Haydn said something indistinct and Evie yelled. “At least the sexiest man alive knows how to whisper.”
“He knows how to do a lot of things,” Teela said, appearing in the doorway with a box on her hip. “And so does Jay.”
Evie put her hands over her ears. She could not handle Teela talking about the many wonders of Haydn Delany. “La, la, la, la, la.” And she never wanted to hear Jay’s name again. “Can’t hear you.”
Teela dumped the box and made for the couch, where she sat on Evie’s feet. Evie uncapped her ears to hear Tee say, “Are you going to be all right here?”
“I may never walk again, but I’ll be fine.” Teela’s now unoccupied apartment, still furnished, was the ideal place to hide out.
“You can stay as long as you like. Whatever you need.”
As if that didn’t make her eyes burn all over again.
“And if you decide to stick around, I know a great dog that needs a good home,” Haydn said. He had a last load of Teela’s clothing over his arm. Sexy, could whisper, loved dogs, and was useful. He was way too much.
“I wish you’d come and stay with us at the new house,” Teela said.
Evie’s feet were going numb. If she asked nicely, maybe Teela would sit on her chest and her heart would stop with the incessant aching. “I need to brood a bit longer.” Like forever might not be long enough. “But I promise to come see you soon.”
“You know we’re moving back in with you if you don’t keep that promise, Evie,” Haydn said in a way that was so completely believable, Evie did tear up.
“And if you don’t respond to my messages,” Teela said. “I won’t be responsible for the amount of ice cream I force feed you.”
“I promise to swear at your messages in good time,” Evie said. Though that would mean turning her phone on and that couldn’t possibly be fun. “Get out of here. I brood best alone.”
Teela bounced a little on her dead feet. “I won’t defend Jay, but I think you should at least talk to him.”
“I already said everything I needed to say, and he’s already gone.” If he stuck to the tour plan, he’d be in Auckland now with a few days off to sightsee and do media before the first show. After that he was in Asia and Europe and it was better this way.
“He won’t go without seeing you,” Teela said.
Evie pulled the blanket over her head. “La, la, la, la.” Jay had no choice but to go. Which made never seeing him again easy once she cleaned him out of her social media. She flipped the blanket off her face. “I don’t care where he is or what he does. Would you both please fuck off and leave me alone. I will eat everything left in your fridge and cupboards. I will use an inappropriate amount of hot water. I promise to come see you soon. I’ll even meet this good boy dog you want me to adopt. You don’t have to worry about me. I just need time to avoid everyone until the powder-burns from my ridiculous fantasies exploding in my face wear off.”
“They weren’t ridiculous,” said Teela standing, making pins and needles break out over Evie’s feet and ankles.
“Is that what’s wrong with your face?” said Haydn, squinting at her.
Evie threw a cushion at him with a snort that she hoped said everything she couldn’t. Thank you for letting me stay. Thank you for being concerned. Thank you for understanding.
She hunkered down on the coach she’d spent the night on, still wearing the pjs Teela had provided. As soon as they were gone, she’d run a bath and soak, unpack her bag, make something to eat and wallow some more. Rinse and repeat until that got boring and she couldn’t avoid showing up to work any longer.
Everyday she’d forget Jay a little more until he was just another mistake she’d made, and not this invisible injury making her whole body feel like it had was made of raw nerve endings.
Hayden messed with her hair on his way out. Easy affection that made her gulp down emotion. Teela set her phone on a side table and pointed to it meaningfully and at the door, half out of the apartment and well out of throwing range, said, “I told Errol you were here,” before she pulled the door shut behind her.
Dammit, she’d managed to do that quietly. Evie threw a cushion anyway. It landed halfway across the room, well short of its target.
She didn’t turn her phone on. She didn’t run a bath, or eat, or unpack. If it wasn’t for needing a bathroom break, she’d have laid on Teela’s couch all day, consumed with hating herself for trusting Jay enough to have given up her apartment and packed up her whole life to travel with him.
Hours later, she wasn’t brushed or dressed or washed and her mouth was gluggy, when Errol pounded on the door. “Proof of life, Evie,” he yelled.
She stood in front of the door and said, “Bugger off.” That should demonstrate she was still breathing.
“Open up. I need to see you,” he said.
She peered at him through the peephole. “I don’t want to see you.”
“Evelette. Right now.” He rammed his finger on the aperture, making her blink in shock.