“Probably just annoyed at being manipulated by Shay,” I pointed out.
She bit her lip. “I know you like him, but don’t you think it’s weird that someone like him, someone who’s made a name for himself as a playboy of sorts, suddenly seems so content to snuggle up and be in a relationship?”
“Maybe that’s not who he actually is, or ever was.” I felt compelled to defend Eli, but Trace’s words made a lot of sense. They were the same questions I had been asking myself over and over. Why did Eli seem so different from what I had expected? Was it truly that he was misunderstood, or was it all an act? My gut told me it couldn’t be. There was no way he could fake the authenticity that radiated from him during our conversations.
Don’t be dense, Calla. He’s an actor.
I brushed the thought away. If he was that good an actor, he would already have awards lining his shelves.
“Look, Trace. I appreciate your concern, but there’s way more depth to him than you realize. Plus, I’m being cautious.” I gave her a reassuring smile.
“Good, I’m glad you’re being careful. I don’t want to stir up anything, I just had to tell you,” she said, backing away. “Goodnight, Calla.”
Crap. Now thoughts of Eli not being genuine would probably flood my mind all evening. I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or a bad thing that I’d said I’d see him later. Our evening conversations were where I allowed myself to be the most vulnerable with him. But they were also where he was the most vulnerable with me. At least, I thought he was.
As I approached the dining room, voices halted me in my tracks before I could walk inside.
“Stop acting like you don’t like me, Eli.” Sofia’s voice sounded sultry now, instead of bitter. “You sure weren’t acting like you hated me when you kissed me.”
My heart pounded against my chest. They had kissed?When? Why hadn’t he mentioned it? I brushed my fingers against my lips. Our kiss by the water suddenly didn’t seem quite as special.
“That was the first day.” Eli sounded cold.
“Pick me tomorrow. We were way better partners. Calla just drags you down.”
Her words made me queasy. They were true, after all. Ever since Eli and I had become partners, I had managed to mess up basically every challenge.
“I won’t be picking anyone tomorrow,” Eli pointed out. “We came in last.”
His choice of words left a dull ache in the pit of my stomach. He didn’t say he wouldn’t pick her even if the rankings had been different. He didn’t tell her he’d always pick me.
“I know you want me, Eli.” Her low whisper had me imagining her pressed up against him and I quickly backed away. There was no way I was going to torture myself with this conversation any longer.
I raced through the room and down a hallway until I was safely secured in my suite. My breath was ragged as I paced the confines of my room.
Maybe Trace was right. I needed to be a lot more careful with my heart. Especially where Eli was concerned.
Chapter Fifteen
I stumbledinto breakfast the next morning, weary from another night of restless sleep.
“Morning,” Trace said cheerily as I slumped into the seat next to her. “Coffee?” she asked.
“Please.” I held up my mug and she poured me some.
“No offense, Calla, but you look awful,” Danny said in his usual gruff voice from across the table.
“How am I not supposed to take offense to that?”
Rachel and Arnie came in and sat across the table from me. Arnie took one look at me before asking, “Rough night?”
I sighed and sipped my coffee, which had just barely cooled down enough not to scald the roof of my mouth. Apparently, the extra time I had taken to apply concealer to the circles under my eyes this morning had been a pointless effort.
Grant and Sofia walked in and sat at the other end of the table. Of course, Sofia was flawless. She always trotted down to breakfast in some skintight athleisure outfit that probably cost half of my month’s rent. I watched her perfectponytail bounce from side to side as she reached for something across the table. Was it my imagination, or was she considerably peppier than she had been the past two mornings?
Trace elbowed me lightly in the ribcage. “Stop staring,” she whispered.
“I wasn’t staring,” I lied, even though I had been quite obviously sizing Sofia up. I had been trying not to compare myself to her, but now that I knew Eli had kissed her it was all I could think about. There was no way I was his type over her. She screamed LA. I screamed baggage.
