It’s Friday, and I couldn’t have picked a better day to take off from work. Okay, so I’m not really sick, but lately sleeping has been shit for me. I’ve been spending hours tossing and turning in bed at night for the past week or so. I’m pretty sure this has nothing to do with Lorenzo at all. It’s been long enough, hasn’t it?
Probably not, and truthfully, it’s probably all about him.
He’s always on my mind. There’s no way I could have already forgotten about him if I tried harder. Plus, he’s still sending me flowers every day. My house is starting to look like a florist’s shop.
I exhale heavily just as the doorbell rings. Great, that must be today’s delivery. I wonder if it will be red roses or white. Maybe it’ll be pink orchids again. Damn, where the hell am I going to put another bouquet of flowers?
I push the button to talk and say, “Just bring them up,” and I push the other button to unlock the building.
Minutes later, four raps on my door come hard and fast.
“I’m coming, hang on,” I announce.
I pull open the door and see the smiling faces of Emerson and Shannon holding a huge bouquet of pink-and-white orchids. Ah, so these are today’s.
“What are you two doing here?” I ask as Shannon shoves the flowers my way.
“We came to pick you up, and the delivery guy was walking up to your door.”
“He was kind of hot,” Emy says as she and Shannon nod at one another.
They make their way past me and park their asses on my living room couches.
“Pick me up?” I ask, placing the gorgeous flowers on my table. Orchids are my favorite. I had only told Lorenzo once, and he clearly never forgot.
I walk to where the girls are. I wasn’t planning on going anywhere tonight.
Emy taps her nails on the arm of the couch. “Yeah, we thought it would be best if we got you out of the house for a bit. Plus, it’s Friday night.”
I lean against the wall closest to the door. “I was actually planning on staying in tonight and getting some re—”
“You’re not reading tonight,” Shannon says, interrupting me.
I smirk. “How did you know I was even going to say that?”
“Because that’s all you ever wanna do, li’l sis. Now, go throw on some clothes and let’s go.”
I throw Emy a glance, but she’s busy texting someone on her phone.
I turn my attention back toward Shannon. I don’t really want to go, but I know better than to fight with them right now. “Where are we going?”
Shannon smiles from ear to ear. “To forget all about our troubles. We’re going drinking.”
“And don’t tell us you don’t really drink because we saw you on Christmas and New Year’s Eve,” Emy says, not bothering to even look up from her phone.
She’s right though. Lately, I have enjoyed drinking a lot more.
“Okay, let me go get changed,” I say, making my way toward my bedroom.
“Good, girl!” Emy and Shannon respond in unison in a singsong voice.
I better not regret agreeing to this.
We arrive at the bar almost forty-five minutes later, and as I walk in, my eyes land on Lorenzo Trevano, and I freeze in place.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Lorenzo
When I agreed to go out with Marianna and Max tonight, I didn’t know I’d see her again. I thought we were just going out for drinks, and I wasn’t thrilled. I wanted to stay in and rot.
My brother and sister begged me to go out for hours before I gave in and said fuck it. What else was I going to do on a Friday night? As miserable as I was, maybe it was for the best.
We’ve been sitting in Bottoms Up for the past twenty minutes without any excitement. We downed a few drinks. I’ve had more than Max or Mari, but I’m the one who needs alcohol the most. Maybe Mari does too. Jordan finally called her earlier today to tell her he’d be home tomorrow. He wouldn’t tell her where he’s been for the last few weeks, but I’m sure it’s something they’re going to have a talk about sooner or later. I know my sister is stressed out, and I can’t blame her. I just hope this bastard doesn’t break her heart anymore. I know she’s hurting.
Fuck, I really wish she’d let me rearrange his face with my fists. The son of a bitch deserves it.
As I’m deep in my thoughts of how I’d love to make Jordan pay for what he’s doing to Marianna, something tells me to look at the entrance of the bar, and that’s when I see her.
Carissa, dressed in a pink shirt and tight blue jeans, walks into the bar with her sister and best friend.
Our eyes lock, and my heart skips a beat. Damn, she still has the power to make me feel like I’m floating on a cloud, and I don’t want to be brought back down. I want her to come up to me and let me place my lips on her until we’re both floating away from the rest of the world.
And just like that, I’m reminded of how empty the last couple of days without her have been. Seeing her now after all we’ve been through is breaking my heart. Because I know she still probably hates me, but for what, I don’t know. It’s the part that’s been driving me crazy.
“I have to go talk to her,” I say, rising to my feet.
Marianna and Max nod, and as I look back at where Carissa is, she’s turning around on her heels and getting ready to leave.
No! I can’t let her leave without telling her how I feel in person. I need to talk to her. I need to pour my heart out to her and place all my cards on the table. I can’t lose her.
I race to get to the door, fumbling over some chairs at nearby tables. Why the hell does it have to be so tight in here?
I excuse myself to the customers I get in the way of as I rush to get to the door before she has a chance to escape. This is my last chance to talk to her. The flowers had done nothing to get her to call me, no matter how many times I said “I’m sorry” in the notes.
It still drives me fucking crazy that I don’t have the slightest idea as to why she walked away and never returned. I can’t fucking understand it. I just wish she’d tell me why.
“Carissa!” I shout, stumbling over my own feet. Dammit, the last thing I need is to fall flat on my face.
She spins her head around once more to look at me but turns right back around and keeps trying to push her way through. Her sister, Shannon, and best friend, Emy, are trying to stop her from leaving. Good, maybe they’re on my side.
Yeah, I really doubt that’s the reason, but who knows.
“Carissa, wait,” I say, finally reaching her. “Hey, look at me.”
She finally turns back around, and my eyes lock with hers once more. God, she’s so beautiful. I missed seeing her gorgeous face so much. It breaks my heart to know she couldn’t wait to get away from me, but I need to put that aside and focus on what I need to say to her.
“Can we talk?” I ask, hoping she’ll give me one last chance.
She looks hard at me, thinking it over, then turns toward Shannon and Emy, who both nod.
I flash a glance back at my brother and sister, and they’re nodding at me too. Why does it feel like this was a setup?