Ten Days of Perfect (November Blue #1)(50)

“Are you ok?” Bo turned his question to me.

“Yea, why? Oh, the bitch thing?” I shrugged impassively. It really didn’t bother me.

“I almost decked him. Are you always that confrontational?” Bo asked, annoyance punctuated his question.

“Only when people are being asshats. Please don’t waste a punch on Josh, I like your hands.” I took them into mine, kissing the anger out of his knuckles.

Monica returned with dry clothes for Josh and we all looked at each other, silently discussing who would deliver them. Bo grabbed the clothes, opened the bathroom door, turned off the water, and tossed the clothes on the floor.

“Dry off and put these on.” He slammed the door shut, his remaining anger streaking through the door frame.

The three of us waited in the living room for Josh. I wondered how Bo knew a cold shower would help sober Josh up, but I pictured his sister and thought better of the question. Within a few minutes, Josh was back in the living room. He sank into the recliner on my side of the couch and reached for his glass of water, which inadvertently caused me to flinch.

“Ember-” he started, but I raised my hand to stop him.

“I just want you to drink that damn water so we can get you home.” I couldn’t make eye contact with him.

I wasn’t mad about him calling me a bitch; I was still mad at him for breaking up with Monica in the first place and then showing up like a total degenerate this morning. He’d honestly panicked when Bo told him that he felt like he’s known me for a thousand lifetimes. Who does that?

“You don’t have to take me home, I’ve got my car,” Josh said seriously.

“Dude, I didn’t cave your face in when you called Ember a bitch, but I will if you try to get into your car. Let’s go. Em, I’ll come back for you OK?” Bo said as he headed toward the door, one arm behind Josh.

As soon as the door closed, Monica collapsed on the couch in tears.

“Monica, I’m really sorry about yelling at Josh last night, and about him coming here.” I sat next to her and put my arm around her.

“Em, it’s not that. I am so sorry for trying to get in your head about Adrian.” She wiped her eyes.

“Mon, it’s fine. You’re hurt, and you apologized last night.”

“No, it was a really shitty thing to say. Maybe I’m jealous of what you seem to have found with Bo and that was my way of acting out. What the hell happened with Bo last night by the way?”

Her mouth hung freely open when I explained how Bo sat in his car and watched outside my building all night. She chuckled when I told her Bo saw Adrian’s downtrodden exit from my apartment.

“Wow, that’s intense. Hey, what do you think Adrian’s real issue with Bo is? His reaction seems a bit overblown for it to be just about jealousy.” Monica’s words echoed my exact thoughts.

“I don’t know, but I plan on dragging it out of one of them.”

Bo returned after a few minutes and assured us Josh was safely at home in bed.

“K, Mon, I’ve gotta go home and catch up on some sleep. Carrie said she’ll email us the Concord itinerary today. Oh, and Carrie now knows about me and Bo and she’s fine with it,” I said nonchalantly.

“Yes!” Monica nearly knocked me over with a hug. “Are you guys going out tonight?” Shoot, I forgot, we’re supposed to have plans.

“Yeah, actually, it’s kind of a surprise.” Bo said shyly. “But, we’ll likely end up at Finnegan’s later; it’s open mic night after all.” Once again his face lit up with a playful grin.

“Great, see you guys then!” Monica half-cheered. “Bo, thank you.”

“No problem, Monica.” He gave her a tight hug.

“Call me if you need anything at all today, OK Mon?”

“Have so much fun tonight.” She whispered while she ushered me out.

The drive back to my place seemed much faster now that Josh was safely in bed and Monica was relatively OK. When Bo pulled up in front of my building, his phone rang.

“Hey, while you take that I’ll run up and get your comp. notebook.” He nodded as he answered.

I bounded down the stairs happily, excited for whatever tonight would hold. Bo’s angry voice bellowing from his car stopped me.

“Don’t f*cking start with me. I’ll be back tomorrow night,” he growled. When he saw me, his face changed, “Look, I’ll call you later. Bye.” He took a long breath as I opened up the passenger door.

“You ok?” I asked cautiously.

“Yeah, * friends.” He shook his head reflexively and stretched out his hand, “Thanks Ember, I’ll pick you up around seven, OK?” He smiled with a glint of deception. “I’ve got a surprise to work on before then.”

“Sure, see you then.” I smiled as I shut the door.

“Oh, and Ember?” He put the car in to drive, keeping his foot on the brake, “I love you.”

“I love you too.” I winked back.

As he pulled away from the curb, I heard his phone ring again.

“What!” He snapped as he drove away.





Chapter Sixteen

As 7:00 approached, anxiety crashed against the jetty’s of my insides. I was excited to see what Bo had planned, but I had some lingering suspicions. Why did Adrian seem guarded about Bo? What was Bo yelling about on the phone earlier? As I pulled my hair loosely back at the nape of my neck, I resolved that I would ask one or both of them to spill it - there was something going on and I fully intended to find out what it was.