Page 99 of Under the Weatherman
What was Evan even doing over there this morning?
I dressed for the cold weather, then stormed over to Chelsea’s, carrying on a full conversation with her in my head, still arguing with Evan, cursing myself for every decision I’d ever made, but mostly absolutely furious with Chelsea. What Evan and I needed was a straightforward conversation, minus the booze. What we didn’t need was a forced death march in the mountains.
Chelsea let me in, wrapped in a towel. I blew past her. “I don’t think this is a good idea.”
She nodded, then dug through her drawer. “You’re exactly right. You can do so much better.”
I sputtered.She’dbeen the one to suggest Crabtree Falls. “What are you talking about?”
“Evan.” She nearly fell over trying to pull on a pair of yoga pants.
“I was talking about hiking. Wait.” Her meaning hit me, and I reared back. “What’s your problem with Evan?”
“The fact he’s acting like you’re some kind of psycho whore.” Ah, there was the Chelsea I knew, but her change of heart was giving me whiplash.
“And that’s exactly why I don’t think hiking is a good idea.”
“I’m agreeing with you. I’ve had qualms about him since he ghosted you.”
I froze. “You what?”
“It was a dick move.”
Was she seriously going to make me defend him? “He explained why he didn’t call. And besides, we’d only known each other for one night. It wasn’t like I was his girlfriend. He didn’t owe me anything.”
“I can’t believe you’re making excuses for him. He’s sitting over at Basil’s playing the victim.”
So thiswasjust about her getting rid of him by foisting him on to me. “Once again, that’s why I don’t think you should force him into a car with me for an hour as if nothing’s wrong. He needs time to process his emotions. I think I should give him some space.”
She started braiding her hair. “Right. Give him so much space he floats away. You deserve more than a guy who treats you like that.”
“Oh, Chelsea. Seriously?” Imaginary Chelsea had said much the same thing, but my real friend hadn’t been there when I needed her, and I wasn’t in the mood for her judgment right now. Of course she’d advise me to cut and run. That’s what she always did eventually. “Surely, you and Bas have had some disagreements?”
She shrugged. “Not really. I’ve nagged at him, but he’s never kicked a coffee table out of anger.”
Oof. I tried to picture Evan lashing out at an inanimate object, but I couldn’t. Maybe that was proof I needed to shut it down, that I didn’t truly know him. But she didn’t either, and I didn’t like being manipulated by her trauma anymore than I liked being a victim of Evan’s. I wouldn’t try to fix what was broken, but sometimes people deserved more than what they thought themselves worthy of. Lord knew, Chelsea had melted down enough times to recognize a soul in need. “I’m not going to dump him the first time he overreacts.”
She grimaced. “You’re not going to just give him a pass, I hope.”
No. I’d promised Evan some grace because I believed everyone made mistakes, and everyone deserved a second chance.
But so did I. And that fiction he’d imagined, the villain who could maliciously trick him, use him like some random piece of meat, had to die now. I wasn’t going to crawl to him and apologize for things I hadn’t done. I was finished with explanations.
Before I’d trust him with my heart again, he needed to let it all go, or let me go. But that was a conversation for me to have with him. It wasn’t Chelsea’s call.
“There is such a thing as a middle ground. I’m not a doormat, Chelsea. I’ll kick him to the curb before I let him walk all over me.”
She was right to expect me to chicken out. It was what I’d done the night before. But this was different. This was me leaving the door ajar for that hard conversation.
And so as we drove over, I came up with a compromise.
Bas and Evan emerged from the house as we parked. I climbed out of the car and called over, “Crabtree Falls is too far away.” I watched Evan for signs of relief, but he mostly slumped, either still mad or embarrassed. I hoped it was embarrassment, so I added, “Carter Mountain is much closer. Let’s go get some apple cider doughnuts, then take a leisurely hike up to Monticello. Evan, have you been there since they installed the wooden paths? It’s lovely.”
Evan crossed his arms. If he walked away, that would be my answer. If he went along dragging this foul mood with him, that would be still another. I hoped he’d snap out of it.
Chelsea cracked wise. “You weren’t kidding about that cold front, weatherman.”
Evan scowled, then seemed to catch the jab and rolled his eyes.
