CHAPTER TWENTY NINE

Trevor

What I hated most about the way I’d walked out on Emma was how empty I felt afterward. But when I woke up the next morning after finally getting a good night’s sleep, I knew I’d made the right decision. I’d thought I could do casual, but I was wrong. Hell, scratch that. It had never been casual for me. Instead, I’d hoped I could convince her to go for more by initially agreeing to her rules. I’d gone in hoping she would change and then was disappointed when she didn’t. It wasn’t fair to feel disappointed, but feelings often weren’t.

Fuck.

I went downstairs to the kitchen, purposely delaying my return to Dallas. Once back at the corporate housing, I knew I’d be tempted to go over and see her. I needed space. Right now, I was too vulnerable. Too hurt that she hadn’t asked me to stay. Too upset at myself for pushing the point. And too full of hope she’d come knocking.

Avery was hungover and probably disappointed about last night’s debacle, what with her fake friends calling in her ex. But she got up early to make me a big breakfast for my birthday, French toast casserole like my mom used to make.

Even my father joined in, reminding me of old times. But then he announced he was off to New York for a few days. He did, however, give me a birthday gift: a silver Mercedes CLS coupe. In his words, a true businessman couldn’t be driving his pickup truck to the office every day. I would have argued that in Texas he sure as hell could. Not that it wasn’t a beautiful car and I wasn’t appreciative of my father’s generous gift. It’s just that it hadn’t come without an unveiled criticism about how I could be more polished.

My sister, on the other hand, went for something more sentimental, having framed a picture of the two of us with our mother on a summer day out by our pool. I was on the arm of the chair with my mother’s arm around me while Avery sat on her lap, smiling up at me. My mother had been so beautiful. So full of life. The touching gift meant more than anything. Once I arrived in Dallas a few hours later, I put it on my dresser.

At least I wouldn’t be sitting around alone in my room tonight. My friend Mason was coming in from Austin. He arrived in the early evening, and we went to a nearby sports bar.

“How the hell are you, man?” he asked, sitting across from me in a booth.

It had been at least a year since I’d seen Mason. We’d been college roommates, but while I’d gone to business school at Harvard, he’d gone to Iraq with the Marine Corps. We couldn’t have come from more different backgrounds, yet we’d been the best of friends now for ten years.

“I’m good. Approaching thirty isn’t feeling nearly as bad as I thought.”

“Good, because my birthday is next month. How did everyone get so young?” He posed the question while looking around the bar crowded with college kids.

I laughed and took the menu the waitress offered. “We got older. How have you been?”

Mason appeared in the same great shape I’d seen him in last year. He worked out religiously. “Can’t complain. Starting up my security business is going well so far. I have two guys and a small contract in Houston next month for providing building security.”

I knew he was getting into both electronic security, monitoring of commercial buildings and residences, in addition to physical security details for high-profile clients.

“That’s great.” Although Mason didn’t talk much about what he’d experienced in his four tours to Iraq and Afghanistan, I knew the demons lingered in his eyes. It was good to see him finding something to focus on post-military, not to mention have him back in Texas.

After the waitress delivered our bottles, we clinked beers together, and he toasted. “To you turning twenty-eight and always being older than me.”

The waitress came back to take our dinner order and attempted to make conversation. “Ya’ll from Dallas?”

Mason wasn’t much of a talker, and her attention was focused on me, so I answered. “Nope. Just in town for work. I’ll have the rib-eye, medium rare, baked potato and broccoli as the sides. Thanks.”

I waited until she took Mason’s order and then left to continue the conversation. “So how long you in town?”

“Heading to Irvine tonight, then back up to Austin day after tomorrow. What was that about?”

He glanced towards the waitress who was looking our way.

“Sorry. Were you interested? Should I not have answered?” She was a pretty thing, I supposed, although a tad on the young side. The problem was that in comparing her to Emma, there simply was no comparison.

“Nah, man, it’s good. Little too close to jail bait for my taste, but I’m wondering what’s up with you. You didn’t even flirt or anything, which isn’t like the Trevor I know.”

He was right. A few weeks ago, I would’ve given her a wink, at the very least, complimented her, and done some harmless flirting.

“I guess I’m off my game.”

He chuckled. “Which means you’ve met someone?”

I turned, motioning for the waitress to come back over. “Can we get two shots, please? Patron.”

Mason laughed as she walked over to the bar to get our drinks. “Damn. If we’re doing shots of Patron, that can’t be good.”

“It’s not great.” And because I could use a friend to talk to, I laid it out for him.

Ten minutes later after I’d stopped talking, he sat there in shock. “So you have a drop-dead gorgeous woman—with a British accent I might add—who only wants casual sex, and yet you want more.”

I sighed, thinking perhaps Mason wasn’t the best person to talk to. He’d never, that I knew of, had a serious girlfriend. He would’ve definitely been into what Emma was offering. No strings. “I realize it may sound ideal on the surface, but believe me when I say I’d give anything to become more involved with this woman.”

His expression was sympathetic. “Sorry, friend. Maybe a little space is what she needs in order to miss you?”

I held up my glass, clinking it against his. “Here’s hoping. Now then, distract me with what’s been happening with you lately.”