Page 40 of How to Break My Heart
“Well, isn’t this a nice surprise.” I attempt a forced smile, given the circumstances. “Is this your friend?”
She opens her mouth but quickly closes it. I suspect she was going to say something cutting, but then she contrives a smile, which is obviously as fake as it comes. “Aston, this is Marco. He’s a doctor.”
Thehotdoctor, according to the woman at the bar. I pause to observe him, then shake his hand politely. “Aston Beaumont.”
“Beaumont,” he repeats with a curious glance. “Your father is Harvey Beaumont?”
My lips curl, barely opening as I respond, “Yes.”
“I believe he golfs with my friend’s dad.”
I nod, keeping my eyes fixed on Everleigh. It’s evident she’s irritated by my presence, which I find amusing.
“Aston is Maddy’s older brother. We’re helping plan her wedding.” She’s quick to set the record straight.
“Of course, you mentioned the wedding earlier,” Marco says.
Earlier?
How long have they been sitting here?
Or is this a post-fuck meal?
Don’t even go there.
I attempt to clear my disruptive thoughts, but something is off, and my usual self-control is somewhat compromised.
“We have a wedding to plan, and to get the ball rolling, I suggest we meet up after you’re finished with whatever is happening here. Dinner, I presume?”
Everleigh looks completely unimpressed, her mouth slackening while her gaze turns distant. “Wait, are you kidding right now? You, the one who blew me off? You bailed on me without a word.”
“Again, I apologize for the emergency that required my attention.”
“Emergency?It was a business call, Aston. It takes two seconds to send a message to say you can’t make it,” she reminds me in a huff.
The so-called doctor watches the both of us but keeps quiet. If he’s bothered, he doesn’t show it. Then, he takes a breath. “I’m going to grab us another drink. Aston, would you like to join us?”
Everleigh’s glare is a silent warning, daring me to accept the invitation. The easiest thing would be to stay here and make her life hell.I mean, why not?Does she think starting a relationship with the town doctor is a good idea? It would violate some HIPAA code, surely.
“Aston was just leaving,” she states. “You said earlier you had so much work to do before we catch up tomorrow, which works much better for my schedule.”
I continue to stand there, smug, as Marco waits for my reaction, but it’s obvious he isn’t stupid and has picked up on the tension between Everleigh and me.
“Yes, I have business to take care of,” I respond with a fixed stare. “Tomorrow morning, then. Nine sharp.”
Everleigh relaxes her shoulders with a satisfied smile. She is sorely mistaken if she thinks this is how the night will end. Ileave them inside the pub, but instead of heading home to work, I park myself at the entrance of her apartment.
There is no chance she is bringing him back here.
I’ll wait all night if I have to, even though my conscience tells me to ignore whatever the hell is happening. I have better things to do than act like some goddamn puppy dog wanting attention.
The problem is—I can’t.
I won’t.
Just like when she got the flat tire, and I arranged for it to be repaired and towed back to her place. Given the lawsuit, it was the least of my problems, yet I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I paid the invoice and then asked them not to mention it to Everleigh.
Something has a hold over me, and fighting it is proving fruitless.
