"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Are you sure?" I blink back a tear. "Because I… Addie, I was so scared. In the ER. And after. When you were in the hospital. I thought I might lose you. I… it was like someone tore out my soul. I didn't think I'd ever breathe again."
"I'm sorry." She rests her head on my shoulder.
"You don't have to be sorry."
"I know. But I am. Let me have that. Let me apologize for putting you through that."
"Okay."
She steadies. Her voice. Her posture. "I can't promise I'll always be here. No one can."
"Life is a bitch."
"Sometimes, yeah. But I… I promise I'll tell you if I need help. If I'm slipping. Okay?"
"Okay."
She turns enough to look me in the eyes. "I need you to promise to trust me. Unless I give you a reason not to."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
"I'll try."
"I appreciate it so much, Eve. That you're willing to sacrifice for me. That you want to make sure I don't take on too much. But I know my limits now. I can tell you if it's too much now."
"Okay."
"I need you to treat me like an adult. If we're going to live together, I need us to be partners. Even if we're not going to live together, if you're going to move in with him… I want it to be me and you against the world. Not you protecting me from the world."
I wipe a tear from my eye. "You're okay?"
"Yeah."
"You're sure?"
"Yeah."
I wrap my arms around her. "I won't stop worrying."
"I know."
"But I… I'll try. I will."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah." I release her. Wipe my eyes. "I… you have to do this today?"
She nods. "When you'll remember why you need to put yourself first."
"He's not… We're not…"
"Maybe not. But what if you are?"
I take a deep breath. Push out a shallow exhale. It's a good way of putting it. What if we are? So many ways to fill in the blanks.
"I just… I want you to go for it. If you're ready. I've kept you from a lot. I can't keep you from this too."
"You haven't… I was glad to, Addie."
"I know."
"It's not a sacrifice. I want to keep you safe."
"I am safe. I have a scholarship. I'm studying STEM." She laughs. "I'm going to figure it out. In a few years, I'll be the one with everything together."
"I'll sleep on your couch while I get my PhD."
She smiles. "I'll save the spot for you. Or… maybe you'll be with him. I don't know what will happen. Only that you'll always be my best friend."
I nod.
"And that… I need you to go for it."
"Huh?"
"With Ian. Do me that favor. Please."
"You're blackmailing me?"
She nods I am. "Please, Eve. I've kept you from too much. Maybe he's not the one. Maybe it's just a fling. But if he is… I can't keep you from that." She wipes a tear. "So promise me. Promise me you'll go for it. Promise you'll jump and trust him to catch you. If he doesn't, I'll be there. To pick up the pieces. But promise you'll give it a chance."
"Okay." I nod. "I promise."
Chapter Forty-Nine
Ian
"Hey." Eve knocks on my office door. "Addie and I are going out for coffee. We'll be a little while."
I turn off the monitor. "Come in."
She turns the handle. Steps inside.
Gorgeous in a simple black top and shorts. Her hair is touched up. A deep vibrant teal. As dramatic as her eye makeup, her lipstick, her combat boots.
She catches me looking at her shoes. Smiles. "You're obsessed."
"You wear them to torture me."
"Maybe." She motions to my suit. "And this? You're working in your office. At home."
"I'm working."
"By yourself. You can wear pajamas."
"I can't concentrate in pajamas."
She presses the door closed. Moves closer. To the desk.
I stand. Motion for her to come here.
She does.
I wrap my arms around her. Pull her into a soft, slow kiss.
Fuck, she tastes good. Like Eve.
She breaks our kiss with a sigh. "You're distracting me."
"I came in here showing off my gorgeous legs?"
Her eyes flit to my trousers. "Mmm… it's true. Not a lot of leg. But what about this?" Her fingers trace the line of my lapel. Then my fuchsia tie. "It's a lot."
"To complement your hair." I lean in to whisper. "The next time I tie you up."
Her fingers curl into my chest. Over my shirt. It's not enough. I need her hand on my bare skin. "You're the one teasing now."
"You started it."
"Mature." She looks up at me with a smile. Pure affection. But there's something in her eyes. Something she isn't saying.
I bring my hand to her cheek. "Are you okay?"
She nods. "Just a talk with Addie… it's good though. We're good."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah. Good. Just… a lot."
Whatever it is, she doesn't want to tell me. It's fair. There are plenty of things I haven't told her.
I'm not about to spill Ty's secrets.
I can't ask for her sister's. I don't need to. Not right now.
I trust her. To tell me when she's ready.
"And she… uh, she had a fight with her girlfriend. The ex showed up. She got jealous…" Eve takes a step backward. "They'll be okay. But there's a lot to discuss."
No place for my advice. "There's nothing close. I'll call a car."
"Fifteen-minute walk. It's a nice day." She taps her heels together. "I have comfortable shoes."
"You don't need anything?"
"Hmm… well, if I had time, I'd ask for all sorts of things." She smiles. "But they'll have to wait. Do you?" Her eyes meet mine. "Need anything?"
"Just this done." I motion to my computer.
She nods. "I can bring something back. From the coffee shop."
"Tea from an American coffee shop?"
She laughs. "We're pretty good with iced tea."
"No thanks."
"So polite as you insult my country." Her fingers skim my tie.
"You'll see. If we go to London."
"I hope I do." She smiles. "Are you sure?"
My face twists.
Her laugh gets louder. "Give it a chance. You might like it."
I lean down to kiss her. "Go. Before I have my way with you."
"Will you really?"
"You have sixty seconds."
She smiles. Makes a show of counting one, two, three. Rises to her tiptoes for one more kiss. Then she releases me, steps backward, turns to the door. "Until then." She disappears into the hallway.