Page 100 of Verses Of Us

“Alright,” he began, taking a seat across from her desk. “I want to write a memoir, and I thought of you.”

This wasn’t what she’d expected, and her shoulders dropped. She crossed her arms. “I’m flattered that thinking of your past made you think of me, but a phone call would have sufficed.”

“No, I don’t mean I was thinking of you, Lex.” He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, joining his hands. She ignored the quickening of her pulse brought on by hearing her nickname. “I’m talking about you writing it.”

She paused, struggling to read his mind, working to understand what was happening. Then her face twisted with a dark chuckle. “What, like a biographer?”

He nodded, his smirk teasing but endearing all the same.

“I’m not that kind of writer.”

“You’re an amazing writer. And you’ve known me the longest, so—”

“Cut the shit, Ciarán,” she interrupted, tilting her head. “You can’t show up like this, out of nowhere, and say it’s because you need a biographer. Tell me the truth.”

“Fine.” His brow pinched as his nostrils flared. “What was I supposed to do? You haven’t been returning my calls or my emails.”

“I’ve been busy.”

“Busy, or avoiding me?”

“Does it matter?” She shoved away from her desk and walked across her office, her hand landing on the doorknob. “Now, if that’s all…”

“No, wait,” he insisted, lifting his hands up in surrender. “Alright, I’m not here for that. Not really.” He leaned back against her desk, grabbing theWonder Womanfigurine Julie sent her for her last birthday, and stared at it. “I don’t think we’re done.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“You and I, we’re not done.”

She forced in a shaky breath. “We had a good time, but that’s it. We can’t go on like this.”

“And why not? What are you so afraid of?”

She tucked her chin. “I’m not afraid of anything. I remember how it was. Your life isn’t right for me.”

“That’s the thing, though. That’s not my life anymore.”

Alexis cocked her head. “Once you go on tour, it will be. You’ll get back into it and then you’ll…” She bit her lip, reconsidering.

“I’ll what?”

Outside her office, Alexis heard the muffled sounds of conversation, of phones ringing and hoped her team wasn’t listening in.

“You’ll bethatguy. The man who ran away from me more than once.”

“Stupid me,” he huffed with an exaggerated eye roll. “I honestly thought we’d moved on from tha’.” His brogue was back, thick with irritation.

“I’d love to move on from it, but it’s the truth. Now, seriously, you should leave.”

He moved closer and she tensed, not from fear, but from uncertainty. She doubted she’d be able to stay strong once he was close enough to touch her.

He rubbed his jaw. “I’m not leaving.”

“I’ll call security.” She returned to her desk, somehow feeling safer with it between them.

“Go for it.” He nodded toward the phone with a crooked smile. “I’m sure that’ll make the news.”

“That’s your problem, not mine.”

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