Page 98 of Elf-ish

But Eva and Zebb share a look, and Eva’s face turns pink.

I roll my lips before saying, “Can you forgive me?”

My heart is hammering. If there was ever a moment a second stress cardiomyopathy incident might strike, this is it. My ribs begin to tighten as if caving in on my insides. I unflex my hands, stretching my fingers, before pulling them back to fists.

Please forgive me.

“Of course,” Eva says, glancing at Zebb a second before looking back at me. “It was a long time ago.” She waves a dismissive hand. “And, you did me a favor. Leaving Ashford’s was the wake up call I needed to start my own little shop.”

My shoulders slowly lower. I loosen my fists. She’s letting me off too easily, but most of all, I’m glad she found another path.

“I’d love to see it,” I admit. Retailers love to check out other retailers. Although I won’t be doing it because I consider Eva competition. I’d just like to visit her shop.

“You’re welcome at any time,” Eva says, offering me a hesitant smile.

“Let me out,” Angelica says, her voice carrying over the group, and I turn in her direction.

The person in a chair near the booth moves, and the person in the booth scoots out, and Angelica walks across the bench on her knees, with her coat and her purse suddenly in her hands, before stepping away from her friends.

Standing right in front of me, so close I want to pull her in for a hug when I’m not that guy, she says to me, “Let’s get out of here.”

Taking my hand, she leads me out of the bar and onto the sidewalk. Snow is lightly falling, and I glance up at the dark sky.

“I’m so proud of you, Jude.”

When I gaze down at her, her face might as well be the moon, illuminating the heavens. Her smile is wide. Those eyes of hers are flames of light.

“I’m kind of proud of me, too,” I admit, though I tremble just a little bit. The rush of adrenaline is slowly settling in my system.

“For a minute there, you almost gave me a heart attack.” She slaps her hand above her left breast. “I thought you and Eva . . .”

“Oh no. God, no.” I shake my head. Eva is beautiful, but she has nothing on the angel in front of me.

Angelica wrinkles her nose. “Your fitting rooms, Jude? Really?”

Guess I won’t be telling how I lost my virginity any time soon. But it doesn’t matter what happened before.

“I checked another thing off the list.”

“You did?” She tilts her head.

“Ask forgiveness.”

Slowly, she smiles. “You’re really taking the list seriously.”

I’m taking you seriously. And if I want to make a better impression . . . be better . . . I need to change.

I want to change.

“Still up for a drink?” I ask.

She hesitates. “There’s another bar down the street.”

“Perfect.” I hook her arm in mine and let her lead the way.

chapter 31

[Angelica]