That was not the answer she expected. “Oh, right. And she doesn’t mind?”
“Why would she?” Alyssa asked, furrowing her brow.
“Well, I…I wouldn’t want to share you, that’s all.”
Was that too honest?
“Why would…Evelyn, do you think Lil is my girlfriend?” Alyssa asked, her eyebrows shooting to the sky.
Evelyn felt her face heat. “Yes, you told me she was.”
Alyssa made some sort of scoffing slash choking sound. “When?”
“When we first met. You said Lil was your partner,” Evelyn rushed out.
“Business partner, Evelyn. Business partner. Lil has never been, and will never be, my life partner.”
Well, shit! She’d got that wrong. Now she really regretted not making a move after the Christmas market.
14
Pizza, Plans, and Puppy Dog Eyes
Alyssa
Being made to feel like a liar was not Alyssa’s idea of a good time. Three days had passed since Evelyn’s visit to Four Paws—the one that had been so spectacularly disrupted by Hannah showing up. The epic miscommunication that followed. The awkward hug goodbye after Alyssa had explained that Lil wasn’t her girlfriend.
Hannah had accused Alyssa of moving on to her next notch on the bedpost. Normally, an accusation like that was water off Alyssa’s back. But when that comment was aimed at Evelyn, it irked her. Evelyn wasn’t a notch on the bedpost. She was a friend—a very sexy friend that Alyssa wanted to do naughty things with, but not just for one night.
And that’s where the lie came in. Or was it? During her time with Hannah as friends with occasional benefits, Alyssa had been straightforward, honest about her intentions—or lack thereof—because she wasn’t lying when she told Hannah they could never be more than what they were.
Alyssa didn’t have the time or inclination to be in a relationship. Four Paws was her chief priority. But now? Shit, there was something about Evelyn Crawford that made Alyssa, for the first time ever, want more.
Why did Bug have to go wandering off to Evelyn’s office? If he’d just stayed in the lower offices, this wouldn’t be happening!
Those were the kinds of thoughts that had been circulating around Alyssa’s head since Evelyn’s visit. Not only had they been interrupted by Hannah, but Evelyn had thought she was a cheat. How could they have gotten their wires crossed so badly? The evening had ended with an awkward goodbye and a promise for lunch on Monday.
It was Tuesday now, and no lunches had happened. Evelyn apparently couldn’t stop for an hour, too swamped to eat lunch. Bug still got to visit, which sounded petulant, but that’s where Alyssa’s state of mind was at. Jealous of Bug getting to spend time with Evelyn.
Now Evelyn was Bug’s official volunteer, Alyssa didn’t have an excuse to go to the CEO’s office every day. But she wanted to! Boy, did she want to—even if she could only see the woman for five minutes. What was happening to her? How had Evelyn got under her skin so easily? For the first time…ever, Alyssa was struggling to concentrate on the sanctuary. Sure, she got the jobs done, but her focus was on the twentieth floor.
“What is wrong with you?” Lil huffed, jabbing Alyssa in the arm. They were spending the afternoon at Four Paws combingover their finances. It wasn’t a fun task, but not something they could shirk.
“Nothing,” Alyssa huffed back. Her mood had soured over the past forty-eight hours and Lil had noticed.
“Wanna try that again? Jesus, Al, you’ve got a face like a wet weekend.”
“Just had a thing with Hannah.”
“What does that mean? Bloody hell, Alyssa, spit it out.”
“She came over unannounced on Saturday. Asking me to reconsider having a relationship with her.”
“Right, and how did that go?”
“I told her I’m not the relationship type and that she always knew the score.”
“Okay, and?”
