Page 17 of For You & No One Else (Say Everything 3)

Lien gave her a sympathetic look. “I can call you an Uber or call a friend for you, but I’m headed out anyway, so I don’t mind giving you a ride if you live nearby. You shouldn’t be walking around like this. It’s not safe.”

The kindness almost undid her. She nodded. “Okay. Thank you. I… Can you take me to the WorkAround building? It’s not too far, and there are always people working late. My car’s there and they have coffee.”

“As long as you promise you won’t drive until you can say your ABCs backward?” Lien said with a stern brow lift.

“Not sure I can do that when sober, but I promise.”

Lien cocked her head. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here before the dickhead comes out to find you.”

***

A few minutes later, Lien dropped Eliza at off at the door. “You sure you’re okay from here?”

Eliza grabbed her purse and gave Lien a grateful look. “I’ll be okay. Thanks so much for doing this. I’m feeling a little better already. The water helped.”

Lien smiled. “Go drink all the coffee. A little better than shit-faced is still pretty drunk.”

Eliza laughed. “Got it.” She climbed out of the car, taking her time since her head spun if she moved too quickly. “Thanks again.”

Once Lien had pulled away, Eliza fished her key card from her purse and swiped to get the door to open. She stepped inside, the quiet of the building a relief for her overstimulated senses. She passed a few people who were working at hot desks—desks people could rent for certain hours—but kept her head down and focused on keeping her gait as steady as possible. The last thing she needed was chitchat when she was in this state. She grabbed a cup of black coffee and then headed up to her office.

The hallway was silent when she exited the elevator, but as she neared her office, the door next to hers opened. She startled, almost dropping her coffee, and Beckham stepped out. He had his backpack over his shoulder and his keys in his hand, but when he caught sight of her, he froze. “Eli. Hey.”

God.The universe really wasn’t giving her any breaks today. She was going to prove every point he’d tried to make the other night about online dating.

“Hi.” She lifted a hand in a feeble attempt at a wave, but it threw her off-balance a little and she had to put her palm to the wall to steady herself. Was the floor moving? Her stomach turned.

Beckham’s eyebrows lifted. “Uh, you all right?”

“I’mfine.”Thefcame out a little too emphatic.

“Okay…” His forehead wrinkled and his gaze swept over her, lingering on her bare feet for a moment, and then moving back up. “Did something happen on the date?” He took a step closer, his jaw tight. “Are you okay? Tell me what’s going on.”

She moved her hand from the wall and lifted a finger like she was going to explain something important but all that came out was, “I’m drunk.”

“Yeah, I can see that,” he said impatiently. “But you look… Your buttons aren’t done up right, and where are your shoes?”

She closed her eyes, trying to gather her thoughts. “Ry took me to his friend’s gustro…gastropub and there were drinks with each course and…a lot of courses and I thought he was drinking with me but…”

“But what?” There was a hard edge in his voice.

“I found out his were virgin. He lied. To get me drunk. To—”

“I know why. That fucking prick.”

She winced and opened her eyes, her head spinning. “I can’t believe I was so stupid.”

“Don’t,” he said. “Don’t you dare take blame.”

Her hand slipped along the wall and she quickly reset it, but her stomach flipped over. “I don’t feel great.”

“Fucking hell.” Beckham’s warm hand touched her elbow, and the hot coffee was removed from her hand. “Come on, let’s get you to the bathroom.”

A while later, she walked out of the bathroom with a sheen of sweat on her skin and a burn in her throat, but her head felt a little clearer.

Beckham was leaning against the wall, her coffee still in his hand. “How’d the exorcism go?”

“Violently.”