Chapter 46
Forty-Six
Eloise
A knock sounds on the door of the condo, and I wipe my hands on the dish towel, padding across the floor to answer.
Kyleigh has two to-go cups of coffee from Beans in hand, one of my favorite cafés. “I got you one.”
I take it from her. “Thank you so much.” I sip, hoping the caffeine hits my veins and magically makes me a better baker.
“Oh, cake.” She walks in and sidles up to the breakfast bar.
“I’m making Conor a cake. Or trying to.” I go back to trying to measure out the ingredients for the frosting. He may only eat a small slice since he’s in season, I’m not sure, but it’s the thought that counts, right?
“I thought this was already off your list.” She cups her coffee with both hands, watching me.
“Yeah, but since the last one never rose, I figured I’d try again. Especially to celebrate his big interview today. He said this is his first solo article and cover.” I can’t help the huge smile on my face.
“I know, I just saw him. I’m so proud of him. He’s waited a long time to be recognized in the league like this. Rowan always says how much more attention Conor deserves. Hopefully this will be the start of it.”
“Did you say you saw him?” I ask, not letting my eyes leave where I’m trying to carefully measure the ingredients.
He texted earlier and said the interview went great, and that he was heading to the gym to get in a workout.
“Yeah, he was at Beans. The two of them were tucked into a corner, deep in conversation, so I bought the coffees and snuck out before he spotted me. I didn’t want him to think I was spying on him, although he’d spy on me.” She laughs, but I’m still confused because he should be at the gym. “She’s a little younger than I assumed she’d be, but maybe I’m just getting older, and everyone looks young now.”
“Younger? How so?” My mind is now far from how much to measure out for the frosting recipe and more on if I put Conor’s dick in the mixer, would it chop it up or just spin it around.
She shrugs. “Just younger than me. She did have the cutest brunette bob though. Makes me want to cut my hair short.”
“Did you say bob?”
“Eloise, do you need Q-tips? You’re not hearing anything I’m saying.” Kyleigh brings her cup to her mouth while I think about the girl from Peeper’s. She had a bob and was a brunette. Could it be a coincidence? I’m not sure.
“You know what, I forgot that I need some vanilla and completely forgot to pick it up.” I wipe my hands on the dish towel and go over to the coat hook to grab my jacket and purse.
“Oh, I have some vanilla at our place.” She slides off the stool.
Of course she does.
“I need fresh vanilla beans. I’m supposed to scrape it out.” I hate lying to her, but I don’t want to seem like her brother’s psycho girlfriend either. I could be wrong, and the interviewer just has the same style as the girl who keeps popping up around Conor. And maybe I misunderstood Conor’s text earlier.
“Well, I’m happy to go with.” She walks to the front door, and I open it.
“It’s okay. I’ll be quick. Thanks for the coffee.” I run back and grab it, following her out the door.
She ascends a few steps and looks at me again. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem off.”
I shake my head. “I’m just mad at myself. I really wanted the cake to be iced and ready for Conor when he got home. Sorry to rush you out.”
“Oh, don’t worry about me. Call me later.”
“I will.” I’ve already turned around and am heading down the stairs, still putting one arm in my coat sleeve.
Outside the security gate, there’s a new sign for the Nest, and I tear it down, tossing it in the trash can on my way down the street toward Beans. Ten minutes later, I peek in through the window of the coffee shop, but I can’t see anything, so I’m left with no choice but to go inside.
I slide in behind a tall guy who looks over his shoulder at me a few times. I peek up and wave. “Just surprising someone. Sorry.”
I slide behind a column, and the people doctoring their coffees at the counter all watch me. I peer around the corner, and sure enough, Conor’s at a table with her. Unless the woman he told me was just a fan also works for SportsVerse, he lied to me.
My veins heat with anger. I take a moment to collect myself, but trying to rationalize it in my head is impossible because I keep circling back to the fact that he lied to me. If this were months ago, and it were Tristan I caught, I’d probably rush out of here without making myself known. But not anymore.
“Fuck this,” I mumble and round the column, heading over to the table.
She sees me first and reaches forward, placing her hand on his wrist. A veil of red lowers over my eyes, and I come to a stop beside the table.
“Hi, Conor.” I cross my arms, glaring at her hand on his wrist.
He follows my vision and retracts his arm, making her hand fall to the table. “Eloise, what are you doing here?”
He’s seriously going to ask me that? “I was just seeing how your interview was going.” I eye the woman.
“Interview? Sweetie, I told you to just tell her the truth,” the brunette says.
Conor stands, blocking me from her view and clasping my elbow. “Let’s go home and talk.”
I wrench my arm from his grip. “I don’t need to talk. Who is she?” I ask through clenched teeth.
“I’m his girlfriend and was before you slid in during our breakup.”
“What?” Conor whips his head around. “We were never a couple.”
I step around him so I can get another look at this woman.
“Oh stop lying, Pinkie, we were together back in Florida,” she coos.
Conor closes his eyes. “She’s lying.”
I find it weird she uses his hockey nickname, but whatever. “You were supposed to be at the gym right now.”
He runs a hand through his hair and down the back of his head, pulling at his neck. “I just…” He looks around the coffee shop, and I’m sure there are a lot of eyes on us, maybe even some phones out at this point. “Can we please just go home so I can explain this all?”
I watch as the girl places her hand on his back. My hands clench into fists to stop myself from ripping her arms from her body. “You finish up here and meet me afterward. I’ll give you fifteen minutes before I pack up my stuff and leave.”
“I’m coming with you.” He puts his hand on the small of my back.
I step to the side so it falls away. He sighs.
“Pinkie!” the brunette says as we walk away.
Conor stops and turns around. “You’ve fucked with my life long enough, and I swear to God.” He leans closer to her. “If I lose her because of you, I’m going to make your life just as miserable as you’ve made mine. We were never a couple. You were never my girlfriend.”
She swallows, and her eyes fill with tears, making me actually feel bad for her. Unlike when I first got here, I don’t think he has anything going on with her. But at the same time, I want answers. I want to know why he would lie to me.
Thankfully, she doesn’t follow. Conor walks in line with me, but he doesn’t try to hold my hand or touch me. He keeps his hands in his pockets until we get to the security gate of the Nest. He punches in the code, and once we’re in the condo, he sees the cake and his shoulders sink.
“Talk,” I say, waiting for him to tell me who exactly the brunette is.