EvieI closed the dishwasher and turned it on. Being a single lady that was rarely home and didn’t eat a lot at home meant few dishes. I had to practically wash my dishes before putting them in the dishwasher. If I didn’t, they would be crusty and gross by the time I got a full load. I put the towel on the counter and shut off the light.I had plenty of candles going. I loved candles. Anytime I got a chance to burn candles, I did. I carried my glass of wine out to my itty-bitty balcony and sat down. It was a warm evening with some serious humidity.I settled in, putting my feet up on the railing and staring out at the pool below that was packed with tenants taking advantage of the warm weather. My phone chimed, alerting me to a text. I didn’t want to look. I didn’t want to deal with a client bitching at me. I was completely chill at the moment. Not a minute later, the doorbell rang.“Nelle!” I said, already knowing it was her.I walked barefoot to the door and pulled it open. “I didn’
Evie“I can’t take him to meet my dad. For one, we are not even close to being at that stage, and for two, no way. You know how critical my dad is. Xander would cut and run before we even get started. My dad would find fault with a royal prince. There will never be a right man for me in his eyes.”She smiled, sipping on her diet soda. “That’s because he loves you. He wants the best for you.”“He wants me to be a spinster.”“I think he just wants to make sure you are with someone that is going to treat you right. He loves you. He raised you. He has some very high standards. It’s normal for dads to be picky about who their daughters date.”“My dad takes that a little too seriously.”“You won’t know until you try,” she said.I shook my head. “Nope. I have not taken a man to him yet and I don’t plan on doing it now. Not until I am a million percent sure he is going to be the man I am going to marry. Then, I will be more willing to fight for the man.”“Makes sense, but I think your dad is
XanderI flipped off the TV and walked outside. I had my swim trunks on and was ready to dive into my pool. I had gone down to the beach earlier, but it was packed. I couldn’t wait until school picked up and some of the tourists drifted away.I dove in headfirst, the cool water washing over me. I swam a few laps before drifting to the edge of the pool and holding on. I waited to see if I heard the sound again. My brain could be playing tricks on me.When I heard the birdsong again, I sprang out of the pool, using my arms to lift myself up. That was Evie’s ringtone. I felt a bit like a teenage girl, but I wanted to make sure I knew when she called. I picked up my phone. “Hello?” I answered, pretending to be totally cool and casual.“Hey, it’s me, Evie.”I smiled as I picked up my towel and rubbed it over my head. “Yes, I gathered that. What are you doing?”“I am calling to ask you for a huge favor,” she said.“What would that be?” I asked, praying like hell she didn’t ask me for money.
Xander“Thank you,” she said on a sigh.“No problem. Is that normal?”“With this group, yes.”I looked around at the men talking and laughing. Some had removed their suit jackets and loosened their ties. Others were still buttoned up tight. “They are lawyers?” I asked.“Yes. The expensive kind. They have one of these parties every few months. They always ask for me. Every party is always the same. The married men are on the prowl. They are worse than the single guys.”“What do you mean?” I growled.“They are relentless. They think they are god’s gift to women. They do not understand the word no or what marriage vows mean.”“Assholes,” I murmured. “I’ll make sure they know it is not okay.”She smiled up at me. “I think you being here is definitely going to change things. I’ve claimed I had a boyfriend at past parties and they don’t care.”“They will now.”“There’s one of the partners. I need to talk with him.”“I’ll go with you,” I insisted.Her pretty smile made me very happy I showed
EvieWe carried our bowls of ice cream to a bench that overlooked the ocean. I sat down first, with Xander sitting down beside me. It was a warm night with no wind. It felt good to get off my feet for a while. I took a bite of the chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream and let it melt in my mouth. It was my guilty pleasure. One of many. Life was too short and stressful to not indulge in ice cream.“Tired?” he asked.I turned to look at him. He had loosened his tie and undone the top button of his shirt. The gel he had put in his hair was slowly failing, allowing the long layers to fall loose around his ears and forehead. The light from a streetlight nearby cast him in a soft, bluish tone. He looked absolutely handsome. “I am tired. I always like this moment.”“What moment is that?”“The moment the event—whether it’s a party or a wedding or whatever—it’s the moment I can sit and relax without thinking about what I need to do. It’s a chance to go over the event and identify what went wro
Evie“I know how much you hate wearing the suit and mingling. Some of the events might be black tie. Do you have a tuxedo?”He groaned. “I’m afraid to answer that.”“You do,” I surmised. “A man like you would have to own one. How often do you get roped into benefits and fancy gatherings?”He shrugged. “Not as much as I used to. In the beginning, I was more open to shaking hands with the people I needed to buy my designs. I shook a lot of hands. I couldn’t turn down an invitation and risk coming off as rude or ungrateful.”“But now, you don’t have to?”“No, not really. I still do some because I do like to support a good cause. I just don’t stay all night. I show up, drink some champagne, shake a few hands, write a check, and get the hell home.”“It’s nice that you show up.”“What about you?” he asked.“What about me?”“Do you go to parties and benefits? Ones that you are not putting together. Just as a guest.”I thought about it. I had been to so many parties and big gatherings, they t
XanderI parked my car in the lot of the IHOP where Evie wanted to meet. It was packed, as expected on a Sunday morning. The hostess knew exactly who I was asking about when I described Evie and led me directly to her table. Every time I saw the woman, I was taken aback by her beauty. Her hair was piled on top of her head with little black curly strands hanging loose. She had on another one of those blouses with shoulder cutouts and looked absolutely beautiful.“Good morning,” she greeted with a bright smile.“Good morning,” I said and took my seat at the table. “Coffee, please,” I said to the hostess who was waiting to hear my drink order.“I wasn’t sure you would make it,” she said, taking a sip of her own coffee.“I got hung up on a phone call. I’m sorry.”“Don’t be. I was early. I’m always early.”“And I am almost always late,” I replied.“I’m glad you showed up,” she commented. “Otherwise, I would be eating a lot. I took the liberty of ordering you breakfast. I hope you don’t min
Xander“You’re joking? Not about your mom. That’s awful. Were you really making dinner at five?”She smiled. “No, not usually. Every night my dad would ask me what I wanted for dinner. I started to pick up on the fact it stressed him out when he didn’t know what to make. I wanted to make things easier for him. I didn’t write, but I remembered I would spend my day with a babysitter or at school and think about what I wanted for dinner. When he asked, I would have an answer.”I was amazed. “Wow. That’s young to pick up on that.”She shrugged. “My dad worked hard, and I wanted to do my part. My mom used to let me help her in the kitchen a lot, so I had a pretty good understanding of meals and cooking.”“I don’t know if I should feel proud and impressed or really sad for you,” I told her.“Don’t be sad. We all have our little hardships. I had mine. I got through it by figuring out how to make things easier. As I got older, I began to see how much easier our lives were when I knew what was