“I told them it was a bad idea. They both insisted they knew you better than me and then refused to tell me anything else.” She gestured for Evie to take a seat and started doing her makeup. “They do have their hearts in the right place, though. They’re worried about you, and they’re trying to cheer you up.”
She tilted Evie’s face up and carefully began applying eyeliner to her top lid. “Want to talk about what’s been going on with you?”
“I just don’t like how things are changing,” Evie mumbled, staying still so Nissa wouldn’t accidentally poke her in the eye. “I love Alex, but having him around all the time, joining Tommy and me for everything, is too much. Sometimes I want tohave lunch or watch a movie with just Tommy. You don’t insist on tagging along every time we’re together.”
“No, because I have a life outside this tower.” Nissa smiled faintly. “And when you and Tommy spend time together, I’m free to do my own thing. Alex feels insecure in his relationship with you. He thinks that by endearing himself to Tommy, as he did with Thorn, he’s making you realize he’s the right person for you.”
“All he’s doing is driving me crazy,” Evie grumbled, folding her arms over her chest. “And I’ve told him that sometimes I want to spend time with just my friends without him, but he just gets all mopey about it.”
“Yes, he is definitely not the most mature about expressing his disappointment.” Nissa nodded as she finished Evie’s makeup, keeping it light and minimal the way she knew Evie liked it, then moved around and used the straightener to add soft curls to her hair. “He seems like a boy who wasn’t told no enough growing up.”
“But there’s something else going on.” Nissa was watching her closely in the mirror. “Alex is behaving the way he always has, and it’s never bothered you this much. You’re not just irritated, you’re disproportionately angry about something a conversation with Tommy will fix. And since you haven’t spoken to Tommy about it, you’re using it as an excuse to cover up why you’re really upset. And there’s only one thing, or person I should say, that would upset you so much.”
Evie shifted slightly, hating that Nissa had figured it out. “Yeah, well, I can’t very well tell Thorn that I’m pissed at him for finding a girlfriend and completely forgetting I exist, now can I?”
“Why not?” Nissa raised her eyebrow as she finished curling Evie’s hair and began pinning it up. “While I understandthat being in a new relationship is exciting, knowing a girl for five months doesn’t get to take precedence over his friendship with you. That’s not fair.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Evie’s shoulders slumped, all her anger and defensiveness melting away as she was forced to face the real reason she was acting out. “I think I’m more angry at myself for being so upset about it. He’s been alone for years. I should be happy for him. But I’m not.”
Nissa paused for a moment, then turned Evie to face her. “You’re allowed to be happy he’s found someone and upset that he’s ignoring you in favour of her. This isn’t about being in love with him and jealous that he’s with someone else. This is about losing the person who has been your rock for six years because he’s thinking with his dick instead of his brain.”
Evie huffed out a soft laugh at Nissa’s less-than-delicate description of the situation. “Maybe I just need to accept this is the new normal,” she responded softly. Swallowing her hurt, she straightened her shoulders and met Nissa’s eyes. “Come on. Let’s get this done so we can go get this over with.”
**********
When they reached the club, Evie’s eyes went wide as she saw the crowd of people milling about. “Are you sure this is the right place?” She leaned close to Nissa’s ear as she spoke, trying to be heard over Cher belting out“Do you believe in life after love?”She was pretty sure she’d never met this many people in her entire life, let alone knew enough of them to invite them to her birthday party.
She could see a few people she knew. Tara Byron, Tommy’s executive assistant, was standing with a group of people she recognized as other executive assistants from SloaneTech around a table near the door. And she saw Cole briefly before he vanished through a door, Lana following him closely.
“Yeah…” Nissa also sounded unsure as to what was happening. “Who are all these people?” She took Evie by the hand and led her to the side, so they weren’t blocking the elevator anymore, since people kept bumping into them from behind.
Evie looked around again, frowning. As her eyes adjusted to the dim lighting, she realized she recognized quite a few people, even if she wasn’t sure what their names were. “I think a lot of them are from Sloane Tech and Security Services,” she responded, her heart sinking. Why would Tommy and Alex invite so many people she didn’t know? Nissa must have seen the look on her face because she squeezed her hand, forcing her attention back on her.
“Maybe there was a quota they had to fill to rent the place.”
“Then why rent it?” Evie mumbled, knowing Nissa wouldn’t hear her over the music. She knew the answer anyway. She swallowed her disappointment and took a deep breath, raising her voice. “Where are Tommy and Alex?”
Nissa held up a finger and pulled her phone out of her bra, checking her messages. “Upstairs.” She pointed at the door Evie saw Cole and Lana go through, then began weaving her way through the crowd, keeping a tight grip on Evie’s hand. “Stay close, we’ll never find one another otherwise.”
They reached the rooftop patio, and Evie relaxed a little. It was still crowded but at least being outside made it feel less likely she would be trampled in a sudden panic, and there wasn’t the sickening stench of alcohol, different perfumes, and body odour as there had been downstairs. Looking around, theyspotted Tommy sitting on a couch in one corner with Cole, Lana, Thorn, and a woman Evie assumed was his girlfriend.
Fuck.It was her only thought. She couldn’t believe Thorn thought the right time to introduce her to everyone was her birthday party, and her anger flared up again. She came to a dead stop, her hand slipping out of Nissa’s, and looked around, not wanting to go over there. Spotting Aaron and Paula, she ducked between two people and made her way over to them, forcing a smile on her face as she approached.
“Hi! I didn’t expect to see you guys here.” She came to a stop beside them a little awkwardly.
“Of course!” Aaron grinned at her and put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a light side hug in greeting. “You’re probably the only one Paula would come for.”
Paula rolled her eyes but smiled at Evie. “That’s not exactly true. I’d come for Nissa.”
“Then I am truly honoured.” Evie felt herself relax a little, and her smile became a little more genuine. She could see Cole and Lana heading toward her and relaxed even more.
“You look like you could use a drink.” Aaron dropped his arm and nodded to the bar. “What can I get the birthday girl?”
“As long as I can’t taste the alcohol, I don’t really care,” Evie responded, not sure drinking was the right idea; she tended to get brutally honest when she was drunk. “Just no rum.”
“Something sweet and sugary coming up.” He walked away, and Paula gave her an amused look.
“This doesn’t seem like your type of thing.”
