By day five, the anger had ebbed, but the pain was more prevalent than ever. The walls around my heart had long since been demolished, having left me raw and exposed. I couldn’t figure out how to start over after someone like Henry Alexander.
On day six, I found myself trying to manipulate a situation where I got to see him again. I spent hours mapping out his tour routes like some kind of sociopath. I needed to talk to him and na?vely thought, if I could get him into a room with me, I could fix things. I wasn’t sure what was truly broken, but I would have torn the gates of Hell down in order to fix it.
I was drowning.
At the one-week mark, I decided to fuck him out of my system with as many women as I could find. Scott came over, we went out, and, instead of taking home the busty brunette eye-fucking me from across the bar, I proceeded to sit at a table and stalk Henry’s twitter account, which I knew he didn’t even run.
There wasn’t enough booze in the state of California to make me forget him.
I went home alone that night. It was a good fucking thing too. Because, the next morning, someone finally threw me a lifeline.
I was still basking in an alcohol-induced, pain-free slumber when I awoke to a loud knock on the door. Prying one eye open, I felt the world came crashing back down around me. I had no idea who was at my door at what felt like the crack of dawn, but I knew who it wasn’t, and for that alone, I dragged the pillow over my head and tried to block it all out.
However, when my unwelcome guest had the audacity to begin knocking in a cheery, musical beat, I was left with no other choice but to drag a pair of pants on and put a stop to the pounding before my head split in half.
“What?” I snapped, jerking the door open.
“Evan!” The woman tipped her sunglasses down her nose and raked her eyes over my shirtless torso while mumbling to herself, “Nice job, Henry.”
“Can I help you?” I impatiently bit out.
“Hi! I’m Levee—”
“Williams,” I filled in when I finally recognized her.
Chestnut-brown curls covered her shoulders, and her pregnant stomach might as well have been inside my house even though her feet were firmly on the other side of the threshold.
“Well, technically, Rivers, but yes. We met briefly in L.A. at one of Henry’s shows.”
The mere mention of his name wrenched my heart.
I nodded, crossing my arms over my chest as though it could mask the pain. “I remember.”
“Right. Well, anyway. I’m here to do the obligatory cleanup mission.” She shot me a megawatt smile.
“Cleanup mission?”
“Yeah. You know… Henry fucks shit up, I come in to save the day, and we all live happily ever after.” She shrugged. “I would have been here sooner, but you’ll find, with Henry, it will be quicker in the end if he has time to really stew on things.”
“Funny. I’m no longer interested in any kind of ‘happily ever after.’” I tossed a pair of exaggerated air quotes her way. “I’ve been stewing too.”
It was a lie of epic proportions, but my pride wouldn’t allow me to fall to my knees and beg her for help the way I so desperately wanted. He’d left me. Not the other way around.
Her eyebrows popped in surprise. “Oh. So, you aren’t interested in knowing how miserable he’s been for the last week?”
I ground my teeth. Part of me hoped he had been worse than miserable. Lord knows I was.
“Not really.”
She adorably twisted her lips. “Hmm… Well, that makes this a little more challenging, then. You mind if I give you my speech anyway? It would be such a waste. I’ve been practicing for a week.”
“Maybe you should give it to Henry, then.”
She pouted her bottom lip and stomped her foot. “Come on! It’s a good one.”
My head was killing me and my heart was aching, but my only lifeline to the man I had been pining over was standing in front of me. Fuck my pride.
My shoulders fell as I let out a resigned sigh. “You want to come in?”
She had the good grace to look surprised. “Why, that would be fantastic.”
I stepped aside and motioned her in. Just before closing the door, I caught sight of a giant leaning against her black SUV.
“You want to invite Hercules in too?”
She laughed. “Nah. Linc is fine out there. He’s not Henry’s biggest fan anyway. He probably wouldn’t help my cause.”
I slanted my head in silent question.
“Oh, it’s nothing. He just doesn’t sympathize with Henry’s equilibrium issues.”
“His what?” I asked.
Giggling, she waved me off and settled on one of my barstools. “You’ll have to ask Henry.”
“I would if he would answer my calls.” I rolled my eyes as I made my way to the fridge. “Or, ya know… texts, e-mails, Morse code, smoke signals.”
“Have you tried the Pony Express? I have it on good authority he likes horses.” She winked as though I should have gotten her joke.
“Right. I’ll hop right on that. Coffee?” I asked as I caught sight of Scott meandering shirtless into the room behind her.