Dating Games(19)

Until I see the woman clinging to his arm, their hands intertwined. If seeing him for the first time since he broke up with me isn’t hard enough, now I have to look at him while another woman holds his hand, feels his skin, enjoys his warmth. That’s supposed to be my hand, my skin, my warmth.

When a throat clearing sounds, Trevor tears his eyes from mine, looking at the petite woman at his side. She can’t be more than five-foot-two, and probably a perfect size two. She’s pretty, I suppose, but nothing stands out that makes her remarkable.

Her dark hair is pin straight, not a single strand out of place, as opposed to my wild red locks I have trouble taming. It fits my personality — bold and a bit reckless. Her clothing choice is a complete juxtaposition to my love of color, her conservative charcoal suit something I wouldn’t even wear to a funeral. Her makeup is simple. Not over the top, but enough to add color in all the right places. I like making a statement with my makeup. My mother once told me a great red lipstick could make everything better, advice I’ve carried into adulthood. She doesn’t seem to have a single curve on her body, compared to my shapely hips and ample chest. The combination of my physique and red hair causes many people to comment that I resemble the character Joan from Mad Men.

Is this really what Trevor wants? Someone boring and…ordinary? It’s almost like he purposely found someone who’s the polar opposite of me. I’m not sure if I should find satisfaction or sadness in that fact.

“Sorry.” He licks his lips as he tugs at his tie, a nervous tick of his. I wonder if his new friend even knows that yet. “Evie, this is Theresa. Theresa…” His Adam’s apple bobs up and down, “this is Evie.”

She stares me down, her mouth forming a tight line. Her lukewarm reception gives the impression that Trevor must have mentioned me. I can almost hear her disapproving thoughts, wondering what he could have seen in someone like me.

Likewise, girlfriend. Likewise.

In an attempt to be the bigger person, I reach my hand toward her. “Theresa. So wonderful to meet you.”

She plasters a fake smile on her face, although she can’t fake it like I can. She better practice because she’ll need to fake some orgasms if she plans on staying with him. Sex is...okay, but she’ll need some extra assistance if she wants to get off on a regular basis.

“I’ve heard so much about you.”

I look from Theresa to Trevor. Even their names are similar. It’s creepy. “I wish I could say the same.” I keep my tone upbeat, not wanting anyone to catch on to how hard it is for me to see him with another woman, especially mere weeks after he broke up with me. “I didn’t realize you liked this place. It’s out of the way from your office. What is it? Fifteen blocks from Thirty-Fourth and Fifth?”

“Actually, it’s closer to twenty. But Theresa’s never had one of their chocolate hazelnut pastries. I stop by every morning for one before heading into the office.”

“You do?” I try to hide the hurt in my voice over the fact that I didn’t know this about him. And that I haven’t noticed him during the weeks I’ve been camped out here. Who else haven’t I noticed? What if my propensity to be easily distracted by cute puppy videos on the Internet caused me to miss August Laurent?

“Yeah. But I haven’t been able to get here recently because of the trial.”

“Right,” I breathe in a drawn-out voice, relieved. “The trial.”

I don’t even bother to ask how it went as we stare at each other in uncomfortable silence. I do my best to pretend the idea of him sharing a chocolate hazelnut pastry with Theresa doesn’t break me even more. He’s supposed to want to share these things with me. Hell, my office is only a few blocks away, yet not once did he ask me to meet him here.

“Well…,” I say, my tone upbeat. We had the spark once. I have to figure out how to get it back. Then he’ll come to his senses, and I’ll be there waiting. “I need to get back to work.”

I’d normally make a joke about having to take a few vibrators for a test drive for an article I’m working on, but I don’t, choosing the mature route. Although it’s hard… Really hard.

“It was nice seeing you.” I skirt past them and push my way through the glass doors. The instant I’m outside, I lean against the brick wall of the building, exhaling a breath. People move along this busy section of New York as if I don’t matter, don’t exist. Like Trevor just made me feel, despite our lengthy history.

“That’s him then, is it? Your ex?”

I whip my eyes to my left, watching with a furtive stare as Julian strolls toward me.

Great. Just what I need. Sometimes I wish my life had background music so I can understand what the hell is going on. Right now, I’m at a complete loss. All I know is it seems like the universe is conspiring against me.

“So what if it is?” I cross my arms in front of my chest, acting as if seeing Trevor had no effect on me.

“Hope you don’t think it rude of me to say—”

“The fact you lead off with that statement means whatever’s about to follow is rude.”

He closes the distance between us, his gaze searing my flesh, causing it to prickle. Trevor never stared at me with this much heat, this much want, this much raw need. When I first met Julian, I figured I imagined the connection. But it’s here. And I’m sober, despite my burning need for a drink after running into Trevor, then Julian again. Both within minutes of each other.