22. Courtesy Call

Soooo late! But hey, an update! And there should be one tomorrow as well *fingers crossed*
I feel like I'm moving out of my comfort zone with the way this one ends... I think you can blame a new boy in my life for that though =P lol
Also, it's late and I didn't proofread, don't hate!

Save You - Ctrlaltrock original

Alex watched the city pass by in a slow haze, his head leaning back against the cool fabric of the cab’s backseat, his left hand securely holding onto Evan’s. He wanted to say something, but he didn’t know what to say… what could he say?
He wasn’t even sure what his stance should be.

Alex didn’t totally agree with going to the hotel in search of Jeff, but what else was there to do? Could he really expect Evan to just go home, knowing full well that her fiancé was with another woman at that exact moment?
Of course not, and he definitely couldn’t let her go alone, no matter how much he didn’t want to be there.
This had ‘bad idea’ written all over it, but there wasn’t much else he could do.

He wanted to ask Evan what her plans were, but he didn’t, and even if he had, she wouldn’t have been able to answer him.
She was still unsure as to what she was going to do when they got there, unsure as to whether or not she was even going to go inside.
Was she going here to end things with him? Get a glimpse at the other woman? Or was she going to try and get him back?

They sat in silence, both of them unhappily surprised when the cab lurked to a stop, outside of their destination. Alex paid the driver, before pulling Evan out the door after him.
They stood on the sidewalk together, both of them knowing that Jeff was in there, somewhere. Behind one of the drawn curtains, he was with another woman, as Evan stood out here on the street corner; her best friend holding her up, without judgement.

“We going in?” Alex asked quietly, not wanting to move, but also tired of continuously sitting on the fence post for so long. He wanted to take a step in either direction; whether forward or back, he couldn’t even keep straight which way was a step on the right course anymore.

Evan nodded, taking an involuntary step towards Alex, and allowing him to lead her inside the giant revolving doors.
As soon as they entered the lobby, the cool air disappeared and was replaced with a blast of hot, thick ventilation, the scent of flowers and cleaning products, almost unbearable.

Alex glanced over at the receptionist, who was smiling at him expectantly. “Oh no! I never even thought… how will we find him?” Evan said suddenly as she caught sight of the girl.

“I think I got this… hold on.” Alex said, allowing his grin to widen as he moved towards the front desk. “Hey again… listen, you’re not gonna believe this but… I can’t remember my room number… it’s been one of those nights, you know?” Alex said, leaning one arm over the desk as he looked at the girl.

“Oh… that’s not problem, what name is the room under?” She said, batting her lashes at him, despite the fact that he was wrapped around Evan.

“I think it’s under my name, Carter. Jeff Carter.” Nodding, the girl glanced through the computer register until she found the room she was looking for, it wasn’t in the system, not as a booking name at least.

“Umm… I have your name here on the credit card… but, are you Mrs. Hartnell?” She asked sheepishly, shifting uncomfortably as the married name rolled off her tongue, and Alex’s grip tightened around Evan, who nodded. “Oh, alright well, your room is 704.”

“Thanks very much…” Evan said quietly, turning around and heading towards the elevator, Alex in tow. “Oh my god…” She breathed once the metal doors closed in front of them.
“Hartnell… it’s her Alex. Oh god… he’s sleeping with Scott Hartnell’s wife… how could he do this?”
Hearing the name didn’t help Evan any, in fact, it made it worse. She knew who Sarah Hartnell was, they were both part of the Flyer’s Wives Association. She had set up and attended charity events with that woman, sat beside her during games…


When they stepped off the elevator, Alex couldn’t help but notice how quiet the seventh floor was. He supposed it was because this floor was filled with expensive suites, and it was January, not a lot of people would be taking romantic vacations in Philly this time of year.
Together, they cautiously walked down the hallway, afraid of being seen. They came to a stop outside of room 704, both of them staring at it with disgust, as if the door was diseased.

Evan wasn’t even sure if she wanted to go in there anymore, not now, now that she knew who was in there and what they were doing.
It changed everything.
No longer did she picture Jeff, with his arms wrapped around some faceless person. No longer did she try to pretend that this wasn’t actually happening, that there was some other explanation; there was none. Jeff was cheating on her with Sarah Hartnell. “Alex, I don’t know if I can do this…” She said, voicing her concern out loud. “I don’t know if I want to do this anymore…”

“Evan, look at me.” He said softly, grabbing onto her shoulders and turning her to look at him directly. “I’m right here… I am right here with you and, you already know… he can’t hurt you anymore. Not if you don’t let him.”
She nodded, turning away from him and taking a step towards the door.

Evan reached out timidly, feeling sicker and sicker, the closer her hand got to the door. When she could go no further, she curled her bruised knuckles into a fist and pounded on it.

Alex felt that knock, like a ripple through his body, inhaling sharply as he watched her do it, two times.
Hearing a shuffle behind the door, Evan stepped back towards Alex, before shoving him out of sight.
She went with him, stepping out of the peep-holes line of sight.

A latch clicked and the chain scraped against the back of the door as Jeff poked his head out, glancing in the wrong direction first, before turning his head and catching sight of Evan and Alex. “Evangeline! Hi… how did… when did you get here?” He asked, his voice a few octaves higher and louder than normal, as worry crinkled his brow.
He pulled the door over behind him and stepped into the hall, shirtless, with nothing on but a pair of old, grey, sweatpants. Angry red scratch marks were visible on his shoulders, but he appeared not to notice as he stepped towards her. “Do not touch me.” Evan snapped firmly, raising her hands in front of her; defensively or menacingly, Alex wasn’t sure.

“Snugglepuss listen…” Jeff started, uncertainty in his face as he glanced at her red knuckles. “I don’t know what you’re so upset about… I was just… getting ready to call you…”

“Bull shit!” Evan screamed, moving towards Jeff, with every intention of throttling him.
Alex stopped her though, grabbing onto her arms and pulling her back.

Jeff kicked the door open behind him and signalled at her to come forward. “Don’t believe, why don’t you come in and check?”

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

White Horse - Taylor Swift

Evan looked back at Alex, who shrugged, unsure as to what Jeff had up his sleeve; but damned determine to figure things out, once and for all.
She took a step forward, Alex moving with her as they followed Jeff into the suite.

It was beautiful.

Luscious, deep, red carpet stretched from wall to wall; which were all ivory white, lit only by the large number of candles that covered the table, desk and nightstand.
A bottle of white wine, sat chilling in a silver bucket, unopened. There were two crystal glasses beside it, each contained a single, red, rose petal, and nothing more.

There was food on the table, an assortment of platters, all covered but one; it contained several large, plump, chocolate dipped strawberries.
Alex took a deep breath, where the hell was Sarah Hartnell? There was no way Jeff was here alone… no way that tonight, was actually the night he was going to do something for Evan.
What were the chances?

“Jeff…?” Evan said quietly, turning around to do a complete 360 of the room. “I don’t… understand…?”
Evan was lost in the same question as Alex, what were the chances?
She almost lost it, almost believed for one second, that maybe they’d been wrong. But that was before she remembered who had booked the room. “No… no. She’s here, where is she?”

Evan didn’t wait for an answer, walking away from both men, towards the mirror-covered closet, and throwing the doors open.
After finding nothing she moved onto the bathroom, opening the door and letting out a manic, single laugh, when she found the plain, mousy, blond woman sitting on the bathroom counter.

Sarah looked slightly afraid, but unashamed and unmoved as she stared back at Evan; both her hands holding onto the single towel, that covered her nudity.
Alex did bother looking into the bathroom as he grabbed onto Evan and pulled her towards the door. He didn’t have to look, he already knew what she found, he had his own issues to deal with.
The last thing he needed was to see the woman who allowed Scott Hartnell to put his dick in her.

Evan contemplated throwing her second punch of the night, but decided against it. She didn’t want to be in that room any longer than she absolutely had to. “Evangeline! Babycakes, it’s not what it looks like!” Jeff called after her, following them out into the hallway.

“Oh my god!” Evan groaned, coming to a halt and turning around. “It just never stops with you! The lies, the deceit… I caught you Jeff… what else is it going to take?! I knew, I knew about you and what you were doing when I came here… I already had the proof.
I’m sick of being fooled by you… just… just leave me alone, it‘s over.”

Alex tried to stay in the moment, tried to refrain from feeling anything but complete sorrow and heartache as Evan tugged off her engagement ring and threw it towards Jeff.
He tried very hard not to become blissful, as she interlaced her fingers through his, and gently tugged him after her, towards the elevator… but it was hard.

When they entered it, and turned back around to look at Jeff, he was stunned. It didn’t even look like a word she said had registered with him.
The doors closed and they left him standing there, with nothing but an unwanted ring, and an unfaithful wife.

Evan waited until they were safely tucked into a cab, and on their way back to her house, before she said anything. It was a stupid question, one that shouldn’t matter and one that didn’t seem relevant, but she still needed to ask it. “Do you think that she’s-”

“No.” Alex said firmly, grabbing onto her hand with his larger one. “She’s not prettier than you… not even close.” He sighed deeply, turning to glance out the window as he thought about the events of the night, and the wonderful, unexpected twisted that it had taken.
When he looked back at her, silent tears were falling down her perfect face. “Please Evan, please don’t start feeling like you’re not worthy or ugly…” Alex begged, squeezing her hand.

“I won’t.” She replied simply, her voice more pulled together then he expected it to be. Evan looked up at him and smiled, returning the firm gesture with her own hand. “How could I ever possibly think that? Every time you look at me, I feel beautiful.”