“We are also considering making the split between the Security side and the Protection side more defined. Instead of having a Director of Protective Services who oversees both, we may create a Director of Security Services position to manage the guards, so the Director of Protective Services just has to focus on the bodyguards and protective details.”
“Ohhh.” Evie nodded as she understood his and Tommy’s thought process. “So, by having a list of candidates go through the assessment process, you can figure out who would be best suited to each role when you have the job descriptions figured out.”
“Exactly,” he inclined his head. “I already have several people who are unofficially in leadership roles, so they will be considered for the director roles, and there are a few people I believe have the skills to step into leadership roles that will also be considered.”
“One of the people who made the shortlist is Alex.” He added it in an almost too-casual tone, and Evie could see he was watching her out of the corner of his eye. “He’s been asking about you, you know.”
Evie winced. She felt guilty about the whole situation. After her mother died, she’d stopped responding to Alex’s messages, and after a few weeks, he stopped trying. By the time she felt able to talk again, four months had passed since his last text. She assumed he had moved on, so she left things as they were. The decision had come with relief at the time, but her stomach gave a little flip when Thorn said he’d been asking about her.
“I didn’t leave him because he wasn’t making enough money or didn’t have a higher position.” She deflected, hoping playing dumb would get her out of the conversation. “I left because I couldn’t mentally or emotionally be with him while everything was happening with Mom.”
“Maybe you should reconsider.” Thorn smiled and stood, tucking his empty soda bottle and the tissue paper into the bag. He leaned down and kissed her cheek. “It is getting late, and we both have to work in the morning. I will see you tomorrow.”
Evie glanced at her watch; he was right. She was usually in bed by now. “Yeah.” She got up and followed him to the door. “Thank you for my gift, and I’m very happy to have you home again.” She smiled warmly as he let himself out. “Night.”
“I am happy to be home. Good night,Mališa.”
She locked the door and went through her nightly routine, turning off lights as she went and thinking about what Thorn had said.
She could understand why he was encouraging her. Alex was a hard worker and well-liked in the tower, not just among co-workers. He was often assigned across Sloane Technologies’ divisions and considered almost everyone he worked with a friend.
And on paper, he was a great boyfriend - attentive, considerate, affectionate. He constantly told her she was beautiful and how lucky he felt to have her.
She just didn’t know if she could handle his particular brand of BDSM and the way he pushed her boundaries. He always promised to tone it down, but any faint hint that she might be okay with something became an excuse to escalate again until she had to talk to him about it.
As she climbed into bed, she remembered he had promised to work on his boundary issues, and after some internal debate, decided it wouldn’t hurt to text him in the morning and ask if he wanted to get coffee sometime. He would probably say no anyway.
Decision made, she rolled over and closed her eyes. Wondering if the slight flutter in her stomach was from excitement or a warning.
Chapter Forty-One: This Is Why I Have Anxiety
It took Evie a few days to compose and send a text to Alex asking how he was and whether he’d like to get coffee. He didn’t respond until late afternoon - she’d forgotten he worked nights - but he seemed excited to hear from her and suggested meeting at Del Toro at eight the next morning.
When Evie arrived, Alex was already waiting outside. His smile was huge as he hugged her tightly and for just a little too long. She had to murmur, “Alex,” before he finally let go and held the door open for her.
“Sorry, it’s just so good to see you. I didn’t want to let go,” he said as he followed her inside. “Your hair looks amazing like that.”
“Thanks. The humidity this summer called for a change.” He pulled out her chair, and once she sat, he hurried around to take his seat. “You look pretty damn good yourself,” she added with a genuine smile. “When did you grow a beard?”
He scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “You like it? I did a few weeks at an outdoor facility in February and grew it to keep my face warm. A couple of people told me it looked good, so I kept it.
“It looks great.” Evie had always appreciated a well-maintained beard, and it suited him, making him look more mature and hiding the roundness of his cheeks. “It was a good choice.”
The waitress came over to take their orders. After she left, a brief, slightly awkward silence settled, each waiting for the other to start the conversation. Alex finally cleared his throat and leaned forward on his elbows.
“So… how are things?”
“Better. Much better.” Evie fiddled with her spoon, needing something to do with her hands. “The first couple of months after Mom died were rough, and it took a while to pull myself out of the slump and enjoy being around people again. Friends of mine had a baby in May and asked me to be his godmother. That was the final push I needed. How are things with you?”
“Okay. I missed you a lot at first, but after you stopped responding, I figured I should try to move on.” He gave her an apologetic look. “Went on a few dates with some women, but nothing got very far.”
“That’s completely fair.” Evie smiled, relieved he hadn’t just been waiting in limbo for her. “I didn’t expect or want you to wait for me.”
“Did you miss me at all?” Hurt crept into his voice, and Evie internally winced, scrambling for a way to answer honestly without being cruel, because she hadn’t really missed him, not in the way he meant.
“At first, I was just missing my mom,” she said carefully. “And when that faded, I missed me.” She wasn’t sure how to explain how disconnected she had felt from everything and everyone, including herself. “By the time I felt like I was in a good enough headspace to reach out, it had been four months since your last text, and I figured you had given up and moved on.”
Alex nodded slowly, his expression softening into genuine concern. He reached out and held her hand lightly as the waitress set their drinks down. “I can’t say I understand, but a friend who went through something similar told me that losing a parent after a long illness brings a lot of conflicting emotions at once, and it kind of paralyzes you.”
