Now That I've Found You - Kristina Forest Page 0,78
minute,” she says smoothly.
I sit down on the toilet seat with my face in my hands, and Kerri softly closes the door behind us. She crouches down in front of me and places her hand on my knee.
“Evie, honey, I need you to tell me what’s wrong,” she says. “You’re scaring me.”
She must really be afraid because she hasn’t even asked about my wig or hat or sunglasses. I’m just regular me. And I feel like dirt. Less than that.
I sniffle and wipe my eyes, taking a few deep breaths. I look into Kerri’s calm face. She’s been my rock. The one who always told me the truth, no matter what, for the short amount of time that she’s been in my life.
“Do you think we’d be friends if you didn’t work for me?” I ask, knowing how pathetic I sound. “Would you want to be friends with someone like me?”
“Someone like you?” she repeats. “Of course I would. What, you don’t think we’re friends now?” She smiles at me, but it fades when I don’t smile in return.
“Why are we doing this?” I ask quietly. “It’s not worth it.”
“What’s not worth it?” she says, confused.
“Me. I’m not worth it. I should never put myself in a position where people have to decide whether or not they like me. I already know the answer.”
“Of course you’re worth it. Why are you talking like this?” She leans back, analyzing me. “You weren’t happy before you left, but at least you were hopeful. Something’s happened to you. Talk to me, Evie.”
Well, here it is. The moment of truth. Literally.
Just as I’m about to tell Kerri that I have no idea where Gigi is and that she most likely will not be at the ceremony or meet with James Jenkins for any Every Time We Meet remake, someone knocks on the bathroom door.
“Uh, Kerri,” a glam team member says, “there’s a boy here to see Evie. He says he has her hat.”
Milo? How did he know where to find me? Then I remember that I wrote down the name of the hotel on the note I left him. And I left behind my baseball cap. Stupid.
Kerri looks at me and raises an eyebrow. “Please tell me this meltdown isn’t about the musician.”
“It’s not,” I say, shaking my head. “Not completely.”
She frowns, doubtful. “Do you want to talk to him?”
“No.” Of this I’m sure.
Kerri stands and goes to the door, opening it slightly. “Can you send him away? Evie doesn’t want to see him.”
Then I hear Milo call out my name. The next thing I know, he’s pushing open the bathroom door in a frenzy.
“Excuse me,” Kerri says, affronted. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“Sorry,” Milo says. “Evie left her hat at my house, and I came to give it back.”
“I can’t believe you followed me here,” I say, standing up. “Go home, Milo.”
He looks directly at me, undeterred. “Evie, just hear me out.”
I stand there silently and cross my arms over my chest.
Kerri glances back and forth between us, and when I don’t say anything, she nods. “I’m going to give you five minutes. Five. That’s it. And then you’ve gotta go, and Evie, we have to get started on hair and makeup.” She takes my baseball cap from Milo and narrows her eyes at him. “I’m watching you, kid.”
She closes the door behind her, and the five-minute countdown commences.
Milo stares at me, a slightly wild look in his eyes. I still can’t believe he came all the way here. “I’m sorry, Evie.”
I shrug. “It doesn’t matter. You got what you wanted. I’m not looking for my grandmother anymore, and I’m going back to LA tomorrow. The way I see it, we don’t have anything to talk about.”
“I didn’t get what I wanted,” he says, frowning.
I lift my hands and cover my eyes. I don’t want to cry again. This entire week has been so melodramatic! I didn’t ask for any of these feelings. I wish I could go back to Thursday, when I let him come with me to the gala. No—I wish I could go back to May, when Paul Christopher offered me the chance to audition for his film. I’d say no, and eventually something else would have come my way. My whole life would be different.
“Don’t cry,” Milo says, stepping toward me.
I hold up a hand to stop him. “Don’t.” He freezes.
I hate that I let him hurt me, and I hate that I like him so much, even