by Anna Heal
Evans almost finished taking pictures when I feel my pulse pick up. I’m getting angrier by the minute and I can tell he can feel it. After the group says their excited goodbyes, he turns to me. Eyes wide like I’m some wild animal ready to attack or run.
He should be scared.
I try to put as much venom into my voice when I say, “How could you not tell me?” but all I hear is my small hurt voice that pisses me off further.
Putting his hands up in surrender as he approaches me cautiously he replies with, “I didn’t know how to.”
Scoffing at him I can’t help but reply, “You didn’t know how? Are you serious right now? How about, oh I don’t know, I’m a super successful actor that everyone knows. Do you know how stupid I feel right now Ev?”
Shaking his head, his masks slips away from his face to reveal only hurt. He starts to speak but I cut him off in anger.
“No, you don’t get to be hurt right now Evan. You should have told me! What if someone took a picture of us on the statue when, you know.”
Realization hits his beautiful features like a slap to the face. He clearly didn’t think at all about that. Zoe’s face pops into my head now. Evan Parker and Zoe Hale, I’ve seen it so many times before on entertainment shows, magazines at the supermarket and around social media. She’s stunning.
Of course.
Long legs, long blonde perfectly tended to hair. Face you’d sell your soul for.
Everything I’m not.
I can feel my emotions getting out of control so I focus on the one that’ll get me through the next few minutes with him, my anger.
“Izzy, I didn’t want to tell you because I didn’t want you to know me as Evan Parker. I just wanted to be Evan with you. No preconceived notions, no stories made up by the media. That’s not how I wanted you to know me. I’ve loved the realness between us. Just you and I, nothing and nobody else.”
Staring at him, actually him, for the first time I study his features. The beautiful blue eyes, straight nose, dark brown stubble. Now I know there’s brown hair underneath the hat too. He’s magnificent, no wonder Zoe snagged him. My anger is starting to melt and give way to sadness. I try to hold on to it but I just can’t. My heart is breaking.
Trying to keep the tears at bay I stare down at my hands in front of me. This is it, I need to finish this. I don’t want to be the fool, don’t want to be the other woman. I wish he would’ve had more faith in me in the beginning to tell me the truth.
“Evan, you are you because of this,” placing my hand over his heart and on his solid chest, “Not what you do. I just can’t believe you would think so low of me not to know the difference.”
I feel him suck in a breath as his eyes start to shine. I know I’ve hurt him but right now all I can feel is my heart shattering into a million pieces. I take a few steps back, staring at him as I go toward the front door of the hotel.
“Thank you Evan, for everything. I’m glad I fell on you.” Giving him a small genuine laugh as my eyes fill with tears. “Goodbye Peter.”
Looking down at me with a look of pure anguish he replies, “Goodbye my sweet Wendy. Thanks for letting me walk with you.”
****
Thank you for reading Walk With You. I hoped you enjoyed the walk through New York City with Isabelle and Evan. If you would like to please take a moment to leave me a review at your favorite retailer?
Thanks for your support!
Anna Heal
About the author:
Anna Heal is the author of Walk With You, as well as the upcoming follow up Forever With You. Anna lives on the beautiful west coast of British Columbia, Canada with her husband and their two tiny humans.
Connect With Me:
Follow me on Instagram: @fairravenbooks
I would love to hear your feedback and reviews.
HERE’S A QUICK TEASER FROM THE FOLLOW UP TO WALK WITH YOU.
FOREVER WITH YOU
Prologue
6 months ago
I didn’t watch him get into his taxi. I didn’t want to watch him leave, the goodbye was enough. I barely made it back to my hotel room before my eyes filled with tears. Bobbing and weaving passed the hotel staff so I wouldn’t alert them or make them ask what was wrong. As soon as I got into my room, I fell apart. Every single emotion of the night flooding my head like a tidal wave. I couldn't have helped it if I tried. How did this all happen? Why didn't I choose a different location to go to, a different street to stop at? Why couldn't I have waited just three more seconds before getting out of the taxi? I guess that's fate for you. Making you believe you run your life when let's face it, you control nothing.
I find my phone, still on the small table where I had left it this afternoon. Three text messages from my best friend Ella, two from Shannon, and a funny lighthearted voicemail from Jon followed up by a worried one with all three of them on the line. I'm never going to live this one down. I really don't feel like talking to anybody right now, actually I don’t feel like doing anything right now unless it involves the big comfy white queen sized bed behind me. I quickly type out a text to all three of their phones telling them that I'm fine, safe and sorry I made them worry. I'll call them in the morning and hopefully I'll be more equipped to function as an emotional human then.
Washing my face, brushing my teeth and throwing my hair in a top knot, the only thing in my mind is Evans face. His eyes seeping into my soul, his lush mouth making my insides twist. Walking into the small living area of my room I stare at my iPad. I could just open Google right now and learn everything about him. His birthday, his height, his childhood and everything in between. I can't make myself do it. I just want to remember the Evan that caught me when I fell out of the taxi. The Evan who wouldn't take no for an answer and walked with me all the way back to Manhattan from Brooklyn. Just Evan, my Evan, not Evan Parker the Hollywood heartthrob. I don't want to know the stories. Definitely don't want to see any pictures of him and Zoe together because I'm sure there is an abundance of those. No I won't torture myself like that. Not yet anyway.
I walk over to the bed and flop face down on it, half pulling the duvet cover over myself. It's so comfortable I don't think I'll ever move again at this point. Sighing into the mattress I will my brain to turn off, then scream at it to stop showing me Evans glorious face. I especially don't want to see the last face he gave me. The hurt and heartache behind it. The shine in his eyes. Leaving him on the street like that probably wasn't my best move but it was the only thing I could do in the moment. I know I hurt him, but he hurt me too. We'll probably never see each other again. You know, unless I turn on a TV or read a magazine, or watch a new movie, or turn on the Internet.
My life is about to suck for a while.
Turning over to stare at the ceiling I can feel my eyes start to tear again. No, I'm not going to let myself cry anymore tonight. I close my eyes and sigh into the empty room. “Alone again.” I say to myself. I just have to get through tomorrow's meeting and then I can pack and go back home. I'm in desperate need of some friend comfort, and I can't wait to hug them all so tight when I see them. Momentarily comforted by the thoughts of my wonderful friends my mind starts to slow and my body starts to finally relax. I start to drift in and out of sleep urging my subconscious not to think of the one thing keeping me slightly awake. It's no use, I let go and focus on him. All of him, every part. The only thing left is to sleep, and dream apparently.