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“For what?” Eleanor took a drink of beer.
“For what?” Daisy echoed. “If it hadn’t been for you and Wes, I would have been hurt or dead, and Xander would’ve kidnapped poor Anna.”
“I didn’t do anything,” Eleanor said. “I was only there because Wes doesn’t drive and needed my car to do the stakeout.”
“I know that’s not true,” Daisy said. “Grayson and Wes were over on Sunday, and Wes told Cooper exactly what happened. You spotted Xander, and you convinced Wes to break into Xander’s apartment, and you saw the picture of Xander and Tabitha on the fridge.”
“Wes told you I did that?” Eleanor said.
“Yes. Did you think he would take the credit?” Daisy asked.
Eleanor shrugged. “I don’t know him that well.”
Daisy leaned forward. “Will you tell me what happened with you and Wes that night?”
“Nothing happened.” Eleanor set her bottle of beer down with a thump. Her nerves were suddenly wrapped up tighter than a ball of elastic bands. “Why do you think something happened? Did Wes say something, uh, happened?”
“No, but you seem sad tonight. And both you and Wes were acting weird at the house Thursday night after Cooper saved Anna and me from Xander.”
“We weren’t acting weird. You’d had a traumatic experience and weren’t seeing things clearly,” Eleanor said.
Daisy just stared at her. Eleanor’s palms itched, and she scrubbed them against the thighs of her jeans. She was dying to tell Daisy what had happened. She had a hard time making and keeping friends, and as sad as this was, even knowing Daisy for less than a month – she was the closest friend Eleanor had.
Daisy reached out and took her hand. “You don’t have to tell me. But I think we’re starting to be friends, right? And you look like you could use a friend right now.”
Eleanor took a deep breath. “Wes and I kissed Thursday night in the hallway of Xander’s apartment because Xander was coming out of his apartment and there was no place to hide, and I kind of panicked and grabbed Wes and started kissing him.”
“Oh, okay,” Daisy said.
“He kissed me back,” Eleanor said. “Like, with tongue, and his hands were… and he said… stuff. Stuff that I didn’t expect him to say.”
She knew her face was bright red, and thank God, Daisy didn’t ask her to elaborate. She just nodded and said, “That explains the weirdness.”
“I was already attracted to him, okay? Like, super attracted to him, but I was one hundred percent positive that he wasn’t into me. Partially because of the age difference, but also I never shut up, and I know it drives him crazy, and plus, he told me he’s into tall blondes with blue eyes, which is the exact opposite of me. Only…”
“Only what?” Daisy said.
“He was very… enthusiastic about the kissing,” Eleanor said.
Daisy laughed. “I think that probably indicates you’re wrong about him not being into you. Have you talked to him since Thursday night? I know he didn’t go into work on Friday, and he drove in with Grayson this morning.”
“I picked him up after work. I thought he was avoiding me, especially when he didn’t book me for this morning’s drive into work, but at noon today, he sent me a text and booked me for the rest of the week, like he normally does.”
“What did Wes say when you picked him up after work?” Daisy said.
“Nothing. He was the same as he always is. He acted like we hadn’t made out in a hallway, like he hadn’t had his tongue in my mouth, or felt up my ass, or told me he’d give me his cock when… oops. Sorry. That’s way too much information,” Eleanor said.
Daisy shrugged. “I don’t mind. Maybe he was just embarrassed or didn’t know what to say. I mean, Wes barely talks at the best of times, right?”
“Yeah, but it was more than that. When Wes looked at me tonight, it was like I was just Eleanor. The same ditzy girl who’s driven him to and from work every day for over a year and nothing more. Like he didn’t even remember kissing me. I spent the entire weekend obsessing over every moment between us on Thursday night, and it was more than clear that he didn’t give it a second thought. It meant nothing to him.”
“Well,” Daisy said carefully, “that might be true. But it might not be either. Wes has a really good poker face.”
Eleanor blew out her breath. “Maybe, but it doesn’t matter anyway. I hurt his feelings.”
“How?” Daisy said.
“He gave me a can of Mace for protection, and I argued with him. I said my safety wasn’t his concern because we weren’t even friends.” She poked at the peeling label on her beer bottle. “I didn’t mean it. I was just kind of pissed that he was acting so… normal. You know? But it was obvious that it hurt his feelings, and now I feel bad, and then I got that stupid parcel.”
