Page 11 of Silent Cravings

“I’ll step out right now and give him a call,” I offered, already halfway out of my chair. “Be right back.”

My legs trembled as I left the office, exiting through the back door that opened onto a small parking lot. I wasn’t sure what I wanted the answer to be as I pulled up Evan’s contact in my phone. Yes, it would make life a hell of a lot easier if he had an available date that fell within Rose’s timeframe. Did I want a reason to have to spend time with him, though? Things hadn’t exactly gone spectacularly on Saturday, orgasms aside.

Part of me didn’t expect him to answer, the coward. But he did, and only after one ring. “Hey. I’m glad you called,”he said before I had the chance to speak. “I was hoping you would.”

Why did his voice have to sound so warm, rich, and friendly?Intimate.And why didn’t it make me feel uncomfortable? No, the opposite was true. My chest warmed, and a smile tipped the corners of my mouth.

Until I remembered what a cowardly little prick he was for running out. “Well, I’d like to say I wanted to make sure you were still alive… like you weren’t captured or something. Sucked up into the sky.”

“No, I’m still here on solid ground. Listen?—”

“There’s no time for that. There’s no time for much of anything,” I said, interrupting and closing my eyes, crossing my fingers. “We’re in a jam here. I’ve got eight weeks to make this wedding happen, tops. I have no clue how I’m supposed to make it all work, but I’ll figure it out. The only thing I’m concerned with is the venue. Colton suggested I call you to see if you have any availability at one of your country clubs.”

“Eight weeks.” He blew out a soft whistle that had a strange effect on me.

I didn’t love the idea of making a hundred phone calls, begging for a favor, basically crawling on my belly and promising the world to whoever would let us hold the wedding under their roof. But considering the effect Evan’s voice had on me when he first answered my call, begging for favors and crawling on my belly sounded like it might be the safer bet.

“Give me a second.” I heard him typing in the background.

Please, please.Only, what was I silently praying for? The best for Rose and Colton. That was what mattered. Not my heart, not my past, certainly not my body. Or his. Or what they did when they got together.

“Dammit,” he growled out. “I forgot they’re upgrading the booking system, so I can’t access the full calendar of events at all locations right now.”

“My luck continues to improve,” I groaned out.

“Why don’t you come out to the Greenwich office tomorrow?” he suggested. “The system will be up and running. I’m sure we can make something work.”

A face-to-face meeting tomorrow. I started the call, determined to make him squirm, yet I was the one who suddenly felt all hot and itchy at the idea of being in the same room with him.

Somebody up there was having the laugh of the century at my expense.

“Sounds good, if you can swing it,” I offered. “It’s short notice and all.”

“I’ll make time for you,” he promised. How could such a simple statement make my insides go warm and liquid while freezing my heart solid?

He hadn’t made time for me when I’d needed him the most.

4

EVAN

“Next weekend, we have the McConnell and Latimer weddings on Saturday and Sunday, respectively.” My events coordinator released a soft sigh as she scrolled through the calendar on her phone. “Friday night is the engagement party for the Jacobson wedding we have booked in October. That’s here in Greenwich.”

I was only half listening to Serena as she went over our upcoming schedule for the next couple of weeks. Valentina was due to arrive any minute, and I had hoped to have this meeting finished by the time she showed up. There had to be time to clear my head a little since something about being around her fucked me up inside. Left me making idiotic choices.

“Let’s finish this up later.” I stood and buttoned my slate gray jacket, then straightened my dark blue tie. Blue like the color of Valentina’s eyes. Right, because that was a thought I needed to have now or ever. “I have that meeting I scheduled yesterday. A last-minute thing.”

“Right. The Goldsmith-Black wedding.” When I archedan eyebrow, Serena shrugged. “What? You put it on your calendar. Those are your friends, right?”

It was the perfect segue. “Yes, and that’s why I’m going to handle all the details myself. I don’t want you touching this one.” Her lashes flitted, and I knew it came out wrong. “Not that I don’t have faith in you,” I added to placate her.

It seemed like I was always saying the wrong thing, especially here of late. My mouth moved before my brain could catch up.

“No, I get it.” She made a note for herself. “It’s a personal event. Hey, I’m not going to complain about one less thing to worry about. I already have more than enough.”

“Not exactly a bad thing,” I reminded her, turning away from my desk to look out the window. The grounds of our adjoining golf course were a lush green, like an emerald carpet spreading out in front of me.

And it was mine.

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