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As I rent a car and make my way to Burbank, the thought of being with Belle long enough to become snowbirds has me hiding a sheepish grin.
Kitty was right about me being a moron—I should never have let her get her ass on that flight without knowing when she was coming back. Without pinning down a date. But she’d taken me by surprise and mostly, I’d just been reeling about how fucking easy I was to walk away from.
Riding through the city, I make my way to the diner where she used to work. Kitty only mentioned job interviews, nothing concrete, so I’ll start at Charlie’s diner.
If not, I can always go to her place, but I don’t feel like showing up there out of the blue. She might feel cornered, and after what she’s been through, after what I’ve put her through, she doesn’t deserve that.
When I stroll into the diner a couple hours later—traffic in L.A. is worse than in NYC—the place has quieted down after the lunch rush.
I take my usual spot and that’s when someone rolls up beside my table and slips into the seat opposite me without asking if it’s taken.
At first, I think it could be Belle, but this broad’s got a scowl meaner than a pissed-off pit bull and her nails roll along the Formica table as she drums her fingers, demanding, “What took you so long?”
I frown. “Do I know you?”
“I’m Eve.”
“So?”
“So, I’m one of Cin—I mean, Belle’s best friends.”
My lips twitch with pride. “She wants you to call her Belle?”
“She does.” Her eyes narrow. “It’s been a week since she got back.”
“I know.”
“Took a week for you to figure out you were a complete ass?”
I don’t like being interrogated, but I admit, “Yeah.”
“Would’ve taken my stubborn-ass man a lot longer, so I can commend you for that.” She smirks. “So, do you have good intentions?”
“What is this? An interview?”
“Yep. I never met you before and Belle’s still in a fragile headspace. She told us what happened between you.”
“She did?”
“After a half-dozen shots of tequila, sure.” She purses her lips. “You fucked her instead of kidnapping her.”
I scrape a hand over my face. “When you put it like that, I have to wonder what the hell I’m even doing here.”
“The truth hurts.”
“It does.”
She arches a brow at me. “Do you have feelings for her?”
“I do.”
“She said you didn’t tell her you loved her.”
I tip up my chin. “That’s between me and her.”
“You made it my business by breaking my girl’s heart,” she retorts.
“She’s the one who left. She could have stayed—”
