Page 82 of When Forever Falls Apart

“No,” he is quick to clear the air. “Nicole showed up at the café yesterday.”

“Hold on,” Eva raises her voice, a sudden look of shock on her face. “Nicole came all the way to Cinnamon Springs from Paris? What did she want?”

“What do you think she wanted?” Elliot questions in a resentful tone.

“I think,” I pipe up, “she wanted to know why her boyfriend was in Cinnamon Springs while she was in Paris.”

Elliot drops his head, a smirk touching his lips. “Sure, you would assume that.”

“Well, she walked in and said she was your girlfriend,” I hastily blurt out without a care in the world. “How is that supposed to look? You know, to everyone who was there watching.”

Aston and Eva watch the two of us argue, their radio silence becoming the giant elephant in the room.

“Well, I prefer to keep my private life private. But since you must know, Nicole and I had an agreement when I left Paris. We both agreed we needed space.”

“So, what? You’re allowed a hall pass?” I mutter.

“Okay, what is happening here?” Eva quickly interjects, then slaps her hand across her mouth in shock. “You slept with Billie!”

Elliot shoots her an annoyed stare. “No.”

“Then, I don’t understand…” Eva trails off, eyes wide as if grappling with an unsolvable puzzle.

“We agreed to time apart from each other. A breakup. Anything else I need to clarify?” His voice is tight, each word laced with the weight of unspoken emotions. “So, if you don’t mind, since everything is crystal clear to everyone, I need to shower and ride back to Cinnamon Springs.”

My lips press together in a forced silence as Elliot leaves the kitchen.

Eva leans over the counter, waiting for him to close the bathroom door. “What the hell is happening? Did you invite him to hang out or something at the club last night?”

“I, uh…” I scratch the back of my neck, unsure how to worm my way out of this awkward conversation. “He looked like he was having a rough day, so I told him to drive in if he felt like it.” As soon as the words leave my mouth, Aston pauses to examine me. His unrelenting stare makes me paranoid, and I try not to break under his intense scrutiny.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” he inquires, a gentle smirk tugging at his lips.

“I actually have brunch with Dad,” I say slowly, the admission immediately shifting Aston’s expression. “Our last conversation didn’t exactly end well.”

“Let me guess. He told you how much of a disappointment you are?” Aston surmises, frustration coloring his words.

“Something along those lines,” I mumble, then bring the mug to my lips and finally take a much-needed sip of coffee—the warm liquid slides down, comforting me like a blanket on a cold winter’s night.

“I have a meeting soon,” Eva mentions, rushing around the kitchen like it isn’t just after six in the morning. “Then, a doctor’s appointment. Are you sure you can’t stay another night?”

My mouth twitches as I offer her a smile. “We’ll see. Let me get through brunch with my dad first. I wouldn’t be surprised if I need another round of shots after this.”

“Oh, yeah.” Eva nods with sympathy, but then her eyes perk up. “Billie mentioned you thought I was trying to set you up with a conjoined twin? I might be hormonal, but not that crazy.”

Aston is wearing gym shorts and a tee, which is so not his normal vibe. He kisses Eva on the cheek, then excuses himself to go work out. From memory, his gym is on the corner of this block.

Eva tells me she’s off for a shower, her voice fading as she disappears into her en suite. I wait around for Elliot, and when he finally appears, it’s just the two of us. I decide to make it quick before Eva graces us with her presence again and starts another round of interrogation.

“Look, I’m sorry…” I begin, fidgeting with my hands. “I did assume, again. But you have to understand, Nicole was incredibly convincing.”

Elliot steadies his blue-eyed gaze on me.

“I was wrong,” I say, swallowing the lump inside my throat. “But last night—”

“I wasn’t lying, Madelina, when I said all those things,” he murmurs, purposely keeping his voice low. “You… you are driving me crazy.”

My breath catches at his admission, and with my heart thundering in my chest, a smile breaks across my face, breaking this tension between us, but then I hear Eva yell something from the bathroom.