Page 99 of When Wrecked Meets Ruined
“I’m not Chad Miller,” I called after her.
I got no response. If Evie really believed I was anything like that asshole, then we had a problem. I shouldn’t even have to defend myself. My word should have been good enough. Until she learned to trust me, there was no point in pursuing her.
I left the back door unlocked, and about an hour later, I heard her climbing the stairs. Her footsteps stopped outside my door, then retreated. A few seconds later, the door closed to the second bedroom.
I punched my pillow, then I stared at the ceiling. I was nothing like Chad Miller, but I was still an asshole. Of all the girls I could have chosen, I’d used Ainsley to get back at Evie. But I couldn’t lose Evie over this.
The next day I went to Ainsley’s house and banged on the front door. She’d ruined my girl’s life, and I wasn’t about to let her off the hook for it. When Ainsley’s mom answered the door, I gave her a big smile and introduced myself.
She was the person I wanted to see, but saying what I needed to in front of Ainsley? That was the cherry on top of the shit sundae.
CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN
Evie
There would always beother girls like Ainsley. Girls intent on getting me out of the way to be with Ridge.
I believed him when he said nothing happened with Callie, and I knew he wasn’t like Chad Miller. Ridge would never force a girl to do something she didn’t want to. But still. He wasn’t exactly a saint, was he?
Then again, neither was I.
After I left his house yesterday morning, I spent all day stewing over it, and now it was Monday, and I wasstillthinking about it.
If I were smart, I would just let him go. Our little summer fling had run its course. What was the point of dragging it out? We had an agreement, and our expiration date was in a few days.
I was serving an elderly couple when a blonde woman came through the front door and spoke to the other server. Cathy pointed to an empty booth in my section, and the woman slid into the seat. I stared at her from across the room.
What was Annabel Thorpe doing here?
Maybe she was here to collect the two hundred bucks I’d allegedly stolen from her. She could wait. I pocketed a tip from a four-top, cleared it, then wiped it down and checked on my other customers before sauntering over to Annabel’s booth.
Her daughter looked so much like her with the same perfectly styled blond hair, big blue eyes, and beauty queen smile. But unlike Ainsley, Annabel had never been mean and vindictive. Until I got blamed for a crime I didn’t commit.
“Can I help you?” I asked coolly.
“How’ve you been, Evie?”
“Fine. Great. Busy.” Unfortunately, the nearly empty diner didn’t support my claim. But I had no interest in making small talk with Ainsley’s mother. “Can I get you anything?”
She opened her mouth, then shut it again as her gaze roamed around the diner and came to rest on her folded hands. “Just coffee, please.”
I nodded and backed away, then spun around and strode to the kitchen. There were only dregs left in the pot, and I debated serving it but brewed a fresh pot just to buy myself some time. With any luck, she’d be gone when I returned with her coffee.
No such luck. Still there.
I served the coffee and turned to go.
“Wait. Evie.” She touched my arm. “Can we talk?”
I took a deep breath and turned to face her. “Sure. What did you want to talk about?” My tone was not overly friendly, nor did it invite conversation.
She fiddled with the handle of her cup and kept her eyes on the table as if whatever she had to say was too difficult to say to my face. “I owe you an apology. I’m sorry I blamed you for stealing money from my wallet.”
My eyes widened. What the hell? “Did Ainsley say something?” But even as I voiced the question, I knew it was ridiculous. Ainsley would never confess to something like that.
Annabel shook her head. “Your boyfriend paid us a visit yesterday. He’s very protective of you. As he should be,” she added.
I was going to kill him. “I had no idea he visited you.” I wanted to make it clear that none of it was my idea. “I didn’t put him up to that.”
