Eli shifts a little and clears his throat. “My full name is Ellington Walsh, I’m forty-two years old, never married, and grew up here in Tampa. I have one brother, Randy, who’s two years older than I am. We’ve been in Four Blocks Down since I was eighteen, and now I’m an actor. I plan to go into movies soon, but I’m waiting for the right part. Oh, most importantly, I like blonde girls who tell me they love me.”
I laugh. “Tell me something I wouldn’t find on Wikipedia.”
That look of silent preening is back in his eyes, and I want to smack myself. “You looked me up, huh?”
“Sure.” I snort, trying to play it cool. “No, I’ve grown up watching you in a non-creepy way. It isn’t like I don’t know all your bullet points. How about you tell me something about your life that your friends would know.”
Let’s see how much Eli wants to tell me. I’m not sure he actually wants this friendship like he thinks. I’m not even sure what a friendship with a famous person even looks like. Will there be people following him around? Is there some crazy security team he has? Does he have people? Do I even know what that means? Nope. The only people I have are my best friends and sister.
“Okay, I would’ve been here an hour earlier tonight, but a girl kept me held hostage.”
My eyes widen. Is he seriously telling me about another girl? “Wow.”
“Not like that!” he quickly says with his hands raised. “Shit. I’m not good at this. I’m talking about Daria, my niece.”
“You have a niece?”
I haven’t followed Randy’s personal life since he’s married. That crosses the line into creepy. I do know that he and his wife were together when the band formed, so he’s always kind of been off limits. It was always Eli that was the heartthrob.
“Yeah, she’s a man-manipulator already. My sister-in-law has trained her to terrorize my brother and me. She has this whole big eyes and squishy face thing down pat.”
I smile, understanding how kids can get you to do what they want pretty easily. “Basically, she rules your world?”
Eli nods. “I promised her one song. One. And eleven songs and fifty minutes later, I was in the car. If that doesn’t show you what one little ‘I love you’ from her does, I don’t know what will. Basically, if she wills it, she gets it. She even got me to play with dolls.” He shudders.
I can’t imagine him playing with a little girl, but a part of me swoons at the thought. It’s hard to picture him as anything but the elusive manwhore that the tabloids make him out to be.
“That’s actually kind of sweet.”
“You think I’m sweet?” he asks with hope filling his voice.
“I think that is sweet.”
My clarification goes unnoticed.
“I’m taking that as you like me. I don’t blame you, I’m quite charming.”
I groan while grinning. “Wikipedia didn’t mention that.”
His finger grazes my bare leg before falling flat. The skin under where his hand rests tingles. “I’m saving the good stuff for you.”
“Lucky me.”
He laughs. “Well, most girls would think so.”
“I guess it’s a good thing I’m not most girls then,” I throw back.
“Why is that?” Eli asks.
“Because you aren’t trying to be friends with them.”
Eli’s deep, rich laughter fills the room. “Touché.”
Eli and I finish the rest of the pizza as he tells me more about his niece and nephew. I love that he speaks about them with such affection. It’s great seeing him as—normal. He isn’t special sitting here in my rundown house. He’s just a regular guy. A guy who eats pizza and talks about how much he loves annoying his sister-in-law.
We cover more about my job, his show, and about how happy he is to get to spend some time in Tampa.
I yawn and then look at the clock. Holy shit! He’s been here for almost three hours.
Wow.
It’s been easy, fun, and filled with smiles.
“It’s really late.” He gets to his feet and shrugs on his coat.
“Thanks for bringing my license.”
I walk him to the door, and when we get there, he turns to me. “Can I see you again?”
“Eli . . .” I hold the door in my hand, trying to find the right words. This was fun, but this is complicated. “I don’t know if that’s such a good idea.”
He moves closer, keeping his eyes on mine. “I was hoping you’d see that I’m not just some dick who doesn’t care. I thought we were getting somewhere, maybe even becoming friends. Seems I was mistaken.”
“You’re not!” I say quickly and grip his arm. “I’m being crazy, and I’m sorry. The truth is—” I sigh and decide to give him the truth. “You scare me. I’m not a one-night stand kind of girl. I have a lot, and I mean a lot, of shit going on in my life. Things that take up all my headspace, and I just don’t have room for more.” I take a deep breath, willing myself to continue. “I’ve had a lot of fun tonight with you, though. Honestly, it’s been great talking, and yes, there’s something . . .”
His smile is effortless as he leans in. “Listen, I head back to New York in a few weeks, but I’m staying around Tampa until then. I want to see you again.”
“Why?” I ask with complete bewilderment.
“Because regardless of how hard you’re pushing me away, I can’t help but want to see you more. I liked hanging out, I don’t get this with anyone but my brother. You don’t treat me like I’m different.” Eli winks. “Think about it.”
He leans in and kisses my cheek before turning and walking down the porch steps. I stand like a statue, unsure of whether I could find my voice if I wanted to. I watch Eli walk to his car, not expecting him to turn around. When he does, he grins again and adds, “Besides, I know where you live and work, I’m sure we’ll run into each other again anyway. Wikipedia should mention I’m relentless in pursuing what I want.”
My lips part, but he’s in his car before I can speak.
Damn it. This was not how that was supposed to go.
Chapter 9
Heather
“You’re shitting me!” Nicole yells as she almost drops her glass of wine. “I’m going to rub myself all over your couch.”
“You would.”
We’re at her lush apartment in downtown Tampa working on killing off our second bottle of wine. I spent all day at the hospital with Stephanie and then refused to go home. So, instead of answering any of her twenty texts, I came here.
“What is wrong with you?” Nicole has probably asked me that ten times since I got here.
“Nothing is wrong with me! I’m being realistic. If Matt, who was a local cop that I’ve known for almost my whole life left because of Steph, what do you think an international superstar is going to do? Huh? Have you thought about that?”
“You’re so dumb.”
“You’ve been telling me that for a long time.” I huff and take another gulp of wine. I get that she thinks I’m foolish, but I can’t open myself up like that again. I’d be asking for my heart to be broken. I’d rather not. “There’s no way that Eli is going to stick around Tampa, and I’m never going to move away from Steph.”