got a call out from someone whose furnace went out. It was damn cold, and the lady was old and couldn’t get anyone else on the phone. I ran over to see if there was anything I could do. After I left, Beth got a call from her boss. I don’t know what he said, but she packed Aidan up and took him to my parents then got on the fucking interstate where she ended up in a fifteen-car pile-up.”
My heart shatters into a million pieces, only this time, when I wipe my eyes, it’s for a different reason than before.
“I loved Beth. I loved her with absolutely every fiber of my soul. And you’re right, that’s the reason I couldn’t move on. I failed her. She never would’ve left the house if it weren’t for me, and God…” he finally turns his grief stricken face my direction, “I couldn’t imagine loving someone the same way…not until I met you.”
“But…” I mumble, placing my hand over my stomach, “I thought we were friends…”
He carefully eyes me before taking a step closer. “I’ve never felt this way about a friend before.”
“But—” I try again, only this time, he cuts me off.
“I thought a love like I found with Bethany only happened once, but after meeting you, I know that’s not true.” He takes another step in my direction. “Everything happens for a reason. I couldn’t…” He painfully closes his eyes. When he opens them again, they’re shining in a way I haven’t seen before. “I wouldn’t let myself believe that. Beth got in her car and left when she shouldn’t have, and I can’t change that any more than I can change how I feel about you.” I look away while my heart hammers a dangerous rhythm, but Evan quickly closes the distance between us, again, sliding his hands around my neck and tilting my head back. When my eyes lock with his, the flutters—the connection I’ve felt for him since the night I met him—are stronger than ever.
“I was delivered a what if I couldn’t plan for, and because of that, I stopped living, only I didn’t realize that…not until one fluke night when I met a sexy as hell brunette. Before I even walked up to you, I felt something, but I refused to acknowledge it. But deep down, I knew the second your amber eyes peered into mine, you were meant for me. That’s why I left before you woke up. I felt something I wasn’t ready to accept, only the next day, you showed up at my parents’ house.” He brushes his thumb across my cheek with a weak smile. “Knowing how I already felt about you, then seeing you with Aidan, with my parents, it left me reeling. I knew I had to see you again, and I thought…” his mouth turns up, “with time, maybe a relationship could work, but I wasn’t counting on just how hard I’d fall in love with you.”
“You…love me?”
“Yes. I love you. With every fiber of my heart. Now, put me out of my misery and tell me you’re not going out with some guy that I’ll need to track down and threaten later.”
I stare at him for several seconds, soaking in his words. “When Joe and I separated, I stopped believing I’d ever find a love that truly consumed me. But then I met you, and I knew it was possible, I just told myself it wasn’t possible with you.”
Evan brushes his lips across mine before he says, “Together, anything is possible. What do you say, we live a brand new what if together?”
“I should probably send my date a text and tell him something came up.”
“Yeah, tell him you just found your happily ever after.”
My heart skips a beat as an enchanted feeling—one I haven’t experienced since my parents passed away—sweeps me off my feet and leaves me ready to live a life filled with incredible what ifs.
THE END…FOR NOW.