watching Eddie’s face go blank, and quickly assured him, “It’s not like that. ”
“Not like what?” he asked her slowly.
“Didn’t you hear?” Dan raised his beer in a toast. “Our girl is moving back to San Francisco. ”
Thirty-three
Eddie’s blood turned to ice. “What did you say?”
“It’s not set in stone,” Laura said.
“What do you mean?” Dread spread through him like a cold, black shadow. “What’s not set in stone?”
“My old boss called,” she began, and she didn’t need to say more than that.
“You’re leaving. Again. ” It felt like he’d been punched. Her leaving was no real surprise anymore, and it gutted him. But on top of the hurt was anger. Why hadn’t she told him?
“It might be a good option,” she hedged. She hadn’t disagreed.
Eddie watched her, waiting for this to be some misunderstanding, but he could tell by the look on her face that he’d heard correctly. “That’s all it takes? A phone call from some guy who treated you like crap, and then you’re back in your car, outta here?”
That idiot producer chimed in. “She’s off to San Fran, but I’m telling her, LA is the place to be. City of Angels, baby. Am I right?” And then the jackass actually gave him a chummy punch on the arm.
Eddie flinched away. He couldn’t believe this. She wasn’t leaving. Not again. He tried to understand—surely there was something he was missing. “So, what, this guy just called you?”
“He’s been doing the hard sell,” Dan answered instead. “Calling, texting. ”
“Dan,” Laura scolded.
Eddie finally broke his gaze away from her, shooting a glare at Dan-the-douche, then back at her again. “Is that true?”
“Yes, but—”
“Dude’s been calling her for a while now. But who wouldn’t chase Lola?” Dan gave a knowing leer. “She’s even got you chasing her. ”
Eddie cut his eyes at him. “How about you shut the hell up?”
“What’s your problem?” the guy muttered, grabbing another fistful of bar snacks.
Laura sighed. “Take it easy, boys. ”
He was done being easy. He’d been easy his whole life, and look what it was getting him. No, he finally had everything he’d ever wanted, and he wasn’t letting it go without a fight. “Don’t you think you might have mentioned this? Remind me…what have we been doing these past weeks? Because I know what I’ve been doing. I’ve been with you. Thinking about you. ”
In love, with you.
While clearly she’d been back to her old ways—coming home, doing the emotional slash and burn, which meant soon she’d be hightailing it back to the city, leaving scorched earth in her wake. Right on schedule.
“I know,” she said in a pleading voice. “I didn’t think his calls would come to anything. ”
“Or, hey,” he barreled on, “here’s a thought. You could’ve mentioned it to me, maybe before you told this guy. ” He angrily hitched his thumb Dan’s way.
“Chill out,” Dan told him, sounding indignant. “Take it easy on her. ” He added under his breath, “Dude, I would lose my shit living here. ”
“Fine, dude,” Eddie mocked. “Then maybe it’s time for you to leave. ”
“You could come with me,” Laura argued. “We can still be together. ”
Dan’s eyes widened, and he swung around on his stool with a shout. “Get out!” He shook his head, repeating, “Get the hell out. You two are a thing?”