揈liza needs a friend and I won抰 get in the way of that,?I say dryly, my throat parched. 揟he second she抯 ready for me, I抣l be there.?
I storm out of the hospital, wondering how badly I抳e boned my entire life. All because I couldn抰 talk to her like a normal human being.
I turn around twice, second and triple guessing, but ultimately head for my car.
Indecision doesn抰 suit me.
Neither does causing this broken cup of a woman even another second of pain.
If and when she抯 ready, I抣l see her.
And whether she ever gives me the chance or not, my entire heart and soul will forever belong to Eliza Angelo.
25
Perfect Blend (Eliza)
Almost a week since the craziest night of my life and the world won抰 stop.
It抯 still spinning.
I抳e been crashing at Dakota抯 place ever since I left the hospital. It was just easier, especially when I started hyperventilating at the thought of spending a night alone in my apartment.
I can抰 be alone with these nightmares.
The ones where that sneering, leather-faced lunatic gets out of jail and comes to finish me off.
Dakota抯 place has a gate and awesome high-tech security, being a billionaire抯 place and all. I just wish it wasn抰 such a pitiful substitute for the man who left that day before I worked up the nerve to ask for him...
Then again, after the way we stomped on each other抯 hearts, I might not want to see me either.
He put his life on the line.
He saved mine.
Isn抰 that enough?
Dakota knocks on the guest room door. I jump as she pushes it open.
揌ow are we feeling? Less like death warmed over today??She smiles brightly.
I moan, propping myself up on a couple pillows.
Seriously. I抎 rather have whiplash than this monster crick in my back from spending God knows how long crushed in that suffocating box.
揗y back still hurts, and I need coffee. Like now.?
揈asy, lady. They were pretty clear about caffeine interacting with your painkillers,?she says.
I glare at her.
揅affeine is my painkiller and it makes me less stabby. You know the risks.?
She laughs. 揑 had a feeling you抎 say that, so I brought you something.?
She lifts her hand from behind her back, revealing a tall cup with a familiar black-and-white logo.
Wired Cup.
I gasp, reaching for it excitedly, and immediately wince when my back reminds me I抦 moving too fast. 揧ou抮e really going to let me have it??
揑t抯 decaf.?She bites her lip. 揢m, sorry. It抯 all you get until you抮e off the drugs.?
揇ecaf is for wimps.?I roll my eyes.
I抦 pouting, but I hold my hand out anyway, accepting it like the precious nectar it is.
Even decaf fit for a mouse is a step up from the lemon-water I抳e been sucking down like a desiccated cactus.
She places the cup in my hand and sits in the chair beside my bed.
I bring the cup to my lips and take a drink that strokes my entire soul.
揙h my God! I haven抰 had a good cup since I wound up in a thriller movie,?I say, going in for a second loud slurp.
Dakota beams like the sun. 揑 tried to get your campfire brew, but it抯 not quite available yet.?
When I manage to unhook the cup from my lips, I say, 揟hat抯 okay. This is awesome. I love the Colombian-light stuff, even if it is de-crap.?
揂h, now I know you抮e getting better. You can still tell exactly what it is with two sips. So, how are you doing with棓 She pauses, turning a hand in the air. 揈verything else??
Everything else meaning Cole.
We抳e been doing this carefully coded dance for the last few days.
It usually ends in my heart dumping out on the floor without even using his name.
Yes, I抦 that sad.
Just saying it will break me.
Oh, Dakota offers all the advice, support, and whatever else without using his name. Just like the nicest happily married bestie you could ever hope for.
I sigh, turning the cup in my hand.
揑 should抳e known better, Dakota. I mean, I抳e been burned before, right? Once bitten...I guess I抣l get over it. Someday.?I hope. 揑 think I抦 going back to San Diego. I抣l work a day job until I can save enough money to open a small coffee shop on the Pacific Coast Highway. I didn抰 realize how much I missed home until we were in Hawaii.?
揘o way! You can抰 leave me. Don抰 move back to California. You抳e built a life here梐nd you抎 better collect your licensing fees for that coffee, whether or not you let Crankyface back into the picture.?
揕ike he抎 want back in? I抳e been nothing but trouble. Before the whole saving my life thing, I lived in a studio apartment he was scared to let his daughter visit. There isn抰 a lot holding me here. You have Lincoln and a cute baby girl. I have bills and blew my chance at love.?
I slump back, suddenly boneless.
揧ou have your best friend no matter what.?She points at herself cheerfully. 揥ith your experience, you could get into any big coffee chain. Apply to the Mermaid抯 R & D if you need something to do. They抮e right here in Seattle. Or hell, see if you抳e got enough when the Wired Grump pays out to start up Liza抯 Love.?She pauses again. 揂lso, if you抮e dead set on leaving, it might make sense to work everything else out. If only for closure.?
My pout returns. 揌e hasn抰 even called me since it happened...?
揘o, but he called me to make sure you were okay. He waited for you all night. Lincoln said he looked like a kicked puppy when you didn抰 ask for him.?
揑 was so messed up in the head. And kind of afraid to talk,?I admit, staring down. 揌ow could I even look at him after the way I cussed him out? After he went and saved my flipping life??
Guilt jabs me in the stomach.
揧eah, well, he definitely got the impression that you don抰 want to talk to him. Not that I blame you,?she says with a sigh.
揃ut he抯 not willing to find out why I抦 afraid, is he? If he still cares棓
揈liza. Pause.?Dakota takes a deep breath. 揟his dude borrowed another rich guy抯 yacht and sailed it across the Puget Sound during the worst storm we抳e had in twenty years. He battled a man with an axe and rescued you from a giant fish chest. He told Lincoln he just wanted to kiss you even while you still smelled like a cat food factory. Um, it抯 safe to say he cares.?
Dang.
She抯 definitely convincing.
A faint smile pulls at my lips. 揟hat sounds like the Lump I know, hero complex and all. He thinks he can save the world.?
揘ot the world. You. He does feel responsible, but not in the way you think,?she points out.
揥hat do you mean??
揥ell, based on what little Linc pulled out of him, he抯 about as miserable as you. He抯 feeling wicked guilty about the whole thing, beating himself up. It was his friend and his past that almost made you swim with the fishies forever...?
That stupid man.
That stupid, kindhearted, heroic freak of a man.
I swallow the rock in my throat, blinking back tears. 揑抣l be thankful to him forever for what he did. I have to be. But we抮e still worlds apart梔o you really think we have a chance at any kind of relationship? Saving me from a lunatic doesn抰 instantly fix the deeper issues.?
揌e loves you enough not to pursue that relationship, if you don抰 want it. Because he can抰 stand the thought of hurting you more.?She pauses, a thin smile appearing. 揑 just write sappy poems, but that sounds like a hell of a foundation to work with. I抎 call it love, Eliza.?
I snort, my inner pessimist rising up. 揕ove? You think he loves me??
揈liza, Eliza...hold still.?Her hand hovers over my face.
Then she flicks me between the eyes.
揙w, what the hell??I jerk back. 揥hat was that for??
揟hat抯 me, waking you up. You抮e welcome. And not to be the pushy, overbearing best friend from every bad rom-com here, but he loves you, silly. After Derek, I know this scares you,?she lays her hand on my shoulder. 揙n paper, Cole seems similar, but we both know he抯 not. He抯 proven it a thousandfold. If you抎 just be honest with yourself for one minute, you抎 know I抦 right. You抎 have to admit you love him, too. There抯 also something else to consider.?
揥hat??