�Thattaboy, Kevin,� I said to Kevin�s little boy.
�Hey, Nick,� Gabrielle said and I looked. �Ev wants to see ya.� I just looked at her. �She wants to talk to ya. She said something about making up her mind.�
�Probably nothing I want to hear.�
�What would she say?�
�That she�s going to go through with it.�
�Kevin, come inside,� Kristin said and Kevin ran over to his mother.
�I don�t even know why I came.�
�Because you love her,� Gabrielle said. �And you support the ones you love.�
�If ya love someone you�re supposed to let them go and let them be happy. I can�t do that with Evvie though.�
�You can�t let go, because you don�t know how she feels about you. She loves you as a friend, but you�re not going to be satisfied until you know for sure if she loves you the way you love her or not. Until you know that it�s going to eat at you and interrupt your concentration. I suggest you go in there now and tell her how you feel unless you want to lose her forever.�
�I don�t.�
�Then tell her.�
�I can�t.�
�Why not?�
�I�m afraid it�ll ruin our friendship if she doesn�t feel the same way. I don�t want that to happen.�
�I felt the same way about Aaron. When he told me he loved me I felt a lot better. I thought it was going to ruin our friendship, but when I told him I knew it was the right thing. I was ready for him not to feel the same, but as luck would have it he does. Telling him was the best decision I made.�
�But Evvie and I have been best friends for 21 years.�
�Just get you ass in there and tell her how ya feel.�
�You better ask God for forgiveness for that one.� I started walking back inside.
�For what?� I looked at her.
�Cussing on his doorstep.�
�Ooh, sorry. Forgive me Father for I have sinned. I have cussed on your doorstep.�
�I don�t think he likes sarcasm.�
�It wasn�t.�
�If you say so. Where is she?�
�In there.� She pointed to the left and I looked. �I�ll see ya in a bit.�
�Yeah.� She walked away and I took a deep breath. �Here we go.� I knocked on the door.
�Who is it?� Evangelique asked from inside.
�It�s me, Sugar Bear.�
�It�s open.� I opened the door, went in then closed it behind me.
�What�s up?� She turned and looked at me. �Wow, Sugar Bear, you look nice�really nice.� She looked like an angel.
�Thank you.� She smiled.
�I wish I was marrying you instead.� And I did wish that.
�Funny.�
�I try.� Seeing her standing here before me reminded me of Valentine�s Day in Paris. She wore a white dress and had her hair the same way. I remembered every little detail like it just happened yesterday. We looked at each other smiling. �You got twenty minutes so why�d ya want to see me?�
�Well, um�� Just tell me the weddings off and I�ll take you away from here right now. �So how are ya doing?�
�I could be better.�
�How�s the family?�
�They�re doing good. They came today.�
�I�m glad. I haven�t seen them for awhile.�
�They miss you.�
�I miss them too. I�ve just been busy.�
�They understand that.�
�I�m glad.� We kept our gaze on each other. �How is the charity and stuff going?�
�Good; we just raised $100,000 in June. It tripled from May.�
�That�s great.�
�Yeah it is.�
�How much did ya make this month so far?�
�I ain�t sure since I haven�t checked yet.�
�Oh.�
�But I highly doubt you wanted to me twenty minutes before your wedding to talk about my charity. So what is it?� She sighed and I looked at her closely.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
�Evangelique�
This is harder than I thought it would be. Maybe if last night never happened it would be easier. But last night did happen and I couldn�t change it. I couldn�t change anything that happened. It happened between me and Nickolas and people knew, but it wasn�t going to be the reason for the decision I made.
�Sugar Bear, what�s going on?� I looked at Nickolas. �Gabi said something about you made up your mind.�
�Yeah, but it has nothing to do with last night and what happened between us.�
�What did happen last night anyway?�
�You were there.�
�I know that. Did it mean anything?�
�Did it mean anything the first time?� We looked at each other and he grinned. �Don�t do this.�
�Do what?�
�This�whatever it is you�re doing.�
�I ain�t doing anything.�
�Then what was that grin for?�
�What grin?�
�Don�t give me that.�
�I ain�t the one playing mind games with you.�
�And I am?�
�Yes.�
�How so?�
�Let�s take last night as an example. We made love the entire night and this morning you say you�re still marrying that prick. Why?� I just looked at him. �Why can�t you just walk away from him?�
�Why does it matter any to you? You�re just my friend.�
�I�m your best friend who�s looking out for your well being. I�m the friend who sees right through your fianc�s Prince Charming exterior and to what he really wants from you. I didn�t notice it right away, but now I do.�
�And what does he want, Nick.�
�Money. Power. Connections. Everything you have the power to give. I can�t believe how blind you are.� What was he doing? If he was pushing me to marry Cameron it was working. �Your grandfather was Senator, your mother is Mayor and soon to be governor and your father is a very successful lawyer. Not to mention your grandmother is friends with Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush.�
�Are you pushing me to marry CJ?� Tears came to my eyes.
�No; of course not.�
�Well that�s what you�re doing.�
�Evvie.� He went to embrace me, but I backed away.
�Get out alright.�
�But��
�Just go. I wasn�t going to marry CJ and have you get me the heck out of here, but forget it. Just get out. I don�t care if you stay or leave, but I just don�t want you in here.� I turned from him. I wasn�t sure how much time went by before I heard the door open. I waited a second then turned around. �Nicky, I�� He shut the door and I just looked at it hoping it would open again. Hoping Nickolas would come back in and get me out of here, but he didn�t and I just stood there crying.
CHAPTER 25
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