Rockstar Romeo - Abbie Zanders Page 0,61

should have done was taken Eva back to my place while everyone else was occupied.

I hated the thought that she still had doubts about how important she was to me. I’d thought we’d gotten past that. This week had been amazing. Being with her. Sharing my family and friends with her.

I had a great life. Charmed even. But it had always been missing something. That something was Eva. She was the final piece. The one who completed me.

I’d thought she understood that. I’d thought my actions would convey that better than my words ever could. Clearly, I was an idiot.

I should have told her everything. I should have shown her the engagement ring I’d bought. I’d planned to surprise her after the wedding, not wanting to take anything away from Jackie and Eric’s big day.

But I realized now, I should have asked her in private. It could have been our secret, something we could have announced together after the wedding. At least she would have known then instead of doubting my intent.

Who could blame her for doubting me? I’d been sending mixed signals. Loving her in private while dodging inquiries into the nature and future of our relationship around my nosy but well-meaning family. They knew me. Knew that she was special to me, simply from the fact that I’d brought her home to meet them. Having us being the next to take that walk down the aisle was a foregone conclusion in their eyes.

In fact, the only one who didn’t seem to see that was Eva.

When my incessant pacing and mumbling started drawing concerned glances from the security guards patrolling the facility, I forced my ass into a seat at the bar and stared unseeingly at the mounted television.

I should have seen this coming. For as strong as Eva was on the outside, she was fragile on the inside. It didn’t take a psych degree to see that Eva was a wounded soul. It gutted me. I’d never met a more beautiful, passionate, caring, intelligent, sensitive woman.

She’d sparked something inside me the first time I saw her. Sounded crazy, I knew, but it was true. It was the first time in my life I’d ever felt connected to someone I didn’t already know, and in those few moments, she’d unknowingly changed my entire life.

That wasn’t an exaggeration. I had come home from that concert with a fire burning in my soul. A new purpose. Thankfully, my family and friends had my back. I wouldn’t be where I was without their constant love and support over the years.

Sadly, Eva wasn’t as fortunate. I didn’t know the details, of course. Eva never talked about her family.

I didn’t need details to put some of the bigger pieces together though. I could hazard some educated guesses based on her current situation and her trust issues. Side note: if I ever came face-to-face with Ian Flynn again, I was going to punch him in the fucking face. Repeatedly.

And Ross. I was going to have some words with him too. Based on the little Eva had told me, I understood that Ross had stepped up and helped her when she needed it most. That didn’t give him the right to hold it over her head or tell her how to live her personal life. It pissed me off because I knew Eva felt too beholden to him to tell him to back off. I, on the other hand, would have no problem doing so.

“Tough day?” A man sat down next to me, looking as if his night had been as rough as mine. His suit was rumpled, his jaw unshaven, eyes bloodshot, as if he hadn’t slept for a few days.

“Yeah, you could say that,” I muttered. A quick glance in the mirror behind the bar showed me I didn’t look any better than he did.

“I just sat on a plane for two hours, only to have them announce there was an issue with the aircraft and I have to take a later flight.”

“That sucks, man.”

“Yeah. Better than finding out there was a problem in the air, I guess.”

I could see his point.

He sat back and sighed heavily. “For a moment, I thought fate might be giving me a break. I ran into a woman here earlier. Thought she might still be here, but I guess not.”

I didn’t respond. Nothing against the guy, but I really wasn’t interested in his problems when I had enough of my own.

“She had the most amazing eyes,” the guy