Taking Heart (21 page)

“Ben’s not coming back, Ren,” Jolene said. “You need to
really
start facing that fact.”

“Oh!” Ren laughed. “You thought I didn’t sleep with Colton because of
Ben?”

Both their eyes widened but it was Lisa who spoke first. “I should have
known. What does that Eric guy have over you? Because he’s not particularly
charming
or
smart.”

Ren bit her lower lip, not knowing how to describe her complex feelings
for Eric, not even sure she wanted to. “We just have a connection.”

“But didn’t you say he’s in a serious relationship? What does that mean
for you?” Jolene asked.

“It means I have to win him back,” Ren said, realizing that, all this
time, she had just been reacting to everything and everyone else, that she’d
found comfort in the shadows and only emerged when provoked. Perhaps it was
time for a new, proactive Ren, someone who was ready to kick butt and take
names.

The revelation was jarring, like someone shaking her awake from a deep
slumber. “I’m going to Burbank next week for the Cake-Con,” she announced.
Burbank was only a heartbeat away from Los Angeles.

Lisa’s eyebrows knotted. “But I always go to that.”

“Exactly,” Ren said, getting to her feet. “It’s about time someone else
got to go, right?”

“You said before that you weren’t the kind of friend who would deny him a
shot at a serious relationship,” Lisa said before Ren could walk out of the
office.

“Let me amend that by saying I’m not the kind of friend who will stand by
and allow him to make a mistake.” Ren caught sight of Jolene’s face, which held
an expression of utter disbelief. She touched her youngest sister on the
shoulder. “It’ll be okay, Jo.”

Jolene shook her head just as a crazy smile spread on her face. “I’m not
worried. I’m super excited for you!”

“Just promise me something,” Lisa said as Ren wrapped her hand around the
doorknob. Ren turned back, wary of another lecture. “If he doesn’t break up
with her to be with you after this trip, will you promise me that you’ll give
up on him and move on? Please?”

Ren paused and considered her sister’s words. It hadn’t even occurred to
her that Eric might actually want to stay with Karen, but Ren remained
committed to the plan. If nothing else, this trip would serve as a way to close
that tiny, albeit passionate, chapter in her life. “Now
that
I can
promise, Lise.”

Ren was a bundle of nerves by the time her plane landed at LAX. To say
that she had never done anything this daring would be an understatement. The
fact was that Ren had always been a follower, a sheep, and suddenly deciding to
seize control of her life pushed her into an uncomfortable zone. Still, she
knew she could push past the discomfort and just do what needed doing. The worst
that could happen was that Eric would decide he’d rather stay with Karen, which
was not all that different from the present situation. The way Ren saw
it,
she had nothing to lose and everything to gain.

She hailed a taxi and gave the driver the address to the hotel by the
convention center. Still, as they drove on the interstate, she saw the signs to
Los Angeles and felt a tug deep in her gut.

“Change of plan,” she said quickly and urged the driver to take the next
exit. “We’re going to this address.” She read aloud the address she had
stealthily found on the
internet
.

“Sure?” the driver asked.

“Yes, I’m very sure.”

Fifteen minutes later she stared up at the off-white building on West
Olympic Boulevard and wondered what the heck had possessed her to come unannounced,
but the element of surprise, she had to remind herself, was her best friend,
otherwise Eric would have plenty of time to think and take the wheel instead of
just reacting to her presence.

She slipped through the front entrance after a resident and went up the
elevator, checking the corresponding address on the card twice before finally
knocking on the door.

The wait was excruciating; her heart was in her throat and her breath
burned in her lungs. Finally, after what seemed like ten whole minutes (though
it could actually have just been several seconds), she heard someone
approaching the door.

“Ren?” came the surprised voice on the other side a moment before the
door flew wide open. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Ren’s smile froze on her face at the sight of a shirtless Eric, who wore
slacks and little else. She could remember how hard his body felt under her
hands, but she had never seen him naked in broad daylight, never seen every
muscle defined by light. Yes, he definitely worked out.

“Should I put a shirt on?” he asked, trying to stifle a smile.

“Uh, no, this is great. I mean, fine. Unless you’re busy with someone, I
mean, something else. I can come back.” She deflated. Not exactly the romantic
reunion she had been imagining.

“Just get in here, will you?” Eric said and grabbed the handle of her
bag. “And by the way, what the hell are you doing here? Who told you about my
birthday?”

Ren stepped inside and cast a quick glance around the swanky apartment,
surprised by how neat and organized it all seemed. “I didn’t know it was your
birthday. I’m here for Cake-Con and thought I’d stop by.”

Eric gave her a strange little look before saying, “Well, that’s
fantastic timing. Karen and I were just about to go out to dinner and
celebrate.”

Ren felt as if she’d been doused with water at hearing a name put to the
serious relationship. “I, uh, I don’t want to intrude,” she began nervously.
“Karen might not like some stranger barging in on your date.”

Eric waved her words away. “She’ll get over it. It’s not every day you
fly out to L.A. to come see me.”

“I’m here for that cake decorating convention actually…”

He grinned crookedly, letting her know that nothing had gotten past him.
“Whatever the reason, you’re still here. And it is my sincerest birthday wish
that you join us at dinner.”

“Aw man, you had to go and pull the birthday wish card.”

He stepped closer and suddenly she found herself wrapped in his arms,
bare skin and all. “It’s good to see you, Ren,” he said, squeezing tight,
smelling like soap and deodorant.

She sighed in contentment, relishing the sturdy feel of his body. “You,
too, now please go put on a shirt.”

He let go, the smile still on his face as he looked pointedly at her
duffel bag. “You can leave that there for the time being if you’d like.” He
raised an eyebrow. “You
are
planning on staying with me, right?”

“No!” she said with a smidge too much horror.

“Well, don’t sound so enthused. I meant you can sleep on my bed and I’ll
sleep on the couch.”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way. I’m staying at the Ramada in
Burbank.”

“Well it’s a good thing you’re coming to dinner. I wouldn’t get to see
you otherwise.”

“Speaking of,” she said, glancing down the hall. “Can I use your
bathroom? I need to freshen up before dinner.”

Eric motioned with his head. “First door on the right. I’m leaving
in—” He looked at the watch on his wrist. “Crap. Two minutes ago.”

For as long as she lived, Ren would never forget the look on Karen’s face
the moment she emerged from her condo. Though Eric had called her on the way
over, warning her that Ren would be joining them for dinner, Karen still had
the look of a person who had been betrayed and was trying in vain to hide it,
like smiling through a mouthful of lemon juice.

Ren stepped out of the passenger seat and held out a friendly hand. “Hi,
Karen. It’s so nice to finally meet you,” she said in her warmest voice.

Karen returned the shake with a tight grip. “Same to you.”

Ren climbed into the back seat of the car, hoping to appease Karen by
giving her the seat of honor, letting her know that she was still top dog in
Eric’s life. Ren caught the silent but loaded look that Eric and Karen shared
before they drove off.

Dinner was uncomfortable, as was to be expected. Ren finally understood
what it meant to be the third wheel, to know that her presence was not
appreciated. She had been nice to Karen, even more so than her usual self, and
didn’t understand the animosity. Or perhaps she just did not want to
acknowledge it.

After a glass of liquid courage, Ren finally spoke her mind. “Karen, why
don’t you like me?” she asked, feeling more and more like the new, forthright
Ren. She put down her salad fork and looked Karen in the eyes.

Karen did the same, taking a moment to recover from the surprise of the
question. “Why don’t I like you?” she echoed. “Hmm, let me see, maybe because
you’re the kind of girl who would call up someone’s boyfriend in the middle of
the night just to talk.”

“I told you that she and I are just friends,” Eric said.

Karen cast a quick look at Eric. “Or maybe because he says that in such
an ardent way, it’s almost like he’s trying to convince himself.” She leaned
forward, her eyes shining in the candlelight, looking like a beautiful,
diabolical angel. “Or maybe because you’re the kind of girl who just shows up
and invites herself to a romantic date.”

“I invited her,” Eric said, clearly annoyed. “And once again, purely on a
friendly basis. There is nothing to be worried about.”

Ren felt the sting of his words, however true they were. Still, hadn’t
she come to Los Angeles to win him back? Meeting Karen made her resolve weaken
because winning Eric back meant hurting an innocent person in the process, and
this new and improved Ren, much like the old one, did not enjoy hurting people
on purpose. “I’ll leave then,” she said, rising from the table. “I really am
sorry for ruining your dinner plans, Karen.”

Karen visibly deflated, her righteous anger hissing away. “No, stay. I’m
sorry I was rude.”

Ren shook her head and picked up her purse. “I shouldn’t. I really should
have known better.” She turned to Eric and gave him her best platonic smile.
“Happy birthday again. I hope you guys enjoy the rest of your evening.”

As she walked away, she realized that her duffel bag was still at Eric’s
apartment, but she couldn’t very well go back to the table and ask Eric for the
bag, knowing how awful that would look to Karen.

Ah well
, she thought as
she hailed a taxi at the curb.
At least that will give me one last reason to
see him before I leave tomorrow.

Eric was still tight-lipped by the time he drove Karen back home. After
Ren left, dinner became tense as he fought to control his rising temper, but
as they sat in the car outside Karen’s condo, he couldn’t
not
say
anything anymore
.

“That was completely rude,” he told her, keeping his eyes firmly fixed
beyond the windshield. “You have no right to treat a friend of mine like that.”

Karen huffed. “I didn’t say anything that wasn’t true.”

Eric gripped the
gear shift
with one hand.
“Karen, if we have any chance of ever working out, you need to trust me. And
you need to realize that I have my own friends, female or male, that you can’t
go around disrespecting,” he said, and in the back of his mind, he found
himself secretly hoping that she would throw her hands up in the air and just
dump him already. The thought shocked him so he pushed it down to avoid dealing
with it.

“Okay,” Karen said.

He couldn’t believe his ears. “Okay?”

“Okay, I’ll trust you completely. Because I really want this, us, to work
out.”

Her acquiescence filled him with anxiety. How could he allow her to trust
him with so much when, a minute ago, he’d just been hoping for a breakup? He
thought back to the engagement ring in his dresser drawer, the one he had taken
out of storage only a day earlier with the intention of presenting it to Karen
over dinner that night. But seeing Ren again had filled him with warring
feelings of doubt and hope, and the ring had lain forgotten. He wondered if his
subconscious had asked Ren to dinner specifically to put off the impending
proposal. He wouldn’t put it past himself to do something to sabotage what
could be an otherwise happy evening.