"Does he have a wife?"
"No. He was married briefly when he was younger. He's been single for a long time. He was only married for like three years, and they never had kids. She doesn't even live here. He gives his life to his work. That's how he has money to invest in things like this. That's what the restaurants are about. His main business was construction, but he has several businesses now. They're passive investments. I don’t even know what he does during his work day anymore. He travels a lot, buying things for his customers and his businesses. We don't get into his stuff when we talk because most of the time, he's helping me with the salon. Anyway, nobody makes me do anything I don't want to do. I've learned my lesson with that. I won't let that happen again. I'm happy with this situation, and Gabe's great," she said easily.
EJ felt a pang in his chest. Partly because she was fine without him, and partly because he felt this was goodbye.
She turned and started walking down the hallway toward the living room. "Well, I love your place, Savannah. It's just the coolest in here. And for what it's worth, I don't mind your workspace being in the living room. It's your living space, and that's what you want to do when you're living, right—work on your art?"
"Finally, someone who understands!" she said, putting her hands in the air. "Do you need to use the restroom before you head out? Oh, never mind, I guess you're not that far from your hotel." She smiled and shook her head. "You can still use the restroom if you need to, though, I don't mean to offer it and then take it back."
EJ just shook his head. "I don't need to." He said.
His heart ached. He wanted to touch her, hold her. He wanted to make plans to see her again. He looked around her apartment, trying to take it all in so that he could remember it. She had what must've been a dozen mosaic pieces spread around, and they were gorgeous.
The two of them were in her living room near the door when she turned to look at him. She instantly got lost staring at him, but something was off about the way she gazed. She stared at the side of his face with a serious expression, studying something.
"I'm checking one thing on your…" She reached out and touched the hair on the side of his head, above his ear. She gave it a ruffle, staring intently at it again before shifting her attention to the other ear, then back again like she was comparing the two. "Yeah, it's fine," she said with a smile. "I thought I saw something with your haircut, but it's good. It looks good." She patted his shoulder, and then she let her hand rest there and made eye contact with him. She was smiling and touching him, and he was so attracted to her, he felt like he might explode. "Thank you, EJ. Thank you for looking me up and driving over here. Thank you for dinner and such wonderful company. It has been awesome catching up with you." She gave his shoulder a squeeze and smiled right at him. "I never in a million years would've dreamed I would be having dinner and catching up with EJ from Gary's house."
He smiled at her and then bit the side of his lip because he felt at a loss for words. "I’m so glad you're doing great, Savannah," he said, like an idiot.
"Thank you. I feel good. I hope every time I talk to you, I'll have more and more good reports to give you. I think that's going to happen."
"Me too," he said, nodding. "And I'm still not convinced that I won't come back sometime for a haircut."
"You should," she said. "Just maybe once a year instead of once a week!" She pushed at his shoulder,and he grabbed her hand. He dropped it, but they held eye contact.
"What are the chances that I would be able to kiss you right now?"
They had been playful enough with each other that he knew she would humor him and at least answer the question.
Her face broke into a grin. "None," she said.
"Really?" he said in disbelief. "No chance at all?"
"No. That would make it weird. Why would you even want to?"
(Because you're beautiful and wonderful and perhaps the most interesting amazing woman I've ever met, and kissing you is only the beginning of the things that I want to happen—marriage, children, a life together.)
He gave her a little shrug. "I don't know. I guess… for old times' sake," he said. "Just thinking about that summer."
Chapter 9
Savannah
EJ was far too big for my apartment.
He took up the whole living room.
Or maybe that was just because he was all I could see. My focus was locked on him. I did my best to act unaffected, but it was difficult. I was battling with attraction all evening and doing such a good job of hiding it that I was exhausted from the acting job. It had been unbelievably difficult.
What were the chances of something like this happening?A boy who I had a crush on as a kid was suddenly at my house, giving me compliments, buying me dinner, and being wonderful. Then he goes and tells me he's famous. I knew him. I knew his dad. At least I knewofhim.Who didn't know Eddie Decker?That was a household name. So, we added famous to the list. He was genuine, sweet, funny, wonderful, handsome, and famous. It was almost comical how attractive he was.
The attraction was so real and great that my walls began to crumble several times during the course of our spending time together. I had been thoroughly hurt, and my walls were securely inplace, but if any situation… if any person could test the stability of my boundaries, it was EJ.
He was a vision to behold. My blinders had to remain securely in place all evening. I was proud of myself for being so fortified.
I made it to the end of the night with no flirting or other moments of weakness. I had denied EJ further haircuts and done everything I could to keep him from thinking I was attracted to him.
But then at the very end of the night, when we were just about to part ways… he looked me in the eyes and straight up asked for a kiss. I tried to deflect, and then I asked him why he wanted to do it, knowing he couldn't think of a good reason other than us being attracted to each other.
