In the reflection, I can see Ev sitting on my bed, hands in her lap. She looks sad and small. Shit, my outburst must have scared her. Hell, I don’t blame her. I turn around and walk back to her. I sit beside her and reach for her hand. She slips it into mine and gives me a smile, but it’s strained.
Fuck. “Ev? I know my past isn’t that good, and hell, I have nightmares and shit, but I’d never hurt you.” I take a deep breath. “You know that, right?”
She squeezes my hand, and her smile turns real. “Of course I know that. I’m not worried.”
Okay. I don’t know what else to say. She’s a lovely puzzle that I can’t solve—shy and bold, innocent and sexy, unafraid and scared, running and still standing still.
Unpredictable. Startling. Addictive.
“It’s just that…” She glances at me from under lowered lashes, and her pretty mouth twists. “Your words reminded me of my own failures.”
“Failures?” I don’t understand.
Her hand trembles in mine, and she looks away. “I’ve let people down, people who depended on me.”
Still don’t get it. “Your parents?”
She shakes her head. “I’m sure I’ve let them down, too, but they’ll survive. No, that’s not what I mean. People I helped on the street and didn’t manage to save.”
My heart thumps too fast against my ribs. “Like who?”
“A couple old people. You wouldn’t know them. They usually were close to home, not around here.”
I want to ask her if she remembers me at all—if she remembers a man who was sick, a man she saved. But she doesn’t mention me, and I don’t know if to feel relieved or disappointed. Don’t know if to just throw caution to the wind and tell her the truth or wait until I know the cause of her fear.
Yeah, isn’t this just great? Turns out I can’t even predict myself.
Chapter Ten
Evangeline
Leaving Micah in the morning is hard. It seems to get harder every day. Sleeping in his arms is the best place in the world.
But now reality crashes down on me. I have several missed calls on my cell, from Mom, Joel, even Dad. Oh shit.
I call Joel first, figuring it will be easier to deal with him, but boy was I wrong.
“What do you think you’re doing, Evie?” he demands, his voice sharp. “Where are you?”
“I’m an adult now,” I say through gritted teeth. “I don’t have to give a report to you.”
“Is that right?” His tone chills me. “You really don’t care that we’re worried about you?”
“What do you have to be worried about? I told you, I stayed with a friend.”
“A friend? Are you sure? Because Blake told me you were wandering the streets again and talking to shady people.”
“Shady people? Are you kidding me?” Anger rolls through me like fire. “Blake followed me and threatened to hurt anyone I’d talk to on the street, and you listen to him?”
“Oh, come on, Evie. Blake wouldn’t do that.”
“So now you’re saying I’m lying.” My eyes burn. “I don’t lie, Joey. He’s scaring me.”
A silence greets my words. Then Joel says, “Blake isn’t like that. You know that. He saved your life, Evie. He’s the one who called the ambulance for you, you—”
“I know, all right? But how did he know where to find me?”
“What? You’re being paranoid. He just happened to be there!”