Page 40 of Falling for You
“Try not to obsess tonight, okay? Your father and CeCe don’t need to take over that brain of yours.” Hesitating a moment, Max added, “Besides, you need it to create the greatest website of all time.”
Evan snorted. “No pressure. See you tomorrow,” he said to Max as he backed out onto the street.
For the rest of the night, Evan waffled between frustration over his father to sheer delight over his time with CeCe. She said she wasn’t scared of him ... or his family. And Evan chose to believe her. After all, she had always been her own woman, doing her own thing. If she didn’t want to be with him, she’d make that perfectly clear. He trusted her to always give him the truth.
CHAPTER 10
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When CeCe registeredfor the food truck competition, she had two choices. She could be a coward and leave her name off the registration, or she could suck it up and put down all her fears in black and white. After soul-searching for far too long, she decided to be an adult and sign up with herself as the main contact. As expected, she got a generic confirmation email and didn’t expect to hear from anyone at the competition beyond logistics.
Several days had gone by without CeCe thinking much about it. Between the Lawson family dinner and focusing on their burgeoning relationship, she hadn’t given the competition a lot of thought. Unfortunately for CeCe, her ignorance was short-lived.
Once she got home from a day with Evan, she pulled on her favorite sweatpants and curled up on the couch with a cookbook and the first action movie she found on TV. While others unwound reading novels, she liked to page through cookbooks and zone out to the rhythmic sounds of people fighting. She was certain if she spent money on a good therapist, there’d be something telling about that.
Maybe it’s why she enjoyed Evan’s kung fu marathon so much? Or maybe the movies had nothing to do with it. Perhaps it was the man himself. Yes, Evan’s parents were certainly not going to win parents of the year, but CeCe knew Evan was different. He was never disrespectful to her, or his sisters; CeCe was sure of it. She could tell from his behavior at work that he took things seriously and was making his way. It was obvious his father had no idea what his son was capable of, or what he’d already mastered.
CeCe’s phone buzzed with a text from a private number. Lost in her thoughts about Evan, her mouth curled into a smile before she even registered what she was reading. Suddenly, her glass of bourbon threatened to come back up.
I knew you couldn’t stay away, Pixie.
Her ears rang as she read the message, which practically shouted at her from the screen. With a shaking hand, she turned off the TV and swallowed down the bile. Only one person would text her with that message—or use that damned nickname.
After their break-up, CeCe had blocked Eric’s number and assumed that would be that. But of course, he remembered her number; the man remembered everything. Or it could have been the competition registration. Suddenly being brave felt foolish. She’d invited her least favorite person back into her world. The notion made her dizzy.
CeCe mumbled a few choice profanities before standing and pacing around her living room. Should she respond to the text and engage with him? Pretend to be someone else and pull anew phone, who dis?She nearly laughed. That would certainly annoy Eric, and there wasn’t anything wrong with that. Then she thought back to being an adult. An adult would respond, be blunt, and move on. She’d have to interact with him eventually, and there was no better time than the present.
But as she clutched her cell phone, she knew she wasn’t ready to engage with him. Responding to that text would pick at a scab that was barely healed. Instead, she turned the TV back on, poured a shot, and tried to think of anything else. Eventually the alcohol would do its job and make her sleepy. Then she could wait for the clarity that morning always brought.
Because life was never simple, the morning didn’t bring more than a headache and a sense of impending doom. She made herself a cup of coffee and got ready for work. Finger-combing her blonde hair, she opted for a no-nonsense headband and a swipe of lip gloss. Even after her caffeine boost, her surly mood loomed over her like a cloud. Even her favorite chef’s tunic couldn’t cover the chip on her shoulder. With a bolstering breath to face her day, she opened her front door and nearly plowed over Natalie.
“Good morning,” Natalie chirped as she pushed past CeCe.
CeCe scoffed. “You know I do have a life, right? You should at least text before you barge in. I’m on my way to work.” Holding up her coffee mug and purse, she hoped that was enough to get Natalie out of her house.
No such luck.
