“Worse. And then, to make matters worse, Xander decides to call nonstop during the meeting.”
“Really? What did he want?”
“I don’t know,” I answered. “I didn’t take the call. I was in a meeting. And it wasn’t the kind of meeting that allowed me to answer my phone.”
“Did he leave a voicemail?”
“Nope.”
“I hate that,” she groaned.
“Me too. If it was important, he could leave a message. The guy has fallen off the face of the earth again. He hasn’t called or texted and now he blows up my phone? I’m not interested.”
“Liar,” she shot back.
“Okay, I am interested but I don’t want to make it too easy.”
“You know you’re never going to be able to think of anything else if you don’t call him back and find out what he wants.”
“Won’t that make me sound like I’m desperate for his attention?” I asked.
“No. The man called you. Calling him back is just polite.”
Truly, I was looking for her approval. She had given it to me and now I was anxious to call him and find out. “I’m going to do it.”
“Let me know,” she said and hung up.
I held the phone in my hand, tapping it against my forehead. I needed to mentally brace myself to hear his voice. It was going to sting a little. I hit the button to return his call.
“Hey,” he answered.
“Hi. You called?”
“I did. A few times.”
“I was in a meeting,” I answered. “Did you need something?”
“I’m in town.”
I sat forward. “Town, as in San Diego?”
His soft laughter filled my heart with warmth. I missed him. God, how I missed him.
“Yes, San Diego.”
“Oh,” I said.
“Are you busy?”
“I’m at work.” I couldn’t bring myself to be friendly. I needed to keep my emotional distance from him.
“Evie, I get that you are angry. I want to talk to you. Can we talk?”
“Xander, what is there to talk about?”
“When will you be off work?” he asked instead of answering my question.
I didn’t want to see him. If I saw him, it would be impossible to resist him. I would be right back to square one with him again. We’d hook up, spend a great night together, and then he would dump me. I wasn’t the fastest learner, but after a few times, I figured it out.
“Xander, I think it’s best we leave things alone. I can’t take the up and down. It’s too much.”
“I get it. Can we please talk? I would like to try and explain some things.”
I wanted to tell him no. I wanted him to leave me alone. Well, not really. “I’ll be off work in about an hour. I think we should meet somewhere public. I don’t want to be alone with you.”
“Ouch,” he teased. “I get it. Meet me at our spot.”
I was confused. “Our spot?”
“Yes, the first place you took me. Our spot.”
I smiled. “At the park?”
“That’s the place. I’ll see you in an hour.”
I hung up, taking a few deep breaths to calm my racing heart. The man could turn me inside out. Would he always have that kind of power over me? I couldn’t imagine what he wanted to talk about. If he thought he was going to talk me back into bed, he was so wrong. Bed led to feelings and I didn’t want to feel like shit again.
I called Nelle back. “He wants to talk,” I blurted out when she answered.
“That’s generally why people call people,” she said with a laugh.
“Stop. I’m serious. He’s in town. He wants to meet up and talk.”
“What do you think he wants to talk about?”
“I have no idea. I don’t think I’m strong enough to resist him. He’s going to look at me with those soulful eyes and I’m going to be lost. I’m going to want to touch him and then I’m screwed. Literally. Sex is confusing the issue. He doesn’t want to be with me. I can’t be his booty call. I can’t be the woman he calls when he is passing through town.”
“Then don’t be,” she answered.
“That is easier said than done. I’m drawn to him. I cannot resist him. I see him and I want him.”
“Meet him somewhere public,” she suggested.
“We kind of are. I’m supposed to meet him at the park. It’s where we went on our first outing after meeting at that party. He calls it our spot. Isn’t that so cute?”
She loudly groaned. “Cute is one word. I think it’s romantic. Maybe he wants to try and work things out.”
“Maybe, but I don’t want to get my hopes up.”
“Be strong. You can do this.”
“I think I’m going to cut out of here early. I want to go home and change before I meet him.”
She laughed. “Of course, you do. You can’t meet him without primping a little.”
“That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Yes, you are and that’s okay. I think you should. Show him what he is missing. Let him see what he is going to be walking away from. Sometimes, you have to be a little bit of a tease to get a man’s attention.”
“Thanks, I will keep that in mind.”
“You’re welcome. Call me and tell me what happens.”
“I will,” I told her and hung up the phone again.
I needed to get some work done, but I was suddenly very anxious to see him. I quickly created the new file for the sweet-sixteen party and emailed it to myself. I would work on it later. For now, I was going home and changing into something more appropriate for the walk up to my favorite spot in the park.
Now that he’d dubbed it our spot, I knew I would never be able to think of it any other way. It would always be our spot.
Chapter 67
Xander
I was so close to losing her. I sensed it in her voice. I wasn’t expecting her to jump at the chance to see me, but I wasn’t expecting such resistance either.
The sense of urgency I felt was making me anxious. I couldn’t imagine my life without her. It had taken me way too long to realize how I felt about her. Anytime I thought about my life in a month or a year or in ten years, she was there. I wasn’t sure how it happened, but I knew she was a person I wanted in my life. It wasn’t even a want. It was a need. I needed the woman like I needed air.
I was prepared to chase her down if I had to. I would do whatever it took to make her hear me out. I knew there was still a chance she would kick me to the curb. I wouldn’t blame her if she did. I had fucked up. A lot. I would spend the next year trying to convince her to give me a chance. I couldn’t explain when things clicked but they had.
It was like the light went on. I hated that I was so ignorant for so damn long. I hated to think of the pain I caused her. I hated myself for not treating her right. I didn’t deserve her, but I was sure as hell going to do what I could to be the man she deserved.
I paced the area, checking the time. The sun was beginning to set. Streaks of orange stretched across the sky, creating the most perfect backdrop. It was all perfect. Now, I just needed her to show up. She texted and let me know she was running late. That was a first. I had to believe it was intentional. I was late all the time.