“Helluva view,” he murmurs, beelining for my floor-to-ceiling windows.
“I’ll admit, I stand here and stare out at it all the time.”
“While you’re humming and coming up with your next big plan of action?” he teases.
Well, there’s the proof in the pudding. The man knows me. And at one point, he knew me better than anyone else.
God, he’s still so devilishly handsome, and I don’t exactly have anything else going on at the moment.
But still.
Falling back into old habits would be dangerous.
“Can I get you a drink?” I ask.
“Sure. Casamigos if you’ve got it. Or we could go out,” he suggests.
Like a date? Might actually be safer than having him here in my home.
“How long are you in town?” I ask as I grab the bottle from the cabinet I deemed theliquor cabinetwhen I moved in.
“All week.” He’s still over by the windows, which gives me a bit of space to breathe. “I have a deposition with one of our high-profile clients, and Andrew asked me to look into a corporate deal for him while I’m here. How’s life out here so far?”
“I’m settling in,” I say, pouring two glasses because, let’s face it, alcohol will help me get through this.
“I heard through the grapevine that you gave up all your Chicago clients to move out here for one. Who is it?”
“Confidential,” I murmur, and I pick up both glasses and carry one over to him, my heels clicking on the hardwood floors all the way over.
He holds up his glass without a thanks, and he says, “To reconnecting.”
“I’m sorry, Billy, but I can’t drink to that. How about toapologizingfirst?”
He looks surprised and a bit miffed, and I wish I would’ve had the foresight to freshen up my lipstick on the way home. What if Maverick would’ve actually kissed me on the elevator like I wanted him to, and we both got off the elevator wearing the same shade of red as my ex stood in front of my door?
The thought nearly makes me laugh out loud.
“Well, then. I’m sorry,” he says.
“For?”
“For whatever it is I did that offended you.”
I huff out a laugh. I can’t help but feel like for as much as the breakup hurt, I ended up right where I was supposed to. A lifetime with non-apologies like that one would never work for someone like me. He’s going to need to find someone who doesn’t mind being held down by the thumb I never realized was quite as oppressive as it was when we were together.
If he wants to hold someone down, I guess. I’m not quite sure he does, given his reason for ending things with me.
“That feels like a real sincere apology,” I say.
“I don’t understand you,” he mutters.
“What’s not to get? It’s pretty simple. I deserve to be treated with respect rather than you showing up at my door uninvited and waltzing in like you deserve a night in my bed just because we have a history.”
His brows dip together, and he sputters a little. “That—that’s not…that’s not what this is, Ev.”
“Then what is it?” I demand. I’ve dealt with Maverick’s surliness all day, and I don’t have the energy for mental Olympics with Billy now.
“Two old friends getting together to catch up.”
