An Illicit Gentleman II

                                      Chapter Twenty-Three

            The sun shone down as AJ laid on the reclining chair as people bustled around him.  His eyes were hidden by the sunglasses blocking the sun and no one could see him staring at Eve.  She sat on the pools edge talking to Kristin as her legs dangled in the water.  Her brown hair was still damp from the swim she took earlier and yes he watched her then too.  The bathing suit she wore was a one piece much to his dismay but she probably had enough guys gawking at her and chose the less reviling suit.  Something Kristin said made her smile and laugh and a small grin broke from the corner of his mouth.

“You better turn over.” Nick said as he sat down beside AJ but he didn’t hear his friend his mind still fixated on Eve.

They got back from Nashville yesterday afternoon, the DA had a pretty open and shut case.  Her mood changed too when they got here, she smiled more, and seemed more relaxed.  Like now how she was with Kristin, laughing, joking and having a good time.  A feeling of content came over him but it didn’t feel like she never left, it was more of a this was how it was suppose to be feeling and it started to replace the pain and hole that was left when she left.

“Hello?!” Nick said as he waved his hand in front of AJ’s face and pulled his eyes from Eve.

“What?” AJ replied annoyed as he looked at Nick.  His friend followed to where his eyes use to be and then he looked back at AJ.

 “Perv.” Nick smirked.

“I was looking at my girlfriend.” AJ said.

“So she’s your girlfriend now?” Nick asked.

“Yeah” AJ replied with a sigh.

“Just your girlfriend?” Nick asked.

“Shut up before I hit you.” AJ sighed as his friend smiled brightly at him.

“Just be sure you thank me at the wedding.” Nick replied as he sat back in his chair.  AJ rolled his eyes as he looked away from his friend and back to the pool, he almost let a frown slip when he saw she wasn’t there.  He started to look around his back yard and caught her and Kristin heading into the house. 

“So how long is she staying?” Nick asked.

“I’m not sure.” AJ replied with a light shrug.

“Hopefully for a while.” Nick sighed as he stood up and walked over to Kevin before AJ had a chance to say anything.  Not that he was mad at the comment he actually agreed with it.  In fact over the last couple of days he’s been thinking of a way to make sure she stays.

AJ walked out back to clean up.  Picking his jacket up from a chair he folded it in his arms and the black box fell out of the pocket.

“Damn it.” He sighed as he bent down and picked it up.  Standing at the table he stared at it for a moment and then opened it up as he sat down on a patio chair.  Looking at the ring he smiled, he remembered back to a couple of weeks ago when he found it, he knew right away that was the one and when he had their birthstones put in it he knew it was perfect.  The feeling washed away as his eyes filled with tears, he wanted her to be happy, to be her own woman, it was all he ever wanted but he never thought he’d have to give her up in order for it to happen.

“AJ?” Eve said and he looked up quickly as he snapped the box shut and tucked it under his jacket.

“Hey” He said wiping his eyes.  “Just cleaning up.”

“Alex” Eve frowned and reached for his hands, he jumped and dropped the box again.  They both bent down to pick it up but he beat her too it.  “It’s a gorgeous ring.” She told him as he held the box in his hand.  He didn’t say anything he just kept staring at the box not wanting her to see the pain in his eyes.  Gently he took her hand and placed the box in the palm and closed her fingers around it.

“I want you to have it.” He told her and then quickly stood up.

“What? No Alex I can’t take this…” She told him but he had already started to walk away.  Eve followed him into the house and caught up with him in the hallway.  “Wait Alex, I can’t take this.” She said as she turned him around. 

“Please.” He sobbed gently pushing her hand with the ring towards her.  “I…I think I need some time alone now.”

His mind flashed to another memory.

The sound of his car door closing was much louder than usual as he stared at the house in front of him.  He lived there but it seemed like a strange place because when he walks into that house half of it will be gone.  Her clothes no longer in the closet or dresser, her cooking no longer filling his house with stomach rumbling smells and his bed would be empty when he got into tonight.  With a sigh and a zombie like stare he walked towards the front door and opened it. 

Tossing his keys onto the table by the door he walked into his living room and headed towards the couch.  That’s when he saw it, the little black box sitting on top of an envelope.  He closed his eyes, he had wished she kept it; he bought it for her and wanted her to remember, to remember what they had and even to remember what she gave up so she could be over there.  AJ slumped down onto the couch and stared at the object in front of him for a moment. Sitting forward he reached for the box with one hand and the envelope with the other.  He looked at the black box for another second and then set it down beside him, turning his attention to the envelope.  The flap opened and he pulled the piece of paper from the inside and lifted the folded edges.

“Alex!” Someone called out to him and he looked up a little confused as his thoughts rushed away.  “Alex something’s wrong with Eve.” Kristin said as she walked over to him.  Quickly he got up from his chair as everyone looked at him and Kristin confused.  “She went upstairs.” Kristin told him as they walked into the kitchen. 

Skipping steps as he made his way up to the second floor and into his room he saw her sitting on the bed crying, shaking a little and her breathing was short.  He closed the door behind him and walked over to the bed, kneeling in front of her.

“Evelyn what’s wrong?” He asked.  She said nothing but held open her hand and he looked down, there he saw her Ativan bottle in her hand.  “Did you take one already?” He asked as his body began to relax a little knowing it wasn’t anything life threatening. Her panic attacks had apparently picked back up since the kidnapping, she had one at least once a day, either she could just calm herself through it or sometimes like now she needed the pills.  Only problem with the pills is they usually knocked her out.  

Eve quickly nodded as he sat on the bed beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist and the other one around her he pulled Eve into his arms helping to calm her.  A couple of minutes later she was calm but he continued to hold her in an embrace.

Then she slowly pulled away.  “I need to lie down.” She said as she looked at him with half open eyes.

“Ok” He replied with a light smile as he got from the bed and helped her slide back to the pillows.  “I’ll make sure the horde downstairs saves you some food.”

She lightly laughed as he pulled the blankets over her and then he sat down and held her hand as she drifted off to sleep.  His eyes drifted from her over to his dresser beside the bathroom door.  He looked back to her and then laid her hand down as he stood up.  Walking over to the dresser AJ opened the second drawer and reached inside.  He didn’t reach into the clothes though; he actually reached to the top under the first drawer.  His hand patted around until it felt it and smiled as he pulled his hand out, seeing the black box in his fingers.

He had learned his lesson and not kept it in his jewelry box, to many girls wondering whose ring that was and when he made the mistake of telling one of them well, all hell broke loose.  Sliding the box into his pocket he looked behind him at Eve and saw her still sleeping soundly.  He walked out of the room, quietly closing the door and then headed back down to his back patio with his friends.

“Is she ok?” Kevin asked as everyone sat around the table.

“Yeah, just a panic attack, she’ll be ok after she naps.” AJ told them as he sat down.

“Is that why she went…you know at the house.” Nick circled his finger around the side of his head which everyone knew meant crazy and Kevin responded with a smack to the arm.

“That’s just rude, damn kid.” Kevin sighed.

“Shut up.” Nick shot back as he rubbed his arm.  “And hello not a kid anymore.”

“Than baby start acting like it.” Kevin snapped glaring at him.

“Some things never change.” AJ sighed as he sat back and the table giggled.

“How long has she been having them?” Kristin asked.

“For a while, since she moved to New York after her internship I guess but they’ve picked back up because of what happened, so her doctor said they should ease up.” AJ told them as they all stared at him.  “Anyways the foods ready so let’s grub up.” He said as he stood up from the table.