Burn Out by Cheryl Douglas

empty chair, encouraging Erika to sit down as the other women
gathered around, claiming spots in vacant chairs and on the arms of the small
sofa. “We’ve wanted to talk to you about this for a while. Given what happened
between you and Evan the other night…”
    “You’re assuming
something did happen,” Erika said, trying to ignore her friends’ smug smiles.
    “The way he
dragged you out of there, I’d be surprised if y’all made it out of the limo.”
    Erika lowered her
head to hide her crimson cheeks when she thought about what had almost happened
in the limo. “I’d had a lot to drink. I wasn’t thinking clearly.”
    “You were thinking
with your heart instead of your head for the first time in over a year,” Lena
said quietly.
    Erika knew her
friends were only trying to help, but it was difficult not to feel defensive.
“I did what I had to do.” She lifted her head and looked at each woman in turn.
“You think leaving him was easy? It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,
but I did it, and I’m not ever going back.”
    “We’re not
suggesting you go back to the way things were,” Alisa said quietly. “We’re just
suggesting you give him a chance to try and make things better. He still loves
you, honey. You have to know that.”
    She didn’t doubt
Evan’s love for her. What she questioned was his ability to change. He was a
workaholic, perfectionist, control freak… Those characteristics were so deeply
ingrained in him she knew he’d have to suffer amnesia to transform into a 9-5
guy, satisfied spending his evenings in front of the TV with a cold beer in one
hand and her in the other.
    “You don’t know
Evan the way I do. You just see one side of him.”
    “I’ve known that
man my whole life,” Alisa said. “There’s nothing you can tell me that I don’t
know.”
    “Same goes for
me,” Bri and Anna said, almost in unison. The women looked at each other and
laughed.
    “You don’t know
the man I fell in love with, the man who would have done anything to make me
happy. I see what you guys have,” she said, looking at Lena, Alisa, and
Brianna. “I used to have that with Evan, but somewhere along the way, we lost
it and there was no way to get it back. He didn’t even seem to want to try.”
    “Maybe not then,”
Alisa said. “But he does now.”
    “Only because he
doesn’t have me anymore.” She took a sip of her champagne, trying to blink back
the tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. “How do I know that even if I
did give him another chance, he wouldn’t turn into the same guy who broke my
heart a few months down the road?”
    “There are no
guarantees in life,” Bri said, reaching for her hand. “But I honestly believe
Evan has realized the mistakes he’s made.”
    “That’s just it,”
Erika said, getting to her feet. She set her glass down on the small table
beside her chair. “There are no guarantees, and I’m not willing to take that
kind of risk again. I’m sorry if that’s not what y’all want to hear, but as my
friends, I’d really appreciate it if you could respect my decision.”

Chapter Seven
    Evan was running
late getting to the airport thanks to a conference call that took longer than
he expected. Thankfully, they were taking Titan’s jet, which meant it wouldn’t
take off until he was on board.
    He rounded the
corner and stopped short when he saw one unwelcome face in the small crowd of
friends and family. What the hell…? He came up behind Erika and gripped
her upper arm. “Can I have a word with you?”
    The color rose in
her cheeks as she smiled at the bridal party. “Will you excuse us for just a
minute? This won’t take long, ladies.”
    “Take your time,”
Lena said, winking at Evan. “We don’t mind waiting.”
    He took Erika
around the corner, away from inquisitive eyes and ears. “You wanna tell me what
you were thinkin’ bringin’ him here?” He’d waited all week to see her again
only to find out she had the