Page 135 of More For Me

Alex tugs my attention from June. “Restroom break? I think I lost most of my lipstick on that champagne glass.”

“I have some Glossier stain in my bag,” I tell her as we head out to the lobby. “It will look great with your coloring.”

We’re almost to the bathroom when I see him. Bodhi’s face is just a flash in the crowd as he turns but I’m sure it’s him. My heart lifts. Maybe he got done with dinner early and decided to join me? But why does it look like he’s headed to the door?

“I think Bodhi is here,” I tell Alex, already moving in his direction. “I’ll be back.”

I follow him, struggling to make it through the crowd in the lobby. When I get close enough, I call his name, but he doesn’t turn.

“Bodhi!” I try again, louder. A few people turn in my direction but I ignore them, too happy to see him to care. “Bodhi, wait!”

Just before he gets to the front door, I reach him. “Bodhi.” I wrap a hand around his elbow. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”

He turns and I take a step back at the sight of his face. “What happened?” I ask immediately. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” he says, his voice flat and emotionless. “I need to go.”

“You just got here.” Why does he look so…ragged? I can’t think of another word to describe his face. He just looks completely defeated and exhausted. “What about dinner? Why are you here?”

He laughs, the bitter sound foreign from him. “I have no fucking idea why I’m here.”

My stomach drops. “Bodhi, what’s wrong?”

He casts a glance around the crowded lobby. “I can’t stay here.”

I don’t know what’s going on, but he’s freaking me out. “Okay, then we’ll go.”

He shakes his head, backing away from me. “Go back inside. Go back to your party.”

“It’s not my party, Bodhi.” I reach for him but he turns without another word and walks to the door.

I’m so shocked by his behavior that I stand there gaping as the glass door swings shut behind him. What the hell was that? Bodhi doesn’t ignore people. He doesn’t walk off in the middle of a conversation.

Someone accidentally jostles me from the side and I finally snap out of it. I need to catch up to him. I need to find out what the hell is going on.

I dart through the doors, relieved to see him at the valet stand. “What the hell, Bodhi?” I demand, striding over to him.

“I told you, I’m leaving,” he grits out, his jaw clenched tight.

“I don’t understand what’s happening here. Why are you so upset? Why won’t you talk to me?”

“Because this is done,” he says in a flat voice, and the noise of the street around us seems to rise a few decibels. There’s a rushing in my ears, I realize, feeling dazed. It’s a warm night, but goosebumps erupt over my skin.

“What’s done?” I ask, suddenly terrified to hear the answer.

He shakes his head, a bitter laugh escaping him. “It’s my fault. I knew you weren’t fucking ready. I knew I pushed too hard for this.”

“Too hard for what?”

“For us,” he snarls.

I feel like I have whiplash. There’s no way he’s actually saying what I think he is.

“It’s fine, Everly,” he says, not meeting my eyes. “Things can just go back to how they were. We can pretend this never happened.”

I feel like I’m going to throw up. “I don’t want to go back to how it was. Bodhi, we’re—”

“Done,” he says, harsh finality in his flat voice. Before I can demand he knock this shit off, he turns back to the valet stand.