Page 60 of Falling for You
“Old friend?” she asked, her voice steadier than she felt. “That’s pretty rich,” she spat.
Eric’s eyes blazed and color flushed up his neck into his hairline. Despite being drunk, his rage seemed to sober him. “Not here,” he warned, his voice not quite low enough. The muscles on his neck flexed as he tried to take back control of the situation.
“Not here?” she repeated, feeling Max and Ginny behind her. “But you were willing to air my dirty laundry a moment ago. Right here, in front of these nice people.” CeCe swept her arm across the room as more diners tuned into the free show.
Eric took a step toward the exit, but CeCe side-stepped to block him. “Let me go,” he warned.
CeCe shook her head, her blonde hair bobbing around her face. “I don’t think so. You were so keen to talk about our past, so let’s talk.” Holding up her hand, she ticked off all the things she wanted to discuss—all the areas of their past that required closure. “Do you want to talk about how you lied to me?” She stuck out her pointer finger. “Strung me along for a year while you weremarried?” CeCe paused long enough to hear a few muffled gasps from their audience, but it didn’t slow her down. She extended her middle finger, and not in the way that she would have liked. “Then, as if that wasn’t painful enough, you decide to start calling and texting nonstop. When I felt like I would suffocate under you, you had the audacity to blacklist me in all of Chicago. I couldn’t even get a job at a deep-dish pizza chain by the time you were done dragging my name through the mud.” CeCe exhaled, preparing herself for the coup de grace. “No, Eric. Not only are you going to stand here and listen to me, you’re going to apologize for ruining my career in Chicago, my evening with friends, and upsetting my boyfriend.”
Eric blinked, his expression slack, as if he couldn’t believe what just transpired. It wasn’t every day Mr. Hollywood got dressed down in public. “I can’t believe you’re acting this way,” was all he said as he blinked at her.
“Did you not hear a word I said?” CeCe asked, her voice hitching. “You tried to ruin my life, Eric. And I let you, for a time. But then I got on my feet and found a restaurant that respects me and lets me be me. No strings, no lies, no bullshit.” She banged her fist on her chest at her words, the feel of her spiked heart rate oddly comforting.
Suddenly, the dining room erupted in chants and whoops for CeCe. She heard a fewYou go, girl!AndYou tell him!before she backed toward the exit herself. “You’re going to pay for this,” Eric warned.
“No, I don’t think she will,” Ginny spoke up next to CeCe. She gestured to their audience, phones still trained on their group. “You’re about to go viral, so I think you should go while you have any dignity left.”
Max slung his arm around Ginny’s waist and tugged her closer. “I’d do as she says. She’s in PR and knows what she’s talking about.”
CeCe reached out and took Ginny’s proffered hand, squeezing it with all she had. Eric took one more look at her before storming out of the restaurant to a chorus of boos. One customer threw their chopsticks at his retreating back, another a balled-up napkin. For someone who was used to an audience and endless praise, she knew that would hurt him.And she didn’t care.
The nightmare was finally over, or at least, the first part. Now she had to find Evan.
A few onlookers came over and hugged CeCe, thanking her for standing up to a creep like Eric. She thanked them, but struggled to get outside. It had been too long since she’d seen Evan, and she needed to make this right.
Max pushed them outside, with Ginny bringing up the rear. “Let’s take a seat over there,” she said, gesturing to a bench. “You look like you’re going to collapse.”
CeCe couldn’t argue. Her body felt heavy and exhausted, like when she used to run half marathons. Stumbling to her seat, she reared back and groaned as the realization of what just happened hit home. “Oh my gosh.” She screeched. “That was horrible.”
“I’d say it was incredible,” Max offered. “You stood up to that bully and gave him a dose of his own medicine.”
Ginny nodded next to Max, her face breaking into a smile. “I would say that’s the best personal PR I’ve ever seen. You did a number on him, CeCe. And it sounds like he had it coming.”
“Too little, too late, I’m afraid,” CeCe said. She kept looking around her, certain that Evan would pop out from behind a shrub and come to her aid. It felt wrong to be this raw and not have him by her side. Her hands itched with the need to pull him close, bury her face in his neck and inhale his spicy scent. She let out a breath and shook herself back to the moment. “Did anyone see where Evan went?”
Max and Ginny both shook their heads. CeCe turned to look for Mallory, but didn’t see her either. This was bad.
“Let me walk you back to the hotel. I’m sure Evan’s just in his room cooling off.” Max’s words were reassuring, but they rang hollow. Evan was angry and embarrassed, two emotions she could have avoided with the truth.
Why, why, whydidn’t she tell him the truth?
The sound of panting announced Mallory’s arrival. “Hey,” she breathed heavily. “I’m glad I found you guys.” She doubled over and rested her hands on her knees as she struggled to catch her breath.
Max asked, “Where’s Evan?”
Mallory shook her head and frowned. “He’s gone.”
“Gone?” CeCe felt herself blanch at the notion he wasn’t sticking around for her. Wasn’t bothering to hear her side of the story.
Mallory bit her lip, clearly torn about how much to share. “He’s really upset, CeCe. I’ve never seen him so worked up. He said he wanted to be alone. I’m guessing he went back to Buckeye Falls.”
Max pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and dialed Evan’s number. He waited a moment before saying, “It goes straight to voicemail.”
Ginny reached out and took CeCe’s hand, tucking it into her elbow and pulling her to standing. “We’re going to go back to the hotel and regroup. I am sure he didn’t go far.”
CeCe was touched by Ginny’s concern, especially since their friendship was in its early stages. But of course Max would love a woman like that, who selflessly gave her time to friends. He would expect nothing less.
“Thanks,” CeCe said as she was ushered back to their hotel. Her legs felt heavy. The effort of lifting each foot was monumental.
