Chapter 42

ELEANOR

The supermarket was full. I had to battle through the shopping carts to get to the produce section, then back again to get the wine. I chose a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc and a Côtes du Rhône.

I hadn’t planned to make brownies and drink wine this weekend, but after receiving that email about a great new opportunity for me in France, just the excuse I had been looking for, things had changed.

Grumbling, I wheeled my cart to the check-out and waited in line for about fifteen minutes.

Dragging my purchases out to the car, I glanced up at the approaching rainclouds. The wind had picked up and was swirling loudly through the parking lot.

I slammed the back of my car shut and slid into the front seat.

Within a couple of minutes, I was home. I hauled my stuff upstairs and burst into my small apartment. The sky had darkened furiously, and a few raindrops were already tapping against the glass windows.

I stripped quickly, pulling on a pair of sweats and one of Logan’s old shirts, and went to the kitchen.

I opened the bottle of Côtes du Rhône and served myself a large glass, which I downed quickly, re-reading the email open on my computer. The one that had started this fight.

I assembled the ingredients necessary for my brownies and went to town, beating the eggs.

I added chocolate with melted butter and flour, then I stirred the mixture more slowly, watching as the dark chocolate engulfed the white flour.

My phone started to ring, knocking me out of my brownie trance, and I answered it quickly, putting the batter down.

“Hello, Logan?”

“Ellie! Oh my God! Hi!”

“June?” I hadn’t heard from her in years. After Logan and I had moved to France for a year, June and I had slowly grown apart.

“Yes, oh my ~God~, how are you?” she squealed.

“Well, you know. Making brownies.” I glanced out the window. The wind had picked up and thundered against the glass.

“Oh, good! Great!” she laughed lightly. “Listen, I’m in Boston. And I have news. Are you free this evening? Can we meet for a drink? You are still in Boston, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, I am. Uh, sure, that sounds like fun!” Less depressing than brownies and wine, at least.

“Super, I’ll text you the address. See you later!” she squealed, then hung up.

“Blast from the past,” I murmured, finishing my glass.

I shoved the brownies in the oven and hopped into the shower, washing my hair thoroughly.

The place June had suggested was pretty upscale. Logan and I had only been there once, so I decided to get a little dressed up.

I pulled out my favorite tight little black dress with a sweetheart neckline and capped sleeves.

I remembered fondly when June and I would dress in ridiculously short dresses together to go to parties. I pulled my long hair back with pins and got the brownies out of the oven.

They looked great. They would make the perfect post-drinking snack. I called an Uber then grabbed my coat before marching out the door.

It was pouring down hard by the time I got to the bar. The Uber stopped out front, and I made my way inside, jogging.

Bursting in from the rain, I spotted June sitting by the bar, wearing a tight blue shirt and pencil skirt with very high heels. She bounced on her seat and waved me over happily.

“Ellie!” She slipped off her seat, and we embraced.

“June, wow. It was great to hear from you,” I told her, sitting on the seat next to hers. She was grinning, climbing back on her with a little difficulty.

“I couldn’t miss up a chance to see you while I was here,” she replied. “What are you drinking?” She waved the bartender over.

“Dry martini,” I ordered. The bartender nodded, moving away.

“So, tell me, what have you been up to? What are you doing these days? You’ve been around the world a few times, I heard. You look amazing!” she gushed, sipping her mojito.

I grinned at her. “Yeah, we were in France, Ireland, then in Brazil,” I prattled. “Logan and I have been here in Boston for three years now.”

“You two still going strong, huh?”

“Well, I don’t know. I mean, God, we’ve been together since I was eighteen. Seven years.”

“And he hasn’t popped the question?”

“Yeah, but I didn’t say yes yet.” I shrugged. “We’re sort of assessing if we want the same things in life these days.”

“Ah, I see. I really thought you two were in it for the long haul.”

“Well, I haven’t given up hope quite yet.” I smiled. “I just think we don’t want the same life anymore.”

She nodded solemnly as the bartender appeared with my drink. I thanked him and smiled at him. He blushed and scurried off. June roared with laughter.

“God, you still have that effect on guys!”

“It’s the long legs,” I admitted. “Or the boobs.” I shrugged, and she grinned at me.

“I’m glad to see you are doing well Ellie, I really am.” June was smiling. “I have some news.”

“And I’m curious. You’re not pregnant, so…” I eyed her drink. “What’s up?”

“Engaged!” She shoved her hand on my face, showing off the diamond ring on her finger.

“June! Wow! Who’s the lucky guy? Gal?” I exclaimed.

She laughed. “His name is Hunter. He’s a lawyer. He lives in New York. I’m moving there next month. We could see each other more often!”

“That’s amazing, June. I would love to meet him. When is the wedding?”

“Well, June. I wasn’t going to let it be any other month,” she snickered. “I wanted you to participate. As a bridesmaid.” Her eyes were wide.

“Oh June, I’d be honored,” I smiled, and she leaned over to hug me tightly.

“I’m so glad we have this opportunity to reconnect,” she admitted. “You were the best roommate I could have asked for. We lost you for a while there. I’m glad you’re settling here in Boston.”

She nodded. I felt that familiar feeling of dread growing in the pit of my stomach.

“Well, you know, I really like traveling,” I laughed lightly. “I might be heading to France next,” I admitted.

“Are you kidding me?” she was frowning.

“Well, you know, yesterday I got this email with an offer, there’s this great opportunity for me in Toulouse, France,” I murmured.

She arched her brows and shrugged. “I get this feeling you’re running from something,” she confided, sipping her drink.

“I know you come from the foster system, so you’re used to moving all the time. I won’t pry. But you have people who love you. And we’re happy to have you around. Truly.”

I smiled at her. “Thank you, June. That’s so sweet. You know, I wouldn’t miss your wedding for the world.” I reached out and stroked her arm, and she gave me a small smile.

“So, tell me about French guys,” she grinned at me as I finished my drink.

I quickly ordered another, and we moved to a more comfortable booth at the back of the room, regularly refusing men’s advances.

When I finished my second martini, the waiter appeared with two more cocktails.

“Oh, I was going to start drinking water,” I admitted. “I haven’t eaten anything since lunch.”

“It’s from the gentleman at the bar,” the waiter told us quickly.

“Well, fuck, he is gorgeous!” June gushed, glancing behind me at the bar, her eyes wide.

“Weren’t you just telling me you’ve got a fiancé?” I snickered, turning in my seat to see who had bought us the drinks.

Then I saw him. My heart skipped a beat, I felt my blood run cold, and suddenly I was trembling. I recognized him, of course. But I had forgotten how absolutely gorgeous he was.

He towered over the people around him like he was sucking all the air from the room. His tousled blond hair was pushed back, curling slightly against his collar.

His face was perfectly symmetrical, with deep-set almond-shaped sapphire blue eyes and high cheekbones.

He had a straight nose, a chiseled chin covered with a slight layer of blond stubble, and wide full lips pulled back in a wide, breathtaking grin.

His skin was flawless. He didn’t look a day older than he did the last time I saw him. T

There was something very feral about him that I had not seen as a child, the way he moved silently, his muscles straining against his light clothes, keeping his gaze on me, like a hunter.

And I was definitely his prey.

I could feel my heart racing in my chest so fast I was afraid it would burst out.

“Fuck,” I whispered, unable to move my eyes from him as he strode across the room, commanding the gaze of all.

“Ellie, do you know him?” June was asking. “Why is he coming over here? Fuck, Ellie, he’s staring right at you! Ellie, he’s here!”