Page 53 of Holding Out for a Gyro
He followed me to the back bedroom and sat on the bed withhis elbows on his knees and waited while I fetched a pair of my pajamas. I leaned against the doorframe, watching to see if he was going to be okay. “What happened, Evan? Why are you so upset?”
“Why aren’t you?” He flumped back against the pillow. “Everything’s changed.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic. Nothing’s changed at all, man.”
“Easy for you to say.”
“So what started this?”
His eyes closed.
“I saw their list. This whole long laundry list of guys she’s been with.”
I’d seen their list, and nothing about it struck me as a way to meet guys. If anything, I’d twisted it to my own purposes to have a fighting chance with Chelsea. “You know that list is just for fun. You’re blowing it out of proportion.”
“Are you so stupid?”
“It’s just a game, Evan.”
“Can I give you some advice?” asked the guy sitting on a twin bed with a pair of flannel pajamas folded on his lap.
“Sure.”
“Don’t fall for girls who just want to use you.”
I cut him some slack for being in shock and asked, “Can I giveyousome advice?”
“Shoot.”
“Don’t compound your misery. If you choose to be a martyr over a simple misunderstanding, you’re going to destroy a perfectly good relationship. It was just a game.”
“I’m so tired of realizing I’m alone in a relationship.”
“You could try talking to her.”
“Not a chance.” He lay back down and turned onto his side. “Could you hit the lights on your way out?”
I closed the door and left him to contemplate what reallymattered to him. I felt sorry for him. He had such deep trust issues, it was really only a matter of time before he erupted. I hoped Elizabeth would forgive him, but I couldn’t blame her if she didn’t.
At last, I made it back to the living room, ready to laugh about Evan’s lunatic behavior and show Chelsea I was on her side, but I found her asleep on my sofa and didn’t have the heart to wake her. It made me wonder how much toxic masculinity must take out of her. She rarely spoke about her dad, but it must cost her something every single time she had to deal with men behaving badly.
At least, I’d never act like that.
I draped a blanket over her, thinking she’d wake as I gathered the glasses and straightened up, but once I’d changed into my pajamas and brushed my teeth for bed, she’d curled her knees up into a tiny ball.
Gingerly, I gathered her in my arms and carried her to my bed. I slid her under my covers, then lay down on top of them, pulling her to me, and I fell asleep in the best way possible. With her in my arms.
Chapter Thirteen
Chelsea
Challenge: Pickberriesapples at a local farm
I woke in the night, disoriented. I pulled the cover over me tighter and breathed in the scent of Bas. I lay on my side, my back pressed into his chest, his hand flat to my stomach, and his breathing so quiet, so gentle, I didn’t want to move.
Gently, I prodded at the edges of my fears, testing that the doors were locked tight. What had Dr. Rubin said about replacing one identity with another? Was I? Or had I cracked the code? Was I finally ready for this? Was Bas the lucky recipient of all the hard work I’d done up until now? Or had he fixed me with his magic penis?
Was I New Chelsea now? Could I drop thenew? Or had I just bubble-wrapped the old me so I could live an assumed life?
