Page 75 of Wrapped in Red
“It’s too late.” He reached up to touch my cheek, and I flinched at how cold his palm was against my skin. “You’ll move on. Find some good boy who makes your heart buckle when he’s simply in the room.”
“That’s you, Ez. It’s always been you. God damnit, don’t do this to me.”
“It can’t be me. I’m just a camboy.”
I reached for him, only for Ezra to step back. “You’re not just anything to me. You’re everything,” I whispered.
“Goodbye, CC.”
“Don’t you fucking do this,” I gasped.
“Hey, Carson, I need you,” Killian called out. “Now, man, it’s kind of important.”
The one second I took my eyes off Ezra was all it took for him to move away from me, and when I looked back? He was halfway across the parking lot, his heels in one hand and his purse in the other. I couldn’t go after him now. I had my boss staring right at me.
“Coming,” I told Killian, my heart shattered like dust in my chest.
***
“What do you mean, heleft?” Leo blinked at me like I had spoken a language he didn’t understand. “I...I don’t understand.”
I shifted my weight. “Did you text him?”
I didn’t want to make eye contact with his brother, who stood behind him. After Ezra left the night of the Christmas party, two days ago, he tried to talk to me, and I ignored him. Literally. I walked away like he wasn’t even there and out of the party without saying goodbye to anyone. Oh, and the big announcement? Holt and Watts were getting married on New Year’s Eve, and everyone was invited. That was just fucking wonderful, wasn’t it?
“Of course, I texted him,” Leo snapped at me. “He said he’s busy. What happened? Did you have a fight? Get him back, Carson. I need him.” He pushed his way into my condo without asking, and I turned to watch him march through my kitchen. I knew where he was going. “Wait, Leo!” I took after him as he headed straight for the room Ezra was supposed to use.
“What did you do?” Leo pouted. “He put up paint swatches. He wouldn’t just leave if...” His chin started to quiver. “I have a date this weekend with Andy, and Ezra is the only one who can help with my clothes, makeup, and....” He launched himself at me and wrapped his arms around my waist.
“I’m sorry.” Noel grimaced when I finally met his gaze. “I feel like this might be my fault.”Thanks, it is. Go away.
I tried to calm Leo down. “I don’t... This isn’t a good time. Ezra went back home, and things are just messy,” I murmured as I rubbed his brother’s back.
“What do you mean, this might be your fault?” Leo spun around to face his brother. “What happened? Did you try to get Carson back? Because that’s not fair, Noel. Ezra loves him. They’re perfect together. Fix it. Fix it right now, because I can’t go on this date without his help. I tried to follow the videos he sent me, but it’s not the same. I can’t get the liner right, and I’m right-handed, so I can’t paint my nails on that hand. It’s going to be a disaster if I try to go on this date. I like Andy a lot. Fix it!”
Oh boy. “Listen,” I smoothed the hair down on his head, and he turned to look at me. “I can pay for you to get your nails and makeup done.”
“Carson, you don’t need to do that.” Noel sounded exhausted. “Leo needs to stop throwing tantrums.” His brother shot him a glare over his shoulder. “Don’t look at me like that. I can ground you and forbid you to go on this date.”
Leo gasped. “You wouldn’t dare. I’m not a child.”
“It’s the least I can do.” I waved a hand in the air as Leo pulled away from me. “Look, things with Ezra are complicated.” Understatement. He was ignoring my texts, sending me to voicemail, and I was getting desperate. I had started stalking Seth’s Insta to make sure they weren’t together. I even sent him a DM, which he read but never responded to. Talk about stalker vibes. I was creeping myself out.
Leo tilted his head as he watched me. “Why did he leave without saying goodbye? He’s my best friend. Did I do something wrong?” This kid was breaking my heart.
“I did.” Sort of. I don’t know. “Ezra and I had a fight.”
“Make up with him.” Like it was that easy. Like I wasn’t trying to do that. “Call him, tell him you’re sorry. That you love him and want him in your life. If I had a fight with Andy, that’s what I would do.”
Noel put his hands on his brother’s shoulders. “Leo, it’s none of our business.”Sorry,he mouthed at me. His eyes told me how bad he felt. That makes two of us.
“Ezra’s not talking to me right now. It’s sort of his thing when he gets mad.” He runs away, he hides, and he pretends like everything is fine. “Look, I’ll make sure he reaches out to you, Leo, okay? He likes you. None of this is your fault.”
Leo sighed softly. “I’ve never met someone like Ezra before. I miss him.”
“Me, too,” I told him and then squatted down, so we were eye level. “Look, I meant what I said. I’ll help you out as much as I can because that’s what Ezra would do. I have to go home in a couple of days, but I’ll take you out, and you can use my credit card.”
“Carson,” Noel warned as he shook his head at me.
