Page 38 of When You Had Me Adapting

“Oh, wow, they’re spectacular.”

I nervously check my watch again while Eli peruses my photos.

“Take whichever one you want.” Her eyes land on a photo of two scarlet macaws that have their beaks pressed against each other.

She snickers, “They look like they’re kissing.”

I nod and try to calm my fidgeting, but I know Lacey will be here any minute.

“Do you have any of the Bixito?”

“Not with me. How do you think I got out of going tonight?”

“Fuck you,” she jabs.

“This one will do. Sign it and I’ll be out of your hair.”

I grab a marker and sign my name in the corner. We make our way out of my room and as I round the corner I come to a complete halt causing Eli to run into my back. Lacey is standing in my doorway wearing cutoff shorts that show off her long legs and a black tank top that fits her hourglass shape like a glove. The locket still hangs around her neck. Her white high tops contrast against her tan skin and her black baseball cap is worn and embroidered with a purple smiley face.

“Some warning would’ve been nice,” Eli says as she pushes off my back.

“Oh, sorry, I knocked and I thought I heard someone say come in,” Lacey says. “Am I interrupting?” Her eyes land behind me and shift from Eli to the door we came from.

“Oh no, I’m the one interrupting. I’m E—” Eli steps forward and begins to offer Lacey her hand.

“I know who you are.” Lacey’s voice cracks as she turns and rushes from the apartment.

“Did I do something?” I hear Eli ask the question, but I’m already out of my apartment and following Lacey to her car.

“Lacey!”

She doesn’t stop moving. Hell, she’s almost running and I break into a jog. “Lacey, please stop!”

She whips her head around and her blonde hair moves through the air. Tears run down her face and there is so much pain in her eyes that my heart breaks.

“Is this a fucking joke to you?”

“What?”

“Do you think it’s funny to come back here and blow up all of our lives? Gosh, we were all doing fine without you. I was doing fine without you.”

“What are you talking about?” She turns and starts to move toward her car. I can hear her mumbling something, but she isn’t making any sense. With two large strides, I catch up to her and grab her hand. Her skin feels incredibly soft and for a moment I don’t want to let her go. I want to pull her into me and tell her it was all a misunderstanding. That it’s going to be okay and now that I have her back in my life, I’ll never let her go again.

“Please come back upstairs. Let’s talk.”

She flips around and shakes me off of her. “Why is she in your apartment?”

“Who? Eli?” My brain fumbles as I try to make sense of how Eli could have caused such a reaction.

“Eli?” She shakes her head and wipes away her tears. We are both quiet for a minute and I take a deep breath. My lungs fill with her tropical scent and I realize we’re standing incredibly close, so I take a step back.

“Yeah, Elizabeth Miller, but she goes by Eli.”

“You cheated on me with your photography program mentor?” Her question throws me off guard.

“Wait, what?” I ask.

She takes a deep breath and crosses her arms. “Don’t be smug. You know she’s the woman I saw you with that day. The one you were all over in that coffee shop.”

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