Chapter 47: Chapter Forty-Seven

Everett

I head back inside the café. The guy I punched scurried out like the coward he is. It would have scared Aubrey, especially with everything she has been through. I grab my things from the table.

“Where are you going?” Chelsea, my date, snaps, glaring at me.

“To make sure she is okay.”

“Are you serious? You are supposed to be out with me, and you are going to run after another woman? Who even is she?”

“Yes, I am serious. I just met you. I have known her longer. She is a friend.”

“If you walk out right now, there won’t be another chance.” She says with a smug look on her face.

Does she honestly think that is going to make me stay? I don’t take ultimatums well.

I laugh loudly. “Then it looks like we won’t be seeing one another again. I don’t need a woman who throws threats at me. I can have any woman I want; you aren’t special.”

Her mouth falls open, and she huffs. I shake my head and rush out, heading straight for Aubrey’s place. Hopefully, she will let me in. I need to know she is okay. Today is the first day she has gone out alone. The last thing she needed is what happened. The bastard is lucky I only punched him once. Arriving outside of her building, I press her apartment number, waiting to see if she answers. She may not. She could be worried that it is her ex.

I take my cell from my pocket to call her. It rings out the first time, but when I try again, she answers.

“Hello.” She whispers.

“It is me pressing your buzzer, please let me in.”

She sighs. “Okay, press again.”

Aubrey hangs up after that. She doesn’t sound too happy about me being here. I press it again, and she lets me in. Heading up to her apartment, she is already waiting by the door for me.

“Everett, why are you here? You were with someone else. You should still be with her.”

“I wanted to check on you. You are more important.”

“The two of you looked cosy. Like you have been seeing one another.”

Is that what it seemed like to her? I didn’t realise Aubrey was there until she was rushing out.

“No, not at all. It was only the second time I saw her.”

I am uncertain if Aubrey believes me, but she nods and steps aside, inviting me in. She doesn’t just close the door; she locks it, too. We head to the living room and take a seat on the sofa. Aubrey looks everywhere but at me.

I reach over and place my hand on her knee. She jumps, but then relaxes and turns to face me.

“Are you doing okay?”

“I am fine. You don’t need to keep asking me, Everett.”

I don’t believe her. I can tell she is tense and sad. I squeeze her knee. “I don’t believe you are, but if you don’t want to talk about it, I understand.”

Aubrey sighs, and her next move takes me by surprise. She curls up on the sofa and cuddles into my side, not saying anything. I didn’t either. I can sense what she needs. I slip my arm around her, and she rests her head on my shoulder.

“I don’t understand.” She whispers.

“Understand what, Aubrey?”

She draws in a breath before glancing up at me. “You. I don’t understand how you can be the person I feel safe and comfortable with, yet at the same time, you are a man who used me to get what he wanted and one who irritates the hell out of me. It is all very confusing for me.”

I hate that I became that man to her, the one who used her. She is being open and honest; it is only fair that I do the same.

“Aubrey, I swear it was not my intention to make you feel used. I put a distance between us, not because I got what I wanted, but because it was getting too much for me. I don’t spend a lot of time with the same women, but with you, it is something I did and enjoyed. I have never been one to let anyone close to me, but around you, my walls were falling, and I am not ready for that. You don’t need someone like me. You deserve better. You should have a man who would give you everything without hesitation. I didn’t disappear on you because you didn’t mean anything to me, Aubrey. I disappeared on you because you were starting to mean something to me.”

Every word is shaky. I am nervous. I don’t get nervous, usually, but Aubrey does things to me that no one else can.

“What? Do you mean that, or only saying it to make me feel better?”

“I mean every word, Aubrey. My choice to disappear and put distance between us was for your sake, Aubrey. You don’t need a man like me.”

If I had known when I decided to pursue her, I would have developed a soft spot for her; I wouldn’t have bothered. I hate what I am feeling. I don’t do feelings because all it leads to is disappointment and pain. I’ve had enough of that in my life. I can’t let anyone close enough to do it again.

“You don’t know what I need, Everett. I was fine with what was going on between us. You didn’t expect too much from me. I didn’t expect too much from you. You were the perfect distraction, someone who made me feel good about myself for the first time in a long time.”

“I fucked up, huh?”

“Yes, you did, but maybe you are right, and it was for the best. At least it means we are no longer sneaking around behind Erica’s and Hugo’s backs.”

“I guess. You told me you were done and that we would only be friends. Does that still stand?”

“What do you mean? Are we still friends or something else?”

“I mean, do you still only want to be friends or go back to how it was before?”

“Our friend-with-benefits kind of arrangement we had, is that what you mean?”

I don’t want to mess things up, but I also would rather be honest with her.

“Yes, that is what I mean. Would you consider going back to it?”

“I don’t know. I need to think about it.”

I nod, “Okay, that is fine. Take as long as you need.”

Aubrey smiles and rests her head back on my shoulder. Silence falls between us again. I will need to wait and see what her choice is. I won’t bring it up again, nor will I put any pressure on her.