Bad Romeo Christmas: A Starcrossed Anthology (Starcrossed #4)(73)

"Why wouldn't she?"

"Because I've been a dick to her. Up until this point in our relationship, I've managed to hide my dickish tendencies."

"You know the saying, 'Love is blind'? Well that's completely ass-backwards. Love lets you see people in perfect, crystal clarity. It doesn't make flaws invisible. It paints them in 3-D high-definition and demands you to love them anyway. Angel will forgive your dickishness, I have no doubt."

"I appreciate the vote of confidence."

She sips her drink, and up until now it hasn't occurred to me to ask why she's sitting in an empty room, drinking by herself, but there's nothing right or natural about this picture.

"So," I say. "You know all about my crisis. Want to tell me about yours?"

She leans back in the chair and crosses her legs. "That's kind of you, but I'm sure you have better things to do than listen to my troubles."

"Not really. I have a few minutes spare while I wait for my girlfriend to stop cursing my name." I take a sip of my drink. "To be honest, I'm surprised to see you're not here with anyone tonight."

"Why does that surprise you?"

"Because according to Cassie and Ethan, you're an amazing acting coach and an even more amazing person. Also, you're smoking hot. I predict you had a truckload of men offer to be your date, but instead you chose to come alone. Am I right?"

She looks down into her glass and smiles. "I'd rather be alone than with the wrong person."

"Uh huh. So why do I get the impression that the right person is here, and yet you're still by your lonesome?" When she looks at me in confusion, I say, "I might be stating the obvious here, but it's pretty clear you and Daniel Eastman want to jump each other's bones."

Her expression turns to shock. "How on earth did you ...?" She takes a mouthful of whiskey. "And I thought I was hiding my feelings so well."

"If by well, you mean not at all, then yeah. Good job."

I look at her expectantly, but she shakes her head. "Josh, I don't think you want to hear this story. It's ... complicated."

I lean forward and look her in the eye. "Erika, my best friend went through six years of hell before she got to be with the love of her life, and now because of who he is, her boobs are more famous than all the Kardashians put together. Her brother has gotten on and off the relationship rollercoaster with Cassie so many times, they both have season passes, and despite all of that, they're now the most sickeningly in-love newlyweds you've ever seen. I myself had to sleep with a metric shitton of neurotic actresses until I found the woman of my dreams, and yet I still have to endure my lady love getting paid to mack on guys who make me want to beat them with a large stick. I'm more than qualified to handle complicated."

She gives me a resigned look. "Okay, fine. But first you need to know some backstory. I've spent a lot of my adult life alone, and for the most part I've been okay with that. I have a fantastic house, a nice car, a job I love ... and every year I get to mentor wonderful actors who've become like family to me. Students like Cassie and Ethan. Hell, even Zoe and Jack." She runs her finger around the rim of her glass. "And I know some people think the reason I'm single is because I'm a heartless bitch who couldn't keep a man if she tried, but the truth is the only man I've ever wanted I couldn't have, so I didn't feel the need to settle."

"And that man was Daniel Eastman?"

She nods. "Back when I was in drama school, my roommate was from L.A. We quickly became best friends, and she kept raving about her boyfriend on the west coast who was trying to break into movies."

"Okay, I see where this is going."

"After a few months, Daniel came out to visit, and I'd heard so much about him from Ellie, I felt I already knew him. But even with all of her glowing descriptions, she hadn't done him justice." She takes a sip of her drink. "From the moment we met, there was this ... spark. I tried to tell myself it was just a silly crush, but I'd had crushes before, and what I felt for Daniel was in a different universe."

"Did he feel the same way?"

"At first I didn't think so, but then I noticed how often he stared at me. How he'd steal long glances, even when Ellie was talking to him. Whenever he was close, I could feel he was resisting the urge to touch me. Ellie seemed oblivious, but every time Daniel and I were in a room together, the tension between us was unbearable."

I lean back and put my arm along the back of the couch. "So, what did you do?"

"The only thing I could. I avoided him as much as possible. I loved Ellie like a sister, and she was head-over-heels for him. There was no way I was going to allow myself to lust after her man. But the feelings I had for Daniel went so much deeper than just physical attraction. We connected intellectually, spiritually, and emotionally, and each time I thought I couldn't be more attracted to him, he'd say or do something to prove me wrong." From her expression, it seems even talking about this makes her feel guilty.

"Did anything happen between you?" I ask.

She swirls the whiskey around in the glass. "Daniel and I spent nearly three years dancing around our attraction, and every time he came to visit, staying away from him became more impossible. Then, the New Year's Eve before we graduated, Ellie had tickets to attend a huge Broadway gala. On the day of the party, she had a stomach bug, so she insisted Daniel take me instead."