That brought a smile to my face. “That is quite the image.”
“I should probably get going. I need to catch up on my laundry.”
“Don’t lie,” I teased. “You’re going home to watch Vampire Diaries.”
She giggled. “You know me so well.”
“You are so predictable. How many times have you seen that stupid show?”
“I will never grow tired of watching my man,” she said with that familiar dreamy look on her face whenever she spoke of the blue-eyed man that had captured her heart some ten years ago.
“Thank you for picking me up.”
“You’re welcome. I know I can’t tell you what to do because you are not going to listen, but I would strongly suggest you call him. Drop hints. Make it clear you are his to do with as he pleases.”
“Uh, not a chance in hell,” I told her.
“Fine, then drop subtle hints that you would consider leaving everything behind to be with him.”
I rolled my eyes. “You just don’t give up.”
“Nope, because I know this guy will make you very happy.”
“He hasn’t given me that idea,” I retorted.
“He will.”
I playfully pushed her out the door before closing it behind her. I leaned against the door, resting my forehead against it. I wanted to do what she said but I wasn’t that brave. Telling him how I felt would make me vulnerable. I had already put myself out there once. While he was nice about it, he didn’t necessarily say much.
He never invited me to stay with him. I knew him well enough to know if he wanted me to stay with him, he would have asked. We had spent a wonderful night together but that was all I could ask of him. I couldn’t push myself on him. I had some pride.
Chapter 55
Xander
I slowly pushed the lever, opening the throttle on my new boat. It was a ridiculous splurge and nothing that I needed but I wanted it. It was one of those things that just came to me in the middle of the night. Evie had teased me about my old boat. She was right. I could buy anything I wanted. I loved boats. I used to look at some of the other boats in the marina and get boat envy. Why was I envious when I could go and buy exactly what I wanted? And that was exactly what I did.
The wind blew across my face, sending a cold chill over me. I was still adjusting to the cooler weather. Not adjusting. I didn’t want to adjust. I wasn’t staying in Oregon. I was going to move on. I just wasn’t sure where. I felt like a man without a home. Technically, I did have a home, but it didn’t feel like my home.
I thought about Evie as the boat slowly bobbed up and down with a gentle sway. We had only spoken a few times since she left. There were plenty of texts between us, but it wasn’t the same. I could feel us drifting apart.
Not seeing her was difficult. I wanted her in my arms. In my bed.
The idea of not seeing her again was weighing heavily on my mind. I wanted her, but I didn’t want to be in California. She loved her work. I couldn’t possibly ask her to leave it behind. There was a huge divide between us and I didn’t know how to fix it. No, not true. I knew how to fix it, but I didn’t want to do that. I wanted the best of both worlds. I wanted my cake and my ice cream too.
My phone began to ring. I patted the pockets of the cargo pants I was wearing until I found the thing. “Hello?” I answered, hoping it would be Evie.
It wasn’t. “Where are you?” Charlie’s voice came through loud and clear.
I sighed, shaking my head. It was the same fucking question he asked me every single day. He called me every day, and every day, it was the same conversation. “I’m out on my boat.”
“Head in,” he ordered.
“Why would I do that?”
“Because I’m sitting on the dock waiting for you.”
I didn’t know why, but I turned to look behind me in the general direction of the marina. I couldn’t see the marina, but I was trying to picture him there. “What dock?” I questioned.
“The dock from which you left,” he said dryly.
“In Oregon?”
“Yes. Holy shit, did you lose a few brain cells or what? Get your ass back here. We are going to talk face to face.”
“Are you really here or are you just fucking with me?”
“I’m really here. Get your ass over here and you’ll see for yourself.”
I grinned, happy to lay eyes on him. “I’ll be there in fifteen minutes or so.”
“Hurry your ass up.”
I slid the phone back in my pocket and hit the throttle. I was looking forward to seeing a friendly face. I truly didn’t realize how much I missed my old life until he said he was there. I pulled into my reserved slip, and sure enough, there he was.
I shut off the engine and quickly tied up the boat before climbing onto the dock. “I have a lot of questions but let me say it sure is good to see you.”
“Bullshit. If it was good to see me, you wouldn’t be holed up in this tiny place. You would be back in San Diego where you belong.”
“But you are here now,” I said, choosing to ignore his comment.
“What’s this?” he asked and nodded his head at the boat.
“Um, well, we call it a boat,” I said with lots of sarcasm.
“Don’t be an asshole. Did you buy this?”
“I didn’t steal it.”
He frowned. “I’m glad to see you think this is all funny.”
“I don’t think it’s funny.”
“You bought a new boat? Or did you rent it?”
I looked at the boat in question. “I bought it.”
“Why?”
“Why not? There’s some great fishing out here. Do you want to go out?”
He shrugged. “You may as well show me since I’m here. You’re not going to get rid of me until we talk.”
“We are talking. Come on. I’ve got extra poles already on the boat.”
He climbed aboard. “Damn, this is nice.”
“Thanks.”
“You splurged,” he said with surprise. “A lot.”
“I know. I saw it and decided I wanted it.”
“It’s very unlike you,” he commented.
“I’ll grab us a couple of beers,” I said.
I jogged downstairs, grabbed two cold beers from the fridge, and headed back up. Charlie was checking out the boat, running his hand over the control panel.
“Nice,” he said.
“Thanks.”
I fired it up and headed out. I found a place to set anchor and throw our lines in the water. I settled in one of the chairs that resembled barstools. Charlie was in the other. I knew he was there to lecture me. I was ready for it.
“Want to tell me why you’re really here?” I asked.
“I would think that would be clear.”
“You think I should be back in San Diego,” I said.
“Yes.”
“Are you taking a few days off?”
He grunted. “You could say that.”
“What does that mean?”
“Look, I know you’re going through some shit and I’ve tried to give you some time. I don’t know if that was the right thing to do. I think I have given you too much time. I should have stepped in earlier.”