Only One Night (Only One 3)

“Listen, man,” Miller says. “There is nothing more I want for you than for you to be happy.” I look at him. “But fucking over Murielle is going to make your fucking life hell. Like what is under hell.”

“Burning hell,” Ralph says. “I agree with Miller, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but if this is how you feel, then I say go for it, but you have to tell Evelyn what she is up against.”

“I told her,” I tell them, and now they look at me shocked. “Everything.”

“Everything?” They both repeat at the same time.

“Everything, right down to the trainer fucking Murielle in my basement.”

“She’s it,” Ralph says. “She is it for you.”

I don’t tell him he’s right because I’m afraid to admit that. “I don’t know,” I say, playing it off, and now I look at Miller.

“How many times do the puck bunnies throw themselves at you?” he asks, and I don’t answer. He knows because he sees it. It’s about twenty each time we land in a new city. They find our hotel, and they wait for us and attack once we get back. “How many times were you tempted to take one up on their offer?” I glare at him. “But one look at Evelyn.”

“She deserves more than I have to give her.” I admit my biggest fear to them. “She deserves someone who will take her out and wine and dine her, not someone who will keep her a fucking dirty secret.”

“I think you need to leave that up to her,” Ralph says. “Don’t throw her away because of your fears. Lay it out for her and let her make the decision.”

I nod. Someone knocks on the door, and I get up to unlock it. “Sorry about that. It got stuck.” I pretend, and the rookie nods his head at me.

Miller and Ralph slap me on the shoulder and walk out of the gym, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I get on the bike and ride for two hours, my mind going nuts. A plan comes to me, and I text the only person I know who can help me with this.

Becca: Need your help. Call me.

I get home at the same time that Jaxon gets off the bus. He runs to me, and I swing him in my arms. “Hey there, buddy,” I say, kissing his neck. “I missed you.” I do his homework with him after we eat, and then I tuck him into bed, and when I walk out of his room, Murielle walks through the front door.

I grab my phone and keys. “He just went down. Call me if he needs me.”

“Where are you going?” she asks.

“Meeting with Becca,” I say, and she just nods as I walk out.

Chapter 20

Evelyn

“Hey, if you don’t need anything else, I’m going to head out,” my personal assistant, Chantal, says. I look up at her from the paper that I’m reading. She has been working with my father for the past year, and he handed her off to me, and I have to say I don’t know how I would do it without her. “Do you have big plans this weekend?”

I smile at her. “Not that I know of. I have a lot of files to catch up on,” I say, and it’s not exactly a lie.

“Well, all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy,” she says, laughing. “My grandmother always tells me that.”

I laugh now. “I have never heard that. But I will keep that in mind. Have a great weekend, Chantal.”

She nods at me and takes off. My computer beeps with an email alert, and I see it’s from Dex. I roll my eyes and open the email.

From: Dex Lennon

To: Evelyn

Subject: Checking in.

Wondering how you are. Thought I’d reach out. Give me a call.

Dex

I delete the message without thinking twice, and then my phone beeps, and I look down, seeing a text message from Manning.

Manning: I miss you.

Three words. Three words and my face lights up like a Christmas tree. Three words and my stomach gets little butterflies. I’m looking down at the message, and my phone rings in my hand, and I see it’s Dex. I think about sending it to voice mail or even blocking his number, but something else gets me.

“Hello,” I say, putting the phone to my ear and turning in my chair.

“Evelyn.” He says my name, and it does nothing to me. I don’t want to smile; I don’t want to sigh. It does nothing to me. “I didn’t think you would answer.”

“Is that why you called?” I ask, putting my head back.

“No,” he says, and his voice goes low. “I’m just surprised. I’ve been calling you for the last two weeks.”

“I’ve been busy,” I say curtly. “What do you want?”

“I . . . I miss you,” he says, and unlike the feelings I felt when Manning just texted me those three words, with him, I don’t feel anything. I’ve known Manning less than a month, and I already feel more for him than I think I ever felt for Dex.