Page 63 of No One Else

“Natalie.” He steps closer, lowering his voice. “We’re meant to be together. You followed me here to Suncoast after I decided to go here. You can’t tell me you don’t still love me.”

I look him dead in the eye and tell him slowly, “I don’t love you.”

He actually looks taken aback, hurt crossing his face. Well, really, what did he expect? He broke up with me at a Red Lobster for God’s sake. Plus, all the crap with girls he pulled.

“But I said I changed,” he insists. “And I love you.”

“Sorry, Carter, it’s too late.”

I abandon the tablecloths, spotting Angela’s long, dark hair across the room and make my way over to her, leeching myself to her side. “I need to stay by you,” I whisper. “My ex-boyfriend-”

“Say no more,” she says, putting her arm around my shoulders. “Point him out to me.”

“With the blue polo shirt and khakis.”

“That describes three guys from this fraternity. These rich white boys with all their money and they can’t even afford a different outfit.”

I smile at her dismissal, agreeing with her completely. Then again, I spend most of my time in yoga pants. I justify it as working at a gym, though. It’s practically required workwear there. “With the brown hair.”

“Got it. He’s not getting past my security.” She makes like she’s a goalie, blocking soccer balls left and right. I crack up at her antics, then shut my mouth quickly when I realize we’ve attracted Carter’s attention. We both spin around, our shoulders shaking with suppressed laughter. How have I never realized how fun she is before?

“You know, my friends and I get together for lunch sometimes at the student center. Our table’s open if you’d ever like to join us.”

“Thanks,” she smiles warmly. “I’ll text you if I’m free.”

I glance over my shoulder, catching Carter still staring our way. A shiver runs through me, but not the good kind that Evan gives me.

He can’t do anything anymore, I remind myself. He has zero part in my life. I’ll just avoid him for the next couple of weeks we work on this event. No big deal.

***

“HEY, BEAUTIFUL.” EVANcomes around the front desk at work, freshly showered and smelling delectable, and gives me a light kiss, checking first to see if Trisha’s nearby.

He goes in for another once he sees the coast is clear, but I set him away, smiling. “Don’t get me started here.”

He grins wickedly. “Would I do that?”

We had opposite schedules this weekend, but overlapping shifts today. He came in directly after his last class and did back to back sessions, but I have to be here till nine tonight. “Are you headed out?”

“Soon. But I can hang out here-”

“Excuse me,” a man carrying a large bouquet in a crystal vase interrupts me, struggling with the massive thing. “I’m supposed to deliver these to Natalie at the front desk. Is that you?”

“Yes,” I tell him, looking over the arrangement. Orchids, lilies, hydrangeas, peonies - all my favorites. I lean in and take a big whiff as he sets them on the counter, the delicate fragrances combining together to send me into flower sensory overload. I love floral scents.

“Thank you.” I sign his form and he leaves, then turn to Evan. “And thank you.” I bend down to where he’s pulled up a chair next to me and cup his jaw, giving him a long kiss, workplace professionalism be damned.

He looks up at me awkwardly after I let him go, admitting, “I didn’t send those.”

“What?”

“I can’t afford something like that,” he motions to the display. It really is monstrous.

“Then who did?”

He stands up and hunts through the flowers, plucking out a card. “It was good seeing you again,” he reads. “Till the next time we meet.” His teeth grind together now, eyebrows coming down low. “Carter.”

“Are you serious?” I snatch it out of his hand, reading it over myself. What a sneaky bastard. Delivering flowers to the one place he knew Evan would see these.

---