All For Show

Tension

The second Joe caught up to Evelyn he grabbed her hand. He let out a sigh of relief when she slowly intertwined their fingers. He didn't say anything. Instead, he stood there, tightly holding onto her. When he squeezed her hand, Evelyn found it harder to hold back the sob. He pulled on her hand and wrapped his arms tightly around her the second she was in front of him.

Evelyn let out a sob as she tightened her hold on Joe. Joe took a shaky breath, his anger building as her whole body shook in his arms. He didn't move. He held her as tightly as he could while she sobbed into his chest. Once she finally calmed down, she pulled out of the hug.

She couldn't look at him. She kept her eyes on the ground until Joe gently reached forward and lifted her chin. With the hand holding her face, he caught a tear with his thumb.

He smiled down at her as he grabbed her hand. He didn't say a word as he started leading her back to his car. He made sure she was on the other side of his body, keeping her a safe distance away from the street.

Halfway there, he let go of her hand and wrapped his arm around her waist. Joe's heart jumped into his throat when Evelyn laid her head on his shoulder. When they finally got to the parking lot, Joe unlocked the car and opened the door for Evelyn. She didn't get right in.

When she hesitated, Joe grabbed her hands and turned her toward him. She opened and closed her mouth, struggling to find the right words. She didn't need to. Joe knew what he wanted to say and what she needed to hear.

"That asshole didn't deserve you," he whispered. "And I swear, if he ever comes near you again, I will beat the living daylights out of him."

Evelyn studied the look in Joe's eyes. She could see the anger, but it was buried under a soft gaze that he had for her. She forced herself to look away from his caring gaze and turned her focus to her shoes which were starting to get uncomfortable after running away in them.

"Come on," he whispered. "Let's get you home."

Joe opened the door for her and watched as she slowly got in. Once she was in the car, he gently closed the door behind her. He took a shaky breath, forcing his anger down as he walked around to his seat. He got in the car and glanced at Evelyn. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she was looking out the window.

This made Joe furious.

Things were better with Evelyn and then this. . . Okay, things weren't better with her but things were starting to get better. And then this piece of shit man-made Evelyn go back to the insecure actress she was when she first came to Hollywood. Joe didn't want her to feel like that. He wanted Evelyn to feel like the badass Princess of Hollywood that she was.

Joe reached over and grabbed Evelyn's hand as he left the restaurant. She hesitated intertwining their fingers until they were down the road.

"Everything is going to be okay," he whispered. "I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm not leaving you, Evelyn."

"This has nothing to do with you," she said barely audible.

"It has to do with you so it has to do with me," he corrected. "As the guy you're currently dating, it's my job to protect you from any douchebagy ex who tries to force himself back into your life."

He was so angry that he didn't even notice his slip-up with the dating vs. fake dating.

"So, see? It has everything to do with me," he said, glancing at her again. He cleared his throat before adding, "But I can't really help if I don't know what he did to you."

Evelyn didn't say anything. Joe kept glancing at her but she kept her focus on the passenger window.

"Evelyn," he said softly, "talk to me. What did Cody do to you?"

"It doesn't matter."

"Yes, it does," Joe instantly said. "It matters to me. What did he do?"

"It's not important, Joe," she said, her voice slowly rising.

"Please, Evelyn," he sighed. "You gotta open up."

"That's rich coming from you," she scoffed.

"Evelyn. . ."

"I've been begging you to open up to me since we met and all you've done is given me sarcastic or rude answers. So, yeah. You telling me I have to open up is ironic."

"I haven't responded that way lately," Joe mumbled. "I mean. . . I've been better."

"I don't know why you're inserting yourself in this," she said. "This has to do with me and a guy I dated over five years ago. You're not even my real boyfriend."

That stung.

Joe cleared his throat and readjusted his grip on the steering wheel. "True," he forced out, "but that doesn't mean I can't take care of you."

"Just forget it, Joe." Evelyn sighed as Joe pulled into her building parking lot.

"Evelyn," he started as he parked the car. "We should talk about this. I could help. Maybe there's something that we could do about Cody and something we could. . ."

"Let it go, Joe. Please."

Without another word, Evelyn got out of Joe's car. He watched as she walked into her building with her arms wrapped around herself and her shoulders hunched over. It wasn't hard to tell that she was crying.