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We met in the middle, both of our arms open, waiting for the other to fall into them.
Leaning down, I whispered in her ear, “Just don’t say no out of spite.”
I wasn’t sure what on earth had possessed me to say that, but she pulled away from my embrace and gave me a disapproving look.
“I would never do that,” she said, but I’d already known that wasn’t in her nature, so I wasn’t sure why I’d forced her to say it out loud.
Maybe I’d needed to hear it. Being surrounded by fake people on a daily basis got to me sometimes. Eve was as real as it got. She had loved me before the fame. And I knew she loved me still.
I just hoped that would be enough for her to give us another chance.
SECOND CHANCES
EVE
Tyson left without a fight, and I watched him disappear out my front door before I got ready for bed. My head was filled with so many thoughts and memories from the past. I tossed and turned all night. Once I finally did fall asleep, Tyson haunted my dreams. Nothing really happened during them. He was just…there. At my side. In my bed. Holding my hand. Attending events with me. They were like snippets of moments that hadn’t happened yet.
I woke with a start before realizing that my phone alarm was playing my wake-up song. Reaching for the Stop button, I hit it before firing off a text to JJ, asking her to come over without any other details. I needed my best friend, and there was so much to fill her in on. She was going to absolutely lose her shit. Nervous butterflies started flapping their wings inside my stomach when I got her response.
JJ: On my way. Bringing coffee.
I scrolled through the rest of my notifications, reading a handful of concerned messages from Greg. He was convinced I hated him and wasn’t going to stop reaching out until I assured him that we were fine. I typed out a response to let him know I wasn’t mad and we’d talk later, and then I felt a sliver of disappointment zing through me at not seeing any other messages waiting.
Tyson was giving me the time and space that I’d asked him for, but that didn’t seem to stop my emotions from going haywire over it. The poor guy couldn’t win.
Throwing the covers off, I reached my arms over my head and stretched before stepping out of the warmth of my bed. JJ didn’t live far enough away for me to hop in the shower, so I dismissed that original thought. Grabbing a pair of sweats and pulling them on over the thong I’d changed into last night, I went through my typical morning routine of stretching and a few quick yoga poses. It always made me feel better, centered somehow.
The doorbell rang in quick succession, over and over again, and I knew my best friend was here.
“I’m coming. Stop ringing that thing!” I yelled.
But she didn’t stop, and I heard the sound of her laughing from the other side of the door.
I threw it open, and she barged inside, almost knocking me over in the process, balancing our drinks in one of those tray things with one hand. JJ waltzed into the kitchen, pulled the coffees from the holder, and placed them on the table across from each other, exactly where Tyson and I had sat last night.
She plopped down into the chair and gave me an impatient look. I was clearly taking too long to follow her lead.
“Sit. And start talking.”
I opened my mouth to speak, and she raised her hand to stop me.
“Wait. First things first. Did I win the bet last night? Of course I did.”
“No, you didn’t.”
Aside from Tyson knowing who I was, which I didn’t really count anymore, there had been other people who not only complimented my costume, but also loved it.
“People knew who I was. But to be fair, some had no idea, even after I told them.”
“I knew it,” she said proudly, as if she’d won. Taking a sip of her drink, she eyed me. “So, what’s going on? What happened?”
I wasn’t even sure where to start. Once my brain figured that part out, I filled her in on the whole fake-Anakin-slash-Tyson debacle up until he had left my place last night.
“This is crazy. I can’t believe he was at the party. And you didn’t recognize him?”
Shaking my head, I knew it sounded unbelievable. “He was unrecognizable in his costume and makeup.”
“What about his voice? His mannerisms? I mean, I hate my ex, but I’d still recognize that asshole anywhere.”
