Total pages in book: 163
Estimated words: 164828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 164828 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 824(@200wpm)___ 659(@250wpm)___ 549(@300wpm)
“Forgive me if I’m intruding, but why did you break up?” I ask.
“Ah.” He smiles wistfully. “How long have you got? He’s a very mercurial man.”
“I know.” I smile as I sip my margarita. I should feel uncomfortable talking to Zavier, but I don’t. Not in the least. “Very much so.”
He stares into space. “I always felt like there was something off.” He frowns as if thinking back. “Like my gut was telling me to run.”
My stomach drops as I watch him. That sounds familiar.
“Why, did you catch him cheating or something, or…?”
“No. Nothing like that.” He shrugs. “When we were together, it was magical.” Nerves flutter as I watch the beautiful man in front of me. I get a vision of him and Nathe together.
“It was never a problem when we were together. It was when he left,” he says.
“What do you mean?”
“Well, it started out great. We met, and it was all fireworks. We went away, like, four weekends in a row.”
“When was this?” I frown.
He frowns as he thinks back. “Last August, I think.”
I was in Paris with the girls for a month.
“But then something happened, and just out of nowhere, he would never stay over anymore.”
I swallow the lump in my throat. That’s because he was in my bed.
“It dragged on for a few months. I would get to see him for a few hours here and there. Nothing substantial.”
Zavier was Nathan’s booty-call.
“Anyway, the long and the short of it was that I fell in love with him and he didn’t fall in love with me.”
“Did you ask him why?”
He shrugs. “Said something about how he never got over his first love.”
My heart drops. “Ah.” I smile sadly as I desperately try to hide my emotions.
“But then he met you.” He smiles happily. “So he obviously did in the end. Tell me everything.”
“Well…” I pause, still rattled by his last statement. “We just moved in together.”
“You did?” he says excitedly. “This is great.”
He seems genuinely pleased for me, and I don’t feel threatened by him.
“He’s a really great man.” Zavier smiles as he sips his drink.
“He is.” I think for a moment. “So… you and him are still friends?”
“No.” He shakes his head. “He cut all ties the moment I told him that I loved him.”
“Oh.” I put my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. That’s shitty.”
“Yeah, well, what are you going to do?” He shrugs. “Shit happens.” He smiles. “How did you two meet?”
“We were best friends for ten years.”
He frowns as he listens.
“And then one day, he professed his love for me.”
His eyes hold mine. “I see.” He thinks on that for a moment. “That makes a lot of sense now.” His brow furrows and he looks at the ground as if putting a missing piece in a puzzle.
“Eliza!” Henry calls from across the bar. “You’re up.” He points to the bar, and I laugh.
“Excuse me,” I say to Zavier. “I have to get my drunk and disorderly boss another drink.”
He chuckles as his eyes linger on Henry dancing around a pole. “Oh, I feel sorry for you having to sit next to him tomorrow in the conference. He’s a mess.”
“I know.” I stand.
“It was nice meeting you, Eliza.” Zavier leans up and kisses me on the cheek. “I wish you and Nathan all the happiness in the world. Take care of each other.”
“Thanks.” I smile. “It means a lot.”
I make my way up to my room at 3:00 a.m.
I couldn’t wait for Henry any longer. The man is a party animal. My mind is heavily on my conversation with Zavier earlier.
It was the weirdest thing; I didn’t feel threatened by Zavier at all and I found him fascinating to talk to. As if I could finally put a piece of the Nathan puzzle together.
One thing keeps playing over and over in my mind, though.
That makes a lot of sense now.
What did he mean by that? Is it the fact that Nathan and I were friends? Or does he think that Nathan loved me all along? Hmm, I wish I asked him what he meant at the time. It’s going to eat away at me.
I get into my room and take my phone out of my bag.
17 missed calls: Nathan.
I smile and immediately dial his number.
“Where have you been?” he snaps.
I smile. “Drinking,” I slur. Boy I feel tipsy.
“With who?”
“Everybody.”
“Where are you now?”
I smile at his bossiness. “At home. I mean I’m in my room… alone.”
“Ah.” I hear him relax. “I was worried about you.”
“Don’t be.” I sit on the edge of my bed. This alcohol fog has me missing him and feeling over affectionate. “Do you know I love you?” I whisper.
“I do. Do you know that I love you?”
“Sometimes.” I smile as I lie back on the bed.
“All the time.” I can tell he’s relieved that we aren’t fighting anymore. “Put me on speaker and take your makeup off.”