“I don’t care. There’s no way I can be comfortable eating with everyone. It’ll feel like everyone’s watching us and…” She shook her head. “I’m just not going.”
“Okay.”
Her eyes went a little wide. “Okay? That’s it? You’re not going to tell me I’m wrong?”
“Nope.”
“Oh, well…good.” Her chin lifted, and she stood a little taller. “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”
He stared down at her. “You’re not…I mean…we’re not…”
Evie let out a soft sigh, which seemed to match her expression. “This is all kind of getting a little out of control and maybe we should just quit while we’re ahead.”
He didn’t say a word. There was plenty that he actually wanted to say, but he wanted to hear her out before he tried to change her mind.
“We originally said it was just going to be a kiss, then it was just one night, then it was the weekend, I mean…where does it end? Could we keep hooking up until I go back to Seattle? Sure. But now that everyone’s watching and you know I don’t want Milo to find out…” She groaned again. “I’m not cut out for this kind of thing. This is why I’ve never been in a casual relationship. I thought I could be okay with the sneaking around, but I can’t.”
“You know Milo’s not going to care, right? And if he has anything to say about it, I’ll take care of it.”
Her smile was sad. “Don’t you get it? I don’t want you to take care of anything. I don’t want you fighting with one of your best friends over a relationship that’s kind of a non-relationship. Milo and I have worked together for several years; he knows me almost better than some of my closest friends. He knows I don’t do things like this. You might think he isn’t going to care, but I can guarantee you that he will.”
“Oh.” Well, shit. What was he going to say to that?
“Once this weather clears up, you’ll be busy working with your hikes and tours and whatnot; Milo and I will spend most of our days at the office in town. We don’t really have to see each other. And then I’m leaving in two weeks.” She paused. “I’ll be back in Seattle for a week before I leave for Costa Rica for my brother’s wedding. And by the time I get back to my regularly scheduled life, this will all just be a distant memory. A very special one, but I’d rather we get to end it like this rather than in a blaze of embarrassing stories and us not liking each other very much.”
“That’s never going to happen, Evie. There’s nothing you could possibly do or say that would make me not like you.”
Her smile grew, but barely. “You’re sweet, Slater. And I can’t imagine ever not liking you, but I don’t like this situation and sneaking around.”
“Okay, but…”
She held up her hand to stop him. “I know you well enough to know that we already had a very limited shelf life. You were never going to change your mind about the way you viewed romantic relationships and suddenly fall so in love with me that you wanted a forever thing.”
He saw unshed tears brimming in those big brown eyes, and it gutted him.
“I knew that going in,” she went on. “And I would never ask you to change who you are because you’re pretty damn awesome.”
“Evie…”
“I’m good, Slater. I promise. I have to work with these people for the next few weeks, and I’d rather stay under the radar.”
He knew this about her, knew how much she hated all the attention and yet, because he was a selfish bastard who couldn’t stay away, she was now going to isolate herself.
“This is my fault,” he said gruffly. “And it’s not fair that you have to eat dinner alone and miss out on having a good time with people who genuinely care about and like you.”
“It’s my choice,” she said quietly. “Please go and have a good time, but don’t tell anyone about the movie. I told Milo I had a headache, so…”
“He won’t hear it from me.”
“Thanks.”
They stood there staring at each other for several long moments before she was the one to speak.
“I should go. I’m gonna grab a sandwich and eat in the theater so I can snag a seat before the crowds come in. Since it’s a rainy night, I’m sure it’s going to be crowded.”
Sliding his hands into his pockets, he nodded. “The heavy-duty umbrella is in my office. If it’s still raining when you’re ready to leave, just grab it.”
“I’ll be fine, Slater. But thanks.”
