When I went into the master suite, I tossed my bag onto the bed and sat beside it. I doubled over, holding my head in my hands. She was finally learning to trust me. She was finally listening to my every demand, and I was about to fuck it up if I wasn’t careful. I didn’t know what to do. I had veered so sharply off my original course that I had no idea where the fuck I was or where we were heading. I was torn between breaking her as I had planned and giving her everything I had, because so much had changed. She got under my skin in a way I never expected.
My phone chimed from inside my pocket, and I pulled it out.
MELISSA: Did you make it?
ELLIOT: Just got to the hotel.
MELISSA: Perfect. Are you ready to go to this dinner?
I sighed and shook my head at myself.
ELLIOT: Give me twenty to get changed.
MELISSA: And you’re sure your friend is OK?
Somewhere in the back of my head, there was a voice screaming at me not to go through with it, but I’d gone all that way. I had to.
ELLIOT: She’ll do whatever I tell her to. See you soon.
I tossed the phone onto the bed beside me and flopped back, staring up at the ceiling as I mentally cursed myself for the decision I had made.
Twenty minutes or so later,someone was knocking on the door of my hotel room. I had already finished getting dressed, so I exited my room and made my way to the door. I pulled it open and found my friend Melissa and her daughter Steph on theother side. When Mel saw me, she smiled widely and moved in for a long hug.
“I’m so glad you made it,” she said, squeezing me.
“Thanks for the invite,” I told her as I hugged her back. She didn’t know the mess I’d gotten myself into. All she knew was that I was there because she needed me. She had no idea the game I was playing with Eve. When I pulled back, I knelt in front of Steph, her six-year-old daughter. “Look at how big you’ve gotten. You must have grown at least a foot since the last time I saw you.”
The girl giggled and leaped into my arms, giving me a big hug.
I guess Eve heard the commotion, so she exited her room and stepped into the main area of our suite.
“Ah, Evelyn, just in time,” I said, putting Steph on her feet and standing up. “This is a good friend of mine, Melissa, and her daughter Steph.”
Eve had a confused expression on her face, but she smiled and walked closer, holding out her hand to shake. “It’s nice to meet both of you.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” Melissa told her. “I really can’t thank you enough for this. I don’t know if Elliot has told you, but you’re really helping me by watching Steph for me this weekend.”
Evelyn’s brows lifted in surprise, and she looked over at me. “I’m sorry.”
“Forgive me for not filling you in on the details,” I started. “But this wedding is for one of Melissa’s friends. She was worried that she’d have to miss it because she didn’t have anyone to keep Steph, so I volunteered to fly in for the ceremony and be her date. I brought you along so you could watch Steph.” I looked down at Steph and smiled, making her grin.
“So,” I looked back at Evelyn, hating myself for the hurt I’d put on her face, but I knew it needed to be done. “Tonight, we have the rehearsal dinner, and tomorrow evening is the actual wedding. So, you two can go down to the beach and hang out for a little while. When you get back, feel free to order dinner for both of you and just charge it to the room. We should be back around ten or so tonight?” I looked over at Melissa, and she nodded in agreement.
“Yeah, I don’t think it will run too late,” she said, agreeing with me.
“Alright, I left Melissa’s number on the table by the phone in case you need to contact her, and of course, you already have my number. So just give us a call if you have any problems, alright?”
Evelyn pressed her lips together and nodded her head once. She clearly wasn’t happy about the turn of events, but she wasn’t arguing with them either.
Melissa hugged her daughter, and then the two of us stepped out into the hallway, ready to get our night started.
Mel was beyond happy that I made the trip to town. Not only did I bail her out by playing the role of her date in front of the ex she wanted to make jealous, but it also helped her out with a babysitter for her daughter. She didn’t know how much she was helping me out. I knew that Evelyn would get jealous by seeing me go out with another woman, especially a woman who looked like Mel did. She was tall and thin with long blonde hair and big blue eyes. She had high cheekbones, plump lips, fake tits, and a tiny waist. She looked like a fucking Victoria’s Secret model. She made every woman jealous. What Evelyn didn’t know was that Mel and I had already tried our hand at a relationship, and we agreed long ago that we were better friends. Sometimes friends with benefits, but friends nonetheless.
“I can’t tell you thank you enough,” she said once we stepped into the elevator.
“It’s no problem,” I assured her, adjusting my tie. “So, Will is going to be here?”
She rolled her eyes. “That’s what I’m told. I don’t know why he’s bothering to come. He couldn’t stand Jake and Lacy when we were together. I guess he wants to rub it in that he’s dating Elizabeth now.” She scoffed. “She’s such a slut. I don’t know why he can’t see that.”
