Page 13 of We Own Tonight
“I need a Go-Pro for the next time we goout.”
“I hate you,” I say betweengiggles.
She purposely rocks back, causing me to almost fall. “You only wish youdid.”
“If I fall . . .” I warn as I sway and try to climbhigher.
“It’ll be what you deserve for making me climb a freaking fence at one in themorning!”
The amount of ways that I’m going to pay for this is unimaginable. My co-workers saw me being sung to on stage, I’m sure one of the guys from my squad caught me going backstage, I’m going to have scrapes from climbing a fence, and Nicole will never let me live thisdown.
I reach the top, one leg swung over on one side and one still in Eli-land. And that’s when I hear him. “You’re going to just run out?” Eli’s voice is filled with disbelief. “Just likethat?”
I get myself over the other side and climb to the ground so I have the fence between us. Nicole is near the top, watching this unfold. “This was a mistake. It should’ve neverhappened.”
“So, you run?” He takes a step closer, and I thank God for the metal betweenus.
“Nic,” I whisper-shout, urging her to come down, and she starts to descend. I glance back at Eli, who stands before me with no shirt or shoes. His chest heaves as if he ran here to find me. I stare at him. “It’s better this way,” I say, wishing Nicole would hurry the hellup.
“Why? Says who? You didn’t even give me a chance!” Eli grips the back of hisneck.
“This would never work. Seriously. You don’t have totry.”
Even if my life were completely peachy, which it isn’t, Eli and I would never work. We had sex, it doesn’t mean I want more, but there isn’t even a chance I could. I’ve already seen that men are selfish, and I can’t even provide enough attention for a local police lieutenant, there’s no way I can do it for a world renowned actor andsinger.
Eli takes another step, his hand gripping the steel separating us. “You said you don’t do this before, well, I don’t chase after girls who run out, so we’re both doing something different. I wanted to talk . . . I wasn’t asking for anything,Heather.”
So, he does know my name, that makes me feel marginallybetter.
Nicole finally drops down beside me, and tears fill my eyes. I know she sees it. I’m not upset because of him. I’m upset because ofme.
“Let’sgo.”
She knows me well enough to know I’m in over my head. The reason I’ve never done casual is because I feel too much. I’ve had life-long friendships, one boyfriend who I married, and a sister who needs me—casual doesn’t fit into my life. Now that I’ve come down from the buzz and adrenaline, I feelempty.
I release a heavy breath and shove down myemotions.
“Look. I’m sorry I ran out, but I have to go. I don’t belong here anyway.” I’m not sure what the proper etiquette is for running away from a man you’ve spent your entire adolescent and part of your adult life dreaming of and then slept with, but this seems appropriate. I grab my shoes and start to walkaway.
“Heather, wait.” I glance back at him over my shoulder. “Ijust—”
“Goodbye,Eli.”
There’s no way I’m looking back, because if I do, I might not keepwalking.
As we start to sprint, my phone dings with a voice mail. It’s Stephanie’sfacility.
With my fingers trembling, I press play. “Hi, Ms. Covey, this is Becca from Breezy Beaches Assisted Living. Stephanie had a . . .” She pauses as if she can’t find the right words. “She’s been transferred via ambulance to Tampa General Hospital. Please call me as soon as youcan.”
The tears I fought back fall without a thought. “It’s Steph. We have torun.”
Chapter Five
Heather
“I’m fine,”Stephanie says while swatting my hand away as she lies in the hospitalbed.
“If you’d stopfidgeting.”
