AllFreeNovel
Share Us
The waitress placed the check on the table. “Take your time.” To Lia, she added in a conspiratorial stage whisper, “I hope you said yes.”
≈
After breakfast, they took a walk along the boardwalk by the French Broad River. The morning was sunny but a little chilly, especially as Beau had raced from his apartment the night before without taking the time to grab his jacket.
Just as he reached for Lia’s hand, his cell phone dinged. “Fuck,” he swore softly.
“What?” Lia asked.
As if in reply, the phone dinged again.
“Aren’t you going to see who that is?”
Earlier that morning as he’d dressed, Beau had noticed the dozen or so text messages that had come in the night before from a number he recognized as Renee’s, though he’d removed her from his contact list some time ago. There were also several missed calls and accompanying voicemails. Those he deleted without listening to them.
The messages had ranged in tone and substance from outraged disbelief at the way he’d run off to declarations of love and back again to fury. It had been startling to realize just how little her words moved him. He’d used to equate her high emotional drama with true love. Now, he understood it for the hyperbole it was. Still, the gentleman in him couldn’t ignore her entirely, so he’d dashed off a text apologizing for leaving her so abruptly while reminding her there was no longer anything between them.
Now, he pulled out the phone and swiped at the screen. As he’d feared, it was yet another text from Renee.
This is your last chance. Meet me at the Grand Bohemian, room 256, in half an hour or you’ll never see me again.
“Who’s it from?” Lia asked.
“My ex.” Beau showed her the phone.
“Drama queen,” Lia said with a grin. “So, you gonna meet her?” Her tone was playful, but Beau sensed a trace of lingering concern underneath.
“No way in hell,” he replied emphatically.
“You going to answer?” Lia persisted.
“I don’t think so,” Beau replied. “I’m afraid it would just encourage her. I’m going to do what I should have done three years ago.”
Angling his phone so Lia could see what he was doing, he blocked the phone number associated with the text, and then deleted the message.
As if in electronic response, Lia’s phone buzzed. She barked a startled laugh. “Oh, no. I hope she didn’t somehow getmynumber.” She pulled out her phone and swiped at the screen.
“Not sure if this is better or worse. It’s from Loretta.” She held out the phone so Beau could see.
Brunch tomorrow morning. Bring your young man.
Beau lifted a brow as he read. “What young man would that be?”
Lia laughed. “Good point. You areawfullyold.”
“Ouch,” he said with a mock wince.
“So,” she said. “Should I tell her yes?”
“Absolutely,” Beau affirmed. “It would be my pleasure.”
He took her hand again, their fingers intertwining as he led her to a bench. “Let’s sit a bit. I want to talk to you about where we go from here.”
“Sounds ominous,” Lia said with a smirk.
“I’m serious.”
The grin fell away. “I know,” she said softly, her own vulnerability showing. “Humor is one of my defenses.”
