Page 25 of The Virgin's Dance
Pilot made them both plates of eggs and when Boh put the first bite in her mouth, she almost swooned. “Geez, Scamo, is there nothing you can’t do?”
“You asked that before and believe me, the answer’s the same,” but he smiled and took her hand. “Sweetheart, you will rest over the next couple of days, right? Nelly’s clearing it with the ballet company, but I’m not telling you what to do. I’m just concerned.”
“This was nothing, really, but I take your point. Don’t tell anyone but I’m actually kind of relieved to get some time.” She smiled shyly. “If you’re around, maybe we can work on some ideas for the exhibition.”
“I’m not going anywhere.” He stroked his hand over her face. “You look exhausted.”
“I’m okay.” But a half-hour later, the day’s events caught up with her and they lay down on her tiny single bed, Boh cradled in his arms. She was asleep before they’d even finished saying goodnight.
Pilot lay awake long after Boh’s breathing became steady and he knew she was out. He had been so worried but at the same time, he was angry at Kristof. If the man was working Boh too hard as revenge on her for being with Pilot …
Don’t be paranoid.Kristof and Eugenie had been the ones cheating, not him, so if anyone had the right to be vengeful it was Pilot … but that wasn’t him.
Unless Kristof hurt Boh. Pilot had to be honest—he hated the idea of this ballet Kristof was putting together. It sounded cruel and sadistic, but what did he know?
He looked down at Boh in his arms. She looked so young and not for the first time, he wondered if he was doing the right thing by dating her. There was almost 20 years between them. He was grateful for Ramona, Nell, and Grace’s support— but that didn’t mean he was good for Boh.
The thought of not being with her was painful though and so, for now, he told himself, he would be selfish. They could work things out as they came along—wasn’t that how relationship worked? Relationships of equals?
Despite his age, his experience, after being married to Eugenie, Pilot still felt he was new at this. He wouldn’t tell Boh that, however, because he wanted her to feel as if he was her rock, and he would be. He just had to learn how to do this too.
He heard his phone buzz from the other room. He gently extracted himself, trying not to wake Boh. He sighed when he saw it was Eugenie calling. “Christ.”
He debated turning his phone off, but maybe he could head her off at the pass. “Hey, Genie.”
She was crying and Pilot could tell instantly that she was drunk. “Pilot … can you come? I just feel so low. I don’t know what I’ll do.”
“What’s happened?”
She hesitated and he knew she was just trying to make excuses. “I’m lonely, Pilot. Ever since you left me … God, I just feel wretched.”
Pilot listened to her and found himself unmoved. “Genie, call your mom. Call your sister. This is not my problem anymore.”
“Be sweet, baby.” God, had her voice always been this grating? He said nothing, letting her rant.
“We could try again,” she said, “there’ll always be a history between us now, always a connection. I think about you all of the time, and I really think, if we tried again, we could be happy. I miss you, baby, your gorgeous face, your eyes, your big cock. I dream about you fucking me so hard, like the way we did when we first got together.”
Jesus. “Genie, it’s late and I have to work tomorrow.”
There was a silence. “Are you with another woman?”
God help him, he wanted to hurt her. “I’m with my girlfriend. I have to go.”
Eugenie reacted exactly how he thought she would, an explosion of vitriol that he had heard before. He ended the call with her in mid-rant. Yeah, he was definitely going to look for a new apartment. He called his sister. Ramona was a night owl, like him.
“Hey, dude.”
He told her what had happened with Boh, reassuring her that she was okay, then told her about Genie’s call. Ramona sighed. “That bitch … is she ever going to get the message? Seriously, bro, you need to ghost her entirely. Change your phone, your address, everything.”
“I agree. Everything apart from the studio—she never knew about that to begin with.”
“Sure? She’s obviously keeping tabs on you, and it’s not like she doesn’t have the money to hire private dicks to tail you.”
“I’m sure.”
“You all set for the exhibit? I talked to Grady. He’s really excited, based on the photos of Boh you sent. Listen, he asked me to, um, maybe do the next benefit for the Foundation … but I told him I wouldn’t commit without speaking to you first.”
Pilot was astonished. “Why? Ro, this is a huge opportunity; you need to call him back right now …” he checked his watch, “It’s only nine p.m. in Seattle.”
