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Eva sighs. Her voice is soft as she speaks, keeping her eyes focused on her lap. “Once, I could handle. Twice, I could find a way to deal with it. But Emerson, I wasn't comfortable with it and now this is like the fourth or fifth call; it's becoming a routine. How would you feel if I were leaving you naked in bed, shortly after sleeping together, to talk to my ex? I'm glad you're telling me, but I don't like it. I stayed quiet because I figured maybe you needed closure and because I trust what we are and what we have is worth sticking around for.”
She pauses for a moment to let her works sink in. “Your two years will be up soon. Maybe she doesn't want to wait that long anymore. What am I doing here if she's still in the picture? If you're going to leave me to go back to her because all you were doing was biding your time by doing what she asked?” Eva shakes her head. “I don't think I can do that, Emerson. I don't want parts of you, I don't want to wonder if you'll up and leave me, and I don't want to get hurt.
“This thing with her is driving me crazy. I've tried not to tell you, but I don't know how many times I can stand for you to leave me in bed to talk to her. I don't want to make you choose, I really don't. But I don't think I can do this, Emerson. I thought I could, but I can't. I can't.”
A tear falls from her eye and I wipe it away. The words come willingly with no doubt accompanying them. “If it makes you uncomfortable, then I won't answer any more calls, Eva.” Her eyes widen in disbelief. “Until the day I met you, I had every intention of going back home to get back together with her. I care about you and I don't want to hurt you. So, I won't talk to her anymore.”
“Are you sure? I know what she means to you and—”
“She asked me to see other people. She knew what that could lead to.” I cup her face. “Don't you know what you mean to me, Eva?”
She gives me a rueful smile. “I have an idea, but it's kind of hard not to let the doubt creep in, Emerson.”
“No more doubting.”
“Are you sure you're sure?” She studies my face, searching for answers.
“So sure I made the decision during the phone call. I don't want to mess things up with you. I trust that what we have is worth sticking around for, too.” I stand and pull her up with me. “Let's go to bed. I'm sure you're shivering under there. My grandma would be.”
Eva shoves me. “Shut up or I'll make you sleep on the couch in your own apartment.”
I laugh. Finally, my shoulders aren't feeling weighed down. In fact, I feel weightless. All because I let Kelly go and held on to Eva. Never in a million years would I have guessed something like this. Maybe I'll never find out why Kelly wanted the break or why she started calling again. I'm actually okay with that though. Kelly is my past. Eva is my present and future. That's the way I want it.
I WAKE UP cold and with goose bumps on my arm. When I notice I only have the sheet covering me, I roll over to see Emerson with both comforters. Groaning, I push him. “Emerson, you stole my comforter,” I practically growl at him.
He wakes up easily since it's probably time to wake up anyway and gives it back to me. “Sorry, sunshine.”
“Whatever. I'm cold.”
Emerson has the nerve to chuckle. However, he makes it up to me by pulling me against him and sharing his comforter as well. “I'll warm you back up.”
I bury my face into his neck, smiling as I remember what happened last night. He closed the door on his past. He decided his present was more important.
“Are you actually smiling? In the morning?” Emerson teases.
I wrap my arms around him. “You're the one who calls me sunshine.”
“Because you're grouchy as hell in the morning and I love that about you. It's the opposite of what I usually see.”
“You like that I'm grouchy?”
“And a little mean, too,” he adds. “You pushed me off the bed. Almost did it again this morning.”
“No, I didn't almost. You woke up too easily. Now, be quiet and let me sleep some more. And don't say it's about time to get up. A few more minutes, please.”
He kisses my temple and lets me sleep for those few more minutes. Or at least, he tries to. I'm nearly back asleep when he speaks again, his lips brushing against my skin.
“Let's play hooky, Eva. I don't want to get out of bed either.”
“Even work?”
“Yeah.”
“You're becoming a bad influence, Emerson,” I say, leaning back to look at him with a slight smile. “If I call in sick, I can't promise Barry will let me have a weekend off soon to visit your parents.”
“We could make a day of it instead of an entire weekend then.”
“You really want to do this?” He nods. “Okay. You're going to have to feed me though.”
