And then on Monday, Evan texted and said he was driving through on his way to Toronto, and did she want to grab a drink?
Yes, yes she did.
It wasn’t a date. He was a concerned friend, nothing more, but Brent’s outburst—He wants to fuck you—rocketed around in her brain.
Did he? Maybe.
But if he did, he would have to make that clear. Jess wasn’t on the hunt. Not yet. Maybe after she moved, after she was settled in a new home, she would be ready to start dating. Right now she was doing some much belated healing.
So she met him at an upscale restaurant with a bar just off the highway.
Evan was nursing a glass of water when she slid onto the barstool next to him. “Hello again,” she said, brushing her fingers over his shoulder.
He turned and gave her a one-armed hug. “How’s it going?”
“It has been quite the week.” She paused long enough to accept a drinks menu from the bartender. “Are you drinking anything stronger than that?”
“Yeah, sure. What are you thinking of getting?”
“Gin and tonic.”
He nodded at the bartender. “Make that two.” Once they were alone, he cocked his head to the side. “Tell me about your week.”
“Well, I… I told you I talked to Brent.” They’d texted about it a bit, but Evan hadn’t pried.
Evan searched her face, his gaze keen and curious. “And it went well.”
“It did. Of course it’s a shock to find out someone you shared a life with has a different identity than you assumed, but…he is who he is. I love him, you know? So I love him for being true to himself. Bruised heart and all. I can deal. And maybe now we can build a new friendship.”
Evan frowned. “Is that what he said he wanted?”
She shook her head. “No, that’s what I want. It’s time for me to draw some firm boundaries.”
His frown didn’t lessen. “Hmmm.”
“What?”
“I think he’s still hung up on you.”
“No. And I’ll tell you how I know. The other big thing I did this week was buy a new house—in Wardham.”
Evan looked genuinely shocked. “What?”
“I know. Lola Rodriguez had the perfect little cottage for me. Well within my price range if I sell my house here, and that’s already up for sale, so…yeah. It makes a lot of sense. Liam and Evie are my closest friends now, which is a sad statement on my social life here. Most of the work I do can be done remotely, and I’m driving distance if I need to come here for meetings. I can stack them all in a single day once a month.”
“You’re moving to my neck of the woods.” Evan grinned. “Well, I’m not going to complain about the sharpest marketing mind I’ve ever met being around the corner. And Brent didn’t protest?”
She shook her head. “He offered to help me move. This week was closure for us both, Evan. I know he was curt with you when he came to see you, but that was just him being awkward.”
“Not the word I’d use,” he said dryly.
“That’s between the two of you.” She paused, unsure of how much to talk about with Evan. “I know things got heated—in a good way, and a bad way. I told you that. And I really mean that it’s between you, your business. None of mine. I’m moving on.”
“Literally.”
“Literally,” she repeated. “And he’s helping me to do that.”
“In that case, sign me up to help you, too.”
