Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
That day was the first of many like it over the next two weeks.
Every morning that I worked at the gallery, Elijah brought in coffee for me. He always brought one for Davide, too. A couple of mornings he also brought pastries from the bakery around the corner, the same one that Davide had bought the mini desserts from when Elijah ditched me.
Things were touch and go last week when Seth showed up one afternoon with coffee and treats.
He was true to his word because things weren’t weird at all.
At least not between us. However, I worried that Elijah was going to blow a gasket when he and Davide came out of the back office and found Seth and I chatting.
While he wasn’t an outright asshole, he was definitely…
grumpy. His thunderous expression faded slightly when Seth gave him one of the four lattes he brought, explaining that Davide had shared he was working in the gallery now.
Seth even brought him a double chocolate chip fudge cookie as wide as his palm.
I know I would have lost any and all ill will after the first bite of that treat.
Elijah managed to hang on to his grumpy expression until he finished the cookie.
Despite his crotchety behavior during Seth’s visit, Elijah was dead set on showing me that he wasn’t going to treat me the way he had before.
He took me to dinner two more nights that week.
On the evenings we didn’t go out to eat, he called me after dinner, and we talked.
Sometimes for an hour. Sometimes for much longer.
He sent flowers to my apartment on the weekend, with little notes about how much he missed me.
I never had a boyfriend in high school, but I was almost certain this was how high school romances went. It was sweet and romantic. And Elijah was succeeding in his goal to prove himself to me. I felt cared for. Seen. Maybe even loved.
We weren’t going to be able to spend much time together this week though because I was gearing up for Lucy’s showing.
She was bringing her photographs to be framed this week, and we were going to discuss my plans for the layout of her show.
Davide had already approved my ideas, so I just needed Lucy’s okay.
I was more than a little nervous about it because, as much as she loved me (and I loved her), she could be extremely picky when it came to her art.
I knew she had gotten into with Davide on more than one occasion, mostly from the stories she told.
When I brought that up to my boss, he shrugged and said she wasn’t really that bad.
Then, he’d shot Elijah a side eye and said he’d worked with worse.
Elijah, who’d been listening to our conversation, just chuckled and kept his eyes on the computer screen in front of him.
Lucy had brought a few photos over to give me an idea of the composition and theme she’d chosen for this collection. As soon as I saw the haunting photos, I knew that thick, yet simple black frames would be perfect. They complemented the style of the photos without overwhelming them.
I only hoped Lucy agreed.
I was in the back room of the gallery, counting the frames that had been delivered that morning.
I’d ordered extra frames just in case some arrived damaged or were broken during the set up.
My concentration was so intense that I didn’t hear the door open behind me. Or the footsteps on the concrete floor.
I had no idea I wasn’t alone until two hands slid around my waist and pulled me back into a hard chest. All the self-defense lessons I’d taken in college deserted me. I didn’t even scream. I yelped like a kicked puppy and threw my notebook up in the air.
Recognition hit me less than a second later because Elijah always smelled like a combination of his body wash and deodorant. It wasn’t a strong scent, but I found it irresistible anyway.
“It’s just me, Brown Eyes.”
Gasping for breath, I whirled around and smacked him on the shoulder. “You scared the hell out of me! Again!”
“Sorry about that. I figured you heard the door open. And my footsteps echoing like gunshots.”
I scowled at him, crossing my arms over my chest. “What are you saying?”
“Um, maybe it’s time to work on your situational awareness?”
He phrased it like a question, which made me laugh. “I was concentrating so hard I didn’t even hear you.”
“I realized that when you threw your notebook up in the air and made squeaky mouse noises.”
“I did not make squeaky mouse noises,” I argued.
“Okay, tiny puppy whimpers, then.”
My scowl returned. “Was there something you needed, Mr. Lawson?”
A smirk tugged at his mouth as he reached out to grasp my hips, pulling me toward him. “Why yes, Ms. Carter.”
I squinted at him, fighting the smile that wanted to curve my lips. “And what was that?”
“I was looking for a kiss.”
Just as he leaned forward, I put my hand on his chest, holding him a few inches away. “I’m not sure who you think I am, but I’m your assistant. Not your girlfriend.”
A playful gleam lit his eyes. “Oh, really? I was under the impression you were both.”
“Not during business hours,” I retorted.
He made a show of looking at his watch. “It’s nearly three p.m. I do believe it’s time for you to take a break.” He grabbed me again, tugging me even closer until my weight rested against him. “So, you’re technically off the clock, Ms. Carter.”
I couldn’t hold back my laugh any longer. I wrapped my arms around his neck. “This is probably a bad idea. Davide could walk back here any minute.”
“Davide already knows I’m smitten with you.”
“That doesn’t mean we need to make-out in the back room and give him any more ammunition for his teasing.”
“I just wanted a kiss, but if you want to make-out, I’m not going to argue against it.”
I opened my mouth to bicker with him some more, but he lowered his head and covered my lips with his. As usual, the kiss went from light and teasing to hot and heavy in the space of a breath.
Our tongues tangled, and my knees went weak. I gave him more of my weight as I shoved my fingers into his hair, holding him tightly.
The door that led to the front of the gallery flew open as Lucy burst through it. My head jerked back, but Eli’s arms remained around me, keeping me from tripping on my feet.
“Holy shit!” Lucy yelled as she stopped just inside the door. Davide crashed into her back, sending them both skidding further into the room.
“Shit,” I whispered.
“It’ll be okay,” Elijah said.
“Oh, you have no idea what’s about to happen,” I said to Eli, keeping my voice pitched low.
“You’re making out with one of your artists?” Lucy asked.
I stepped back. Eli released his hold on my waist, but he moved slowly. Lucy’s gaze narrowed as it fell to where his hands were sliding off my waist.
“Actually, he’s her new boss,” Davide chimed in.
I glared at Davide. “Not. Helping.”
“Your boss?” she asked, her voice pitched an octave higher.
I put a hand on my hip, which made Davide smirk. “I’m sorry. Who was Chris before he became your boyfriend?”
“That’s totally different. He didn’t make a move until I gave him my notice.”
“But you were still working with him when your whole thing started.”
She opened her mouth to continue arguing but stopped when I lifted a hand.
“It’s not up for discussion, Lucy.”
She didn’t give up. “You know it’s a bad idea, right?”
I sighed and crossed my arms over my chest but didn’t respond.
“When did this start, anyway?”
I couldn’t help it. I tensed at her question. And, of course, being Lucy, she saw it.
“Oh. My. God. He’s the guy!” she yelled. She scowled at Elijah. It was a good thing her eyes couldn’t shoot laser beams because he would have been dead.
“The guy?” Eli asked.
“You hurt her,” Lucy said, stomping forward, her hands fisted at her side.
“Hey, chill out.” I lifted my hands in a gesture of surrender. “Let’s get a cup of coffee, and we can have a civil—”
“I know. I screwed up with Gigi.”
“How did you screw up with Gigi?” Lucy asked. She squinted at him and used air quotes when she asked the question. “And you call her Gigi?” Her voice shot up an octave, cracking as she repeated the nickname he gave me.
“That is enough!” I snapped.
Lucy stopped short, rocking back on her heels at the anger in my voice.
I crossed the room to her. “I really appreciate that you’re protective of me, Lucy, but you don’t get to ask Eli those questions.
If I’d wanted you to know all the details of what happened between us when we stopped spending time together, I would have told you and the other girls when I told you things ended. ”
“You mean like you told me that it was Eli you were seeing rather than letting me assume it was some random dude you met on a dating app?” She crossed her arms over her chest and cocked out a hip. Every inch of her body screamed her attitude.
“I didn’t tell you I was seeing Eli because it was between the two of us, and we didn’t want things to be awkward in the group if it didn’t work out.”
She opened her mouth to argue, but I shook my head.
“This isn’t up for discussion, Lucy. I made the best decision for myself at the time, and it’s not cool for you to try to make me feel badly about it.”
The fire seemed to fade out of her. “I wasn’t trying to make you feel bad.”
“I know,” I sighed. “I know you care, and that’s why you were so upset. But things aren’t always simple. In this situation, until I knew if it was going to be more than a few dates, I didn’t want to go through the whole thing until I was ready.”
Lucy nodded.
“I’ll give you a couple of minutes,” Eli said, drawing our attention to him.
I turned my head to look over my shoulder at him. He gave me a kiss on the cheek and headed toward the door, hustling Davide out as he left.
“Hey! I’m friends with both of them. I should be in on the gossip!”
“If they want you to know, they’ll tell you,” Eli said, herding him with his larger body.
“Fine, but I’m only letting you get away with this because you’re hot.”
A laugh escaped me as the door shut behind them. Lucy was smiling too, though it faded quickly once the room became quiet.
“Tell me the truth, Grier. Why didn’t you tell us?”
I sighed. “It really was because I didn’t want to cause awkwardness if things didn’t work out. We hooked up after your wedding, and it was supposed to be a one-time thing. But the next time I saw him, we just…”
“Couldn’t resist?”
I nodded and shrugged. “Basically.”
“Why did you two, um…”
“I asked him to come to Yancy’s rehearsal dinner with me. He explained that he viewed our relationship as casual, like we discussed the first night.”
Lucy’s face hardened. “He didn’t tell you what he wanted when you hooked up the second time?”
I shook my head. “But I also didn’t ask or bring it up. Not that night. Or the next. Or a week later.” I huffed out a laugh, but my eyes stung with tears. “I was afraid to. I didn’t tell him what I wanted or what I was looking for either.”
“You mean my friend Grier didn’t establish her famous boundaries?” Lucy sounded incredulous, but it was enough to pull a sincere laugh from me.
“No, I didn’t. And I set myself up to be hurt.”
“Well, obviously y’all are together now, right? I mean he didn’t seem like he was upset that I caught you two trying to climb each other.”
“No. Um, when he saw that Seth was my date to the rehearsal dinner, he came by my apartment after. I told him that I wanted more than what he was willing to give me. That I wasn’t angry with him or anything. Just that I wanted something different than he did.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“How did we get here, to today, where he was trying to suck your face off?”
“He wore me down,” I finally said.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied me. “Grier.”
I sighed. “He apologized and asked me to give him another chance. He managed to convince me to try, but I’m worried.”
“Why?”
“He already hurt me once. I’m worried he could turn again, and it’ll hurt even worse this time. Just like every person in my life has hurt me.”
“I hurt you?” she asked, sounding so upset at the idea that my eyes were stinging with tears again.
“No, no,” I shook my head. “What I mean is that’s what it feels like.
It’s not necessarily even true, but I felt abandoned as a kid.
Like no one wanted me. You know my mom ditched me when I was little.
Then my grandparents died. My foster parents passed after that, too.
I feel like everyone leaves, whether they want to or not.
And when he said he wasn’t interested in having more with me…
I felt abandoned all over again. I thought he’d felt the same way I did and was just as scared to upset the balance between us. ”
Lucy nodded. “I think I understand.”
“Good because I’m not sure I can think of a better way to explain it.”
“So, you’re worried that he’s going to walk away?”
“Yeah.”
“Have you talked to him about it?”
“Yes and no. I brought it up before we started seeing each other again. I told him that it would be difficult for me to trust his words. He said he understood and that he would show me until I believed him.”
“Show you? How does he intend to do that?”
I shrugged. “He didn’t give me a checklist, but he is acting…differently than when we first got together.”
“And you like it?”
“Yeah.”
“Then, it sounds like things are going well. Why are you afraid he’s going to change his mind?”
“Past trauma.” I had to laugh as I said it because I knew we all had our trauma. Mine was different from my friends, but that didn’t make it worse or better.
“Is he waving red flags?”
I shook my head.
“Then, maybe you should just enjoy the ride,” she said. “Because God knows you deserve someone who makes you happy. Looking at you while we’re talking about him, well, I know you’re talking about being scared, but you also look happy. You’re glowing.”
“I guess I am. But I’m also not used to just letting things ride.”
“Maybe it’s time to try.”
“Is that your official advice?” I asked.
“Yep. Keep talking to him, tell him when he’s fucking up, and try to enjoy the journey. You should listen to me, too, because I’m older and wiser.”
We both laughed at that because Lucy had been a mess when she and Chris got together.
“Well, enough about my dating life. We need to focus on your show and figuring out how we’re going to arrange everything. Fair warning, I’m going based on Davide’s advice and on your previous shows.”
Lucy grinned. “That’s okay. I’m sure I’ll get you whipped into shape in no time.”
Taking in the mischievous smile, I sighed. “You’re going to give me hell, aren’t you?”
She lifted her hand, her thumb and index finger held about an inch apart. “Maybe a little.”
“I guess we should get it over with then.”