Page 117 of For Eva

I pulled a pillow over my face and held my phone above it.

“Not fair,” he protested.

“Ugh, fine.” I snapped another photo, making sure to slap a huge cheesy grin on my face. “Better?”

“Much.”

“I made sure to take it at a skinny angle.”

“Please, Eva. You don’t need to worry about that. You’re a fucking ten.”

“Ha!MaybeI can wear a twelve if I don’t eat carbs for a week.”

He chuckled. “What are you talking about?”

I opened my mouth to explain, but snapped it shut when I realized I was also confused. “Wait, what areyoutalking about?”

“I’m saying you’re, you know…aten.” He paused, his words settling into my brain. “You’re beautiful.”

“Oh.”

“Was that…weird?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

Did Eric Stratton just tell me I’m beautiful? Did I hear him correctly? Do I understand the English language? Do I know how to speak it?

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to be—”

“No,” I interrupted. “Thank you. For saying that. It’s a real compliment coming from the secondSexiest Man Alive.”

“I swear to God, woman, if you mention that again I will hang up.”

I laughed and pulled the comforter over my legs. “Don’t hang up. I’m just getting cozy. And I really don’t want you to have to eat alone.”

SIXTY-THREE

Eva

March 2009

“Finally,” Denise began, emphasizing the word. “I was beginning to think you may have eloped with your date from last night. That I was gonna get a midnight call to meet you in Vegas.”

“I bailed,” I confessed, dropping my keys on the counter. “I just got back from taking Miles to his friend’s house.”

“I thought the boys were at Aaron’s?”

“Oh, they are. But Aaron couldn’t be bothered because he’s a new dad, you know? He’s very busy nursing the baby.” I rolled my eyes. “I swear, sometimes I feel sorry for what’s-her-name.”

“She’s young and knows not what she’s done. So what’d you do last night instead of having sex? Lifetime movies and chamomile tea?”

“Are you making fun of me?”

“Yes.”

“I can’t believe I’ve put up with you as long as I have.” I walked to the living room and sank into the couch. “But no, I…I actually ended up talking to Eric.”

“Ooh. Sophonesex instead ofactualsex?”

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