Page 101 of Slow Burn

“But you’re making the choice for her. A long time ago, I let go of someone who I thought I wasn’t good enough for, and it still haunts me. I don’t think I made the right decision, and I have to live with that,” Sloane confided in them, sadness creeping over her as her hands were jittery and her mouth turned down.

“I’m sorry,” Elijah told her. He wasn’t big on responding to emotions, but he understood where she was coming from.

“Don’t be, it’s a choice I made, and I have to deal with it.”

Anna finally glanced up from her phone. “Sloane, we need a girls’ night because we need to talk. But you, Lou? I don’t understand how you can throw around all this poetic love for George and not be with her.”

“It isn’t that simple. I can’t ask her to take me back.” Elijah didn’t like the attitude he was getting from Anna, especially when she didn’t get it.

“Oh, it is. If you love her, and you know damn well she loves you, then why are you sitting around here crying about it?”

“I’m not crying,” he pushed back. He wasn’t crying today, in front of them, but semantics.

She waved him off. “Do you have any idea how lucky you are to find your person? You’re in love with an amazing woman, and your plan is to walk away? That’s not the type of man I thought you were. How are you going to handle it when she starts dating someone else?”

“Is she?” Elijah sat up. “Anna, answer me. Is she already dating someone else?”

Anna smirked, and like it was perfect timing, Roman joined their group.

“Why are you here?” Elijah, not so nicely, asked his friend. He wasn’t scheduled to work until Monday, so there was no reason for him to be at the station on Friday. Roman did tend to stop by if Anna was working, even if he wasn’t.

They both swore up and down they were just friends, and Elijah believed them.

But he was still jealous of their connection.

Fuck, he missed Georgia.

“Tomorrow night, I’m taking Georgia out for drinks.” Roman swung his arm over Anna’s chair.

This was all too casual and not fucking okay with Elijah.

“What do you mean, you’re taking her out for drinks?” he snarled.

Roman didn’t react. “She’s single, she’s hot, she’s smart, and her body⁠—”

“Shut the fuck up.” Elijah did react.

“Why are you mad? She’s single.” Anna smirked as she asked him the question.

Elijah pulled his hand down his face. “No. No, this is not happening.”

“Is there a reason I can’t take her out?” Roman cocked his head, waiting for an answer.

“Yeah. Is there a reason Georgia can’t date someone else?” Anna was putting on the pressure, but it didn’t matter. Elijah broke long before this conversation.

He scowled. “I’m in love with her. I was a fucking idiot to her, and I need to beg her to take me back.”

“Hell yeah!” Anna and Roman smacked hands. “I knew you wanted to be with her and just needed a little push.”

Crossing his arms, he glared at Anna for the stunt she pulled. “I didn’t need the threat of Roman. She’s all I’ve thought about. She consumes me. She’s all I want.”

“Whew, that was close. I thought you were going to either fire me or kill me, or possibly both.” Roman chuckled.

For the first time in three weeks, Elijah cracked a smile. “You’ll never know.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-FIVE