Chapter 20 Eva
Maddy hugs the spare pillow as we lie in my bed watching Gilmore Girls.
It’s our comfort show, where no thinking is required, and the fast-paced banter calms our chaotic minds. I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve binge-watched it.
“I just don’t understand why you want the rich playboy. Everyone knows Logan will never settle down with one girl,” Maddy says, eagerly starting our usual argument.
Team Jess or Team Logan.
Dean is not an option in either of our eyes.
“And you think Jess can settle down? His trauma is next level.”
Maddy huffs. “He was willing to run away with Rory.”
“And why should she give up all her dreams?” I argue, keeping my stance firm on the subject. “Just to run away with some bad boy wearing a leather jacket.”
It’s the same old argument, no matter how many times we’ve seen it. We both turn silent, focusing on the screen. Unlike Maddy, my head isn’t completely here.
Not since Aston left.
I try hard not to think about our kiss, or should I say, kisses. And I’m definitely trying not to think about the way he lifted my tank top and devoured my breasts like a hungry beast deprived of food.
But most of all, I am especially trying not to think about his cock looking so delicious. He wasn’t wrong when he said his car wasn’t compensating for his goods. If anything, I am the loser who assumed he was not well-endowed.
Boy, was I so very wrong.
And it is perfect. How can a male organ be so perfect? I’ve slept with only a handful of guys, but let’s just say there have been some questionable ones. One was crooked and another was skinny but super long. Oh God, stop thinking about cocks.
I glance over at my phone sitting on the nightstand.
Even if I want to text Aston, I won’t risk it with Maddy by my side.
Lying here beside her, my guilt is already at an all-time high.
So, it’s a small lie I’m keeping from her.
This won’t go anywhere, so why should I mention it and add more to her already full plate?
Maddy lets out a yawn. “Are you waiting on a call from your hot doctor?”
“Or a text,” I lie, then end up yawning, too. “Maybe he’s super busy at the hospital.”
My phone pings with a message from Aston.
Aston
We’re far from over.
I press my lips together, holding back a smile as the words spread to every part of my body in a mad delight. With a deep breath, I control my need to text him back and place the phone on the nightstand, face down, on silent.
“What did he say?” Maddy questions in a tired voice.
“Um, nothing. Just that he’ll call me tomorrow.”
A thickness forms in my throat, prompting me to change the subject. I forgot to ask Maddy how her dinner with Myles was, so I ask now in an effort to distract her from my love life.
“It was fine. I guess Myles is overwhelmed with work, and his dad really wants him to take over the business.”
I raise my brows. “Would that mean leaving Broadway?”
“I don’t know what it means, to be honest. It’s a bit of a sore topic, so I’m trying to stay out of it.”
“Maddy,” I begin softly. “You can’t stay out of it if he’s going to be your husband. Things will change. Myles’s family will soon be your family, too.”
“Oh, trust me, I know.” She sighs, then turns to face me. “It just feels… complicated.”
I move a loose strand of hair away from her face. “Complicated for now.”
“What if it’s complicated forever?”
“It’s only complicated if you keep resisting the change. One thing at a time, okay? We need to get you to the altar first. Don’t get caught up in all this business talk.”
“It just feels like I’m losing myself to everyone else’s wants.
I was on a video chat with my team about a production later this year.
We were discussing the costumes because it’s a period drama, and you know how much I love that.
In the middle of this, my phone is blowing up with Dad insisting I have a discussion with Myles about the future.
How do I tell my father to kindly leave me alone when he’s paying for the whole wedding? It makes me sound ungrateful.”
“You pick your battles. Tell him your focus is on the wedding, which is just around the corner.”
“You’re right.” She nods, then turns to lie on her back with her eyes on the television screen. “Is my brother being a dick or actually helping? You can tell me the truth.”
My fingers twist the blanket as I clear my throat. “Um… a bit of both. You know him, controlling and busy with work.”
“You’ll tell me if he treats you like dirt, right?”
“Of course,” I mumble, trying to keep a blank face. “I can stand on my own. I’m a big girl now. Don’t worry about your brother. I can handle him.”
“Okay, the last thing I need is more stress on top of my ever-growing list of things stressing me out. I honestly don’t think I’ve been this stressed in my entire life.”
“It’ll be over soon, and you know I’ll help you with whatever you need.”
Maddy turns over on her side, gazing at me. “What did I do to deserve a best friend like you?”
My lips curve upward, but my indiscretion brings me back to reality. If it were Marco I fooled around with and not Aston, I’d be sharing all the sordid details. Instead, I’m hiding this secret just to protect my best friend. “Go to sleep, Maddy. You need to rest.”
Maddy expels another yawn, which then prompts me. We fall into a vicious yawn cycle until I glance over and notice she’s sleeping. With soft snores passing through her lips, I tug on the blanket to cover her body.
I watch her sleep, ignoring the guilt seeping into my conscience. Maddy is my ride-or-die, and Aston is someone who has piqued my sexual interest. That’s where this needs to end.
Despite the yawns, I struggle to fall into a deep sleep, tossing and turning for most of the night. All the while, Maddy is fast asleep, so I try not to wake her with my constant movement.
I give up when the clock hits five, deciding to take a shower and head downstairs early.
It takes me forever to decide what to wear, but I opt for jeans and a black knitted sweater with cherries all over it.
Before I leave, I write a note on a piece of paper and stick it to Maddy’s head, letting her know I’m downstairs in the café.
It’s still dark outside when I turn on the lights in the kitchen. The café doesn’t open until seven, leaving us time to let the dough rise before frying and icing. I throw all the ingredients into the mixer to prepare, but then my phone rings with Billie’s name flashing on the screen.
I press answer, putting the call on speaker. “Hey. Everything okay?”
“Not really,” Billie replies with a worried tone. “Mom’s had a reaction to her new medication, and I need to take her to the ER.”
My hand immediately reaches out for my phone to bring it closer. “Do whatever you need to do. I’ve got this covered. Will you be okay?”
“I have to be, don’t I?”
I can hear the trepidation in her voice. With a heavy weight sitting on my chest, I take a seat on the stool and try to think of other ways to help Billie.
“I’ll call Chloe to help out. Take as long as you need,” I offer, feeling helpless.
Billie rushes to say goodbye so she can take her mom to the ER.
I’m praying Marco is at the hospital and can maybe help her out.
Given that we are a small town, the hospital isn’t that big and sits on the border of where two other towns meet.
I’ve visited only a few times, but each time, it was busy, as they are always short-staffed.
I take a breath, mentally preparing myself to work independently for the day. It’s only after I mention Chloe on the call that I remember she drove into the city to take her sister to look at student housing near the NYU campus, since she’s transferring there next semester.
Maddy enters the café just before seven, helping me out with the morning rush before leaving for a meeting with the caterer at nine. Before she leaves, I assure her I will be fine on my own, since our regulars have left, so there won’t be too many customers in the store.
I’ve wiped down all the tables and restocked the glass cabinets with fresh donuts when a small bus stops at the front entrance.
The doors of the bus open, and a bunch of elderly people slowly take each step off the bus and gather on the sidewalk.
There are at least twenty of them, and they don’t look like locals.
One lady doesn’t take long to turn around and point to the café. They all nod in agreement, and before I have a chance to prepare anything, they enter one by one and occupy all the tables.
Great.
I lose track of time, taking orders and mustering up my patience when three customers list their dietary requirements. They felt it was important to inform me. Then they proceeded to tell me the whole story about their hip surgeries, which led to all these problems to begin with.
At the counter, I work the espresso machine, making sure I prepare each order correctly. God knows what will happen if the lady at table five accidentally drinks cow’s milk instead of soy.
God does know, and so do you, after she gave you a descriptive breakdown of her bowel movements.
The machine expels a grinding sound while crushing the coffee beans. As I momentarily glance up, I see Aston standing at the counter wearing a charcoal-gray coat with a light blue dress shirt. The shirt is slightly unbuttoned, exposing a small amount of his chest.
He cocks his head, rubbing his chin while looking deliciously sexy. “So, you are alive, then?”
Those green eyes dive into my soul, stopping my ability to breathe for just one moment. I shake my head to pull myself out of the trance, then respond, “Billie’s mom is sick, so it’s only me today. It was fine until this busload of customers arrived.”
I wait for him to say something to rile me up, but instead, he removes his coat and moves behind the counter. “Where do you need me?”
“Um… what are you doing?”
Aston throws his coat under the counter and begins to roll up his sleeves. “I’m helping you.”