33. Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Three
Two months later
“Did you have any pets growing up?” Charlie, my date, asks as he takes a sip of his scotch. His eyes have been glued to my chest for most of the night.
I almost roll my eyes at him, but that would be rude. Seriously, is it me? Do I attract the boring men who only want to get into my pants? It must be me. He’s not terrible to look at, but some effort would be appreciated. The bar is so low, it’s actually in hell. This was a blind date set up by Laryssa, and I was hopeful. It’s been rough these past couple of months. After everything blew up with Alden and The Cerulean fired me, I’ve been trying to keep myself afloat.
After countless applications, I finally landed a new job at a members-only club downtown. It’s not as glamorous as The Cerulean was, but it pays the bills. And surprisingly, Mr. Lindsay didn’t kick me out like I thought he would. And he’s been rather friendly over the last nine weeks. I’d be more suspicious of his shift in attitude, but I don’t want to question my luck.
This night has been brutal, and I stand up abruptly. My movements snap Charlie out of his daze. And now, I roll my eyes.
“You know what? I’m going to head out. I have an early day tomorrow.”
His brows scrunch. “Don’t you work nights?”
My cheeks heat. Shit . I probably should have left that tidbit out of the whole getting to know you part of this night. My mind flies as I search for an easy excuse.
“Dentist appointment.” I shrug. “He can only see me tomorrow at eight.”
Charlie guzzles down his drink and poorly suppresses a belch. Ugh . Maybe it isn’t me. Maybe all the reasonably attractive, well-mannered men have flown the coop.
“Do you want me to walk you home?” he asks, as if he’s getting anything but a solid flip of the bird tonight.
“No, it’s fine. I need to stop at the convenience store on my way.”
“Okay.”
“Night!” I run out of the bar, squeezing past a group and pushing the glass door open.
As I make my way down the crowded street, jam-packed with drunk people, I hug myself tightly. The masses thin the closer I get to my apartment. The moment I step inside my building, my purse buzzes. And I know who it is.
Rather than prolong this night by waiting for the elevator, I opt to take the stairs.
I pick up Laryssa’s call on the third ring. “Yes?”
“I can’t believe you didn’t like Charlie!” she huffs. “He’s adorable.”
With one foot on the step above me, I stop. “I just got inside my building. How did you know things didn’t go well? I know Kevin and I joke that you’re a witch, but this is kind of spooky.”
She laughs. “He texted me as soon as you left. Said you weren’t into him at all.”
I resume my trek. “Of course. Well, your adorable friend couldn’t keep his eyes off my chest the whole time.”
“Really? Ugh, that’s so disappointing. He wasn’t that great of a friend, to begin with. I only met him through Cal. He’s an acquaintance, at best.”
Oh, that’s a recent development. Laryssa has been dating Cal—which is short for Calliope—and I can’t help but smile every time she brings her girlfriend up.
“So, you didn’t even know him that well and decided, ‘Hey, Monroe seems lonely and depressed, let’s pawn him off on her.’ Am I close?”
“Scarily,” Laryssa says as I reach my apartment, and I fiddle to find my key with one hand. “Are you sure you’re not the witch?”
I throw my head back, laughing like I haven’t in months. When I finally get the door open and flick on the light, I notice there’s an envelope at my feet. I pick it up, turning it in my hands.
AOVD Wealth Group. Doesn’t ring a bell. But it’s addressed to me.
“What are you and Cal up to tonight?”
“She’s not with me. We decided to take a night away from each other. You know the saying, absence makes the heart grow fonder.”
“Uh-oh. Trouble in paradise already? It’s been like four weeks.”
I tear the envelope open with my teeth and shoulder my phone while I take the letter out.
“No, there’s no trouble in paradise, but she wants to take me to some cabin this weekend, and I don’t know if I’m up for it.”
I scan the contents of the letter.
“Then don’t go. Tell her things are moving too fast for you.”
Laryssa sighs into the phone. “Be mature? I don’t know. I thought I’d avoid the issue until I can’t anymore, and I’m forced to deal with it.”
“That’s my girl. Avoidance, avoidance, avoidance.”
She chuckles. “Yeah, you’re right. Mature . I’ll be mature like you.”
My jaw drops when I get to a crucial part of the letter, and I gasp.
“What’s wrong? Did you walk in on your neighbour jerking it?”
“What? No, I’m in my apartment. How could I walk in on my neighbour?”
“It was just a question. And maybe my secret fantasy.”
“No, I’m reading a letter I got—”
“And you don’t know the big words. It’s okay, Monroe, just sound them out. Works for me.”
“Shut up,” I chuckle. “This is serious. I’m getting evicted.”
There’s silence over the line, and I think the call dropped.
“Well, shit, now I feel bad about the neighbour thing.”
“I knew Mr. Lindsay was being too nice to me lately. That prick. He can’t just evict me. I’ve been paying rent. There’s no cause.”
“What else does the letter say?”
I read the letter again. “It’s pretty standard, but there is a phone number to call if I have questions. Funny, they missed the complaint part of that completely.”
“They?” Laryssa questions. “Lindsay didn’t send it?”
“No, just some random company I’m assuming took over management.” I flip the envelope over. “ AVOD Wealth Group. Sounds like some dick owns it.”
Laryssa snorts. “You’re not that far off.”
“What do you mean?”
“You really don’t know whose company that is?”
“No, I don’t.”
“Alden is evicting you, Monroe.”
A wave of conflicting emotions smothers me as I stare at the letterhead with Alden’s company name. Of course, he would be behind this. A part of me knew I wouldn’t be rid of him so easily. Alden has been haunting me for months, and now I find out he owns the company that is evicting me. This has to be the biggest cosmic joke. The universe is mocking me because just when I’ve assembled my life from ash, Alden pops up.
“Fuck this. I’m calling him. I won’t let him do this to me. I’m going to be rational and mature about it.”
“It’s eleven-thirty at night, Monroe. That’s not exactly rational. He’s probably asleep. It can wait another day.”
Her point is valid, but I have this niggling sense that he’s wide awake. I feel it in my gut.
“I’m calling him. I’ll give you the recap tomorrow.”
I don’t wait for Laryssa to talk me out of it and hang up on her. With the letter in one hand, I punch the number into my phone. My chest burns as I hear the line ring, and I rub the spot, only to remember that I’m not wearing my necklace. I haven’t been able to wear it. The bareness of the spot and my thoughts of Alden make the burn a hundred times worse. Now, there’s nothing to stop me from rubbing my chest raw.
In my frustration, I throw the letter to the ground and step over it. There’s an uncomfortable pressure in my stomach that I chalk up to nerves. I’m nervous because I haven’t talked to Alden in thirty-three days. Yes, I kept track. No, there’s no ulterior motive to it other than keeping track of time.
“Hello?” a voice answers gruffly.
My mind has to be playing tricks on me, but I can’t figure out if it’s him.
“H-hello? Is this Alden Van Doren?”
Why did I use his full name? I wipe my sweaty palms on my jeans.
“This is.” There’s a pause, and I swear I can hear his smile. “Hi, Monroe.”
I hang up the phone immediately. Dammit . Why did I do that? I need to talk to him. But when he said my name like that, it transported me to a different time, a better time. Does he always have to sound that good?
My phone buzzes in my hand, and his number flashes back at me. I never got around to deleting him from my contacts. It didn’t even register that I was dialling his number.
“Hello?”
His warm chuckle greets me. “Why did you hang up?”
“How did you know it was me?”
“I didn’t delete your number. And I recognize your voice. I’d recognize it in my sleep.”
My stomach somersaults. “I’m not calling about us. I’m calling about your letter.”
“My letter.”
“Yes, your letter,” I growl and stand from the couch. Pacing, I run a hand through my tangled strands. “The one that says that you’re evicting me.”
He does it again, laughs, and I wonder what he finds so amusing. Probably me.
“Oh, that one.”
I stop pacing, finding his breezy attitude annoying. “Care to explain?”
“Sure. In person.”
My jaw unhinges. “You’re in Florida?”
“Not yet. But I will be in the morning. Can I buy you a coffee?”
Fuck him and his knowledge about my beverage fondness.
I huff. “I guess.”
“I’ll see you in the morning, Monroe. Sleep well.”
But I don’t sleep well. Actually, I sleep terribly. The minutes bleed into hours, and before I know it, I’m rushing out of bed and trying to pick out a sensible outfit for coffee with my ex. I cringe. I hate calling Alden that. My ex. It doesn’t fit to call him that because he was never really a boyfriend. But it still hurts.
Alden said he wanted to meet at The Cerulean’s café, which I know is by design. I’m on my second coffee, guzzling the liquid down like it won’t just add to my nerves. Every time I hear a new voice, my head shoots up and I look to see if it’s him. Then, when it’s not, I’m disappointed.
“Easy there, Monroe.” The comfort that Alden’s voice brings me should be a red flag, but I ignore it. My stomach unclenches. “You’ll take someone’s eye out with that hair.”
Alden sits down across from me, and I blink rapidly. He looks the same and yet totally different. His smile is off, like he’s forcing it. And his blue eyes don’t seem as blue. Maybe it’s all in my head.
“But… how did you get past me? I was looking at the door the entire time.”
“I used the other entrance. The one that’s attached to the gift shop.”
My lips part. “I forgot about that one.”
I take a minute to take Alden in. Fuck, he’s not allowed to look that good this early. But he does. He always looks good. Opposed to me. My hair is a mess, and I have big purple bags under my eyes.
“You wanted to meet me here.” I cross my arms. “Start talking.”
He’s staring at me like I’m going to disappear.
“Don’t look at me like that.”
He smirks. “Like what?”
“Like you’ve seen me naked.”
“I have seen you naked.” Alden’s smirk stretches.
I occupy my hands with my coffee cup, but my jitteriness and the amount of caffeine I’ve consumed catch up with me, making me spill the scalding coffee onto my hand.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I yell.
Alden’s smile drops, and he jumps up from his seat. I lose track of him as he disappears and reappears swiftly with a cold dish towel in his hands. He presses the cloth to my hand to wipe the hot coffee from my skin and cool the burn.
“Are you okay?” he asks, his eyes shining with worry.
My willpower collapses right in front of me. I did this. I pushed him away because I was hurt and scared, and he’s still treating me kindly.
A sob works its way out of my throat, and Alden’s arm wraps around me.
“Do you want to get out of here?”
Not able to speak, I nod.
Without another word between us, Alden throws the dish towel onto the table and wraps me in his arms. He leads me out of the café and the resort. I don’t care that people are staring; I don’t care that my hand is still throbbing. I only care that I’m leaving with Alden.
After ten minutes of walking, Alden and I arrive at a park. The soothing sound of the nearby ocean quiets my mind. The park is spacious and peaceful. It’s been a while since I last came here, but vibrant green palm trees greet me like no time has passed at all. Spotting a bench, I drag Alden toward it. When I sit down, Alden hesitates but gives in.
He picks up the hand that I burned, inspecting it. “How’s the hand?”
“I’ll be fine.”
His face falls, and he lets go of me. “Yeah,” he mumbles, then clears his throat. “Where were we? Oh, you were yelling at me, right?”
My cheeks heat. “I wasn’t yelling at you. I was talking loudly at you.”
Alden smiles. “About evicting you.”
My anger flares again. “When did you become the management in my building?”
“Two months ago.”
I feel myself pale. “Two months? Why?”
“I think you know the answer to that one.”
For me. He doesn’t say it, but I know it’s true.
“I still don’t get it. What do you get out of managing the building?”
He sighs. “Maybe I did it so I’d still be able to make sure you were okay, even if I wasn’t in the picture anymore.” He shakes his head, chuckling nervously. “I wanted things to get fixed, like your air conditioning. It gave me peace of mind.”
My heart stutters. Within two weeks of Alden becoming the new management, Mr. Lindsay finally got his act together and fixed the air, as well as gave the apartment a fresh coat of paint. I never asked him for that, but he did it without so much as an annoyed look.
“If you did all of that, why are you evicting me?”
Alden’s smile is back. “I’m doing it because the owner is tearing the place down. There are a million health code violations, and he wants to put a new building up. A more luxurious one.”
“The owner is evicting me? Perfect. You can give me his number, too. I have some loud talking to do to him as well.”
“You already have his number.”
What does he mean? My mind lands on the only reasonable conclusion. “You bought the building.”
Alden nods, and his eyes dart across my face. He’s trying to read me.
“Before you get mad, I know this is me using my money to break the rules. We’re broken up, and therefore, I’m not doing it for you, not anymore. It’s an investment. It might have started as a way to give you a safe place to live, but it doesn’t have to—”
I grab his face and kiss him. Stupid, stupid man. Doesn’t he know he’s had me ever since he walked out that night? I knew I was wrong for calling us a mistake the minute the words came out of my mouth. But it was my pride that stood in the way of me reaching out and admitting that I was wrong.
“You kissed me.” Alden sighs when I pull back.
“Is that okay?”
Alden’s face morphs into an unreadable expression, and my heart races.
“No, it’s not.” He scrubs his jaw, and my heart seizes.
Oh, I totally misread the situation.
“I’m sorry, Alden. Really. I just… ever since we stopped seeing each other, I’ve been counting down the days until I could kiss you again. I got swept up in the moment and you. Just being around you is intoxicating. And I just missed you.” I’m rambling, but the words won’t stop. “I thought I could stop this ache in my chest by dating, starting a new job, or not thinking about you. But it didn’t work. I never should have called us a mistake because it isn’t true.”
When I look into his dazzling blue eyes, I feel at home. “But the minute I laid eyes on you, the ache stopped. You make me stop hurting, Alden. I’m just so fucking sorry that it took me ruining everything for me to see it. I know it’s too late now, but you need to believe me. Please.”
“You’re really something else, Monroe, you know that?” I nod, knowing his anger is coming, fully accepting it. “You didn’t need to say all that. I was going to tell you that it’s not okay that you kissed me because I was going to do it first.”
I blink. “What?”
“You interrupted me. Like you always do. But fuck if I didn’t want to hear those words from you. Finally.”
“What are you—”
His lips meld to mine. “Stop talking, please,” he says against them.
And I do. I shut up and let him kiss me. His fingers press against my pulse point, and his hand wraps around my neck to deepen the kiss. It feels right to be in his arms. I should have never left. He’s still so warm, his chest so sturdy. I feel myself melting, my body flaming from his touch. My core pulsates when Alden’s tongue slips into my mouth. I moan when his hand tangles in my hair, pulling on it roughly.
My hand strokes his cheek when I pull back. “It looks like I don’t have a place to live anymore. Do you think you could help a girl out with that?”
Alden chuckles. “I might have an idea or two.”