A Prior Engagement (19 page)

She gave him a confused look that turned to irritation as she figured him out. “You did that on purpose, didn’t you?”

His hand reached over to rest on top of hers and he feigned innocent. “What on purpose, darling?”

“You conned me. You acted like that to get on my good side.” She spewed these accusations without thinking.

He looked injured as if her words had hurt him, and calm, he looked too calm. “I didn’t know I was on your bad side.”

“I thought you meant it by the pool. The way you were acting. You were being what I want you to be—”

He sat back, removing his hand from hers and crossed his arms over his chest. “It’s not hard to figure out what a girl is going to respond to. It’s ridiculously simple in fact.”

“I thought—”

“I know what you thought and you should continue to think that. That was me back there. I know you think I’m a monster, but that was the real me back there. I was happy to see you.” He leaned forward, his voice sharp. “To be with you again. I missed you and needed to . . . we need to reconnect. It’s been too long. A man has needs, Everleigh. A husband has needs and I expect to have mine met.” He sat up straighter as the food was brought to the table. “So don’t be melodramatic about it. It wasn’t a charade. I love you whether you choose to believe it or not.”

Not knowing what to think, she sat there mulling over the truths and lies. “Well, you don’t have to lie to me—”

“Don’t I, Everleigh?” His hand slammed down on the table making the silverware clang. “We haven’t had sex in over a month and you act like I’m taking advantage of you. I see how you react to me. Something’s going on with you and I want to know what it is, damn it.”

She shook her head in disbelief. “I don’t even know what’s going on anymore. You’re driving me insane. Maybe I’m the fool after all. If you acted more like you did this afternoon then maybe I would want to have sex with you.”

She stood up, throwing her napkin down next to her seafood salad.

His tone was direct, bordering on menacing. “Sit down and let’s finish this. This is the most interesting conversation we’ve had in years.”

“Well, what does that tell you?” She walked away leaving him alone with his lunch. Rushing into the ladies room, she leaned against the counter, and cried out of anger and frustration. She felt the walls of her former idyllic life caving in around her, feeling as if she was fighting for her life.

After a few minutes of solitude, her waitress walked in. The girl stopped, letting the door close behind her and a soft smile appeared. “The seafood salad isn’t that bad, is it?”

Everleigh laughed, needing the release of the tension that had built up. “No, it’s quite good. My favorite thing on the menu.”

The waitress handed her a tissue. “Your fiancé sent me in to make sure you were okay.”

“As much as I can be, considering the mess I’ve made of my life.”

“Is it all that bad?”

“Worse actually.”

The waitress hopped up on the counter, sitting next to Everleigh in front of the mirror. “My mom had a quote on our fridge when I was growing up. I read it every day. ‘Happy are those who dream dreams and are ready to pay the price to make them come true.’” She looked down at her dangling feet, contemplating the words herself.

Everleigh looked at her and asked, “Who wrote that?”

“I can’t remember off the top of my head, but it’s good, isn’t it?”

Everleigh nodded and closed her eyes, replaying every word silently in her head as gospel, feeding her soul. The waitress was right, but she already knew this by the little smile on her face. Everleigh smiled, too, and said, “You should’ve been a psychologist or a bartender, you know. How’d you know that would mean so much to me?”

“It always meant a lot to me. I’m glad it does to you as well.” She hopped off the counter and walked to the door, and took the knob in hand. “I’m studying psychology in school by the way, so good guess. I’ll tell him you’ll be out in a minute.” She opened the door and walked out.

When Everleigh sat down, she took a long sip of her drink, her eyes locking on his. “I think we need to talk, Tom.”

He looked at his watch. “As much as I would love to dig deeper into our deteriorating relationship, I have an appointment in ten minutes.” He stood up, placing his crumpled napkin on the table. “You were gone so long I took care of the check and called Audrey. She’ll pick you up. I’ll see you at the club tonight.” He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “By the way, I really was happy to see you today.”

Evie took a deep, cleansing, fresh-ocean air breath before walking to the parking lot. She spotted Audrey waiting in her dad’s Jaguar and climbed in.

Unaware of the war raging inside of her sister, Audrey asked, “How was lunch?”

Evie laughed. It was a sarcastic, caustic laugh. “Eventful.” But she didn’t want to ruin her time with her sister, so she tried to think of something the two of them could do together, something to take her mind off the lunch she just endured. “Hey, how about doing some shopping?”

The suggestion made Audrey happy and she accepted then drove to their favorite East Hampton boutiques. As Evie lingered at a table stacked with jeans, Audrey flipped through the shirts on the hangers behind her. “Sometimes you seem withdrawn, and sometimes you are lit from within with happiness.”

Evie wasn’t sure how to respond or if she should at all. She remained quiet, flipping through the rack of clothes.

Audrey trying a different approach to get her sister to open up, said, “You know, if you need someone to talk to, you can always talk to me. I know we don’t always relate, but I want you to be happy more often. I like when you’re happy. Are you happy, Evie?”

Evie considered her kind words and nodded while looking down. She was desperate to talk to someone she could trust. Right then she realized just how much her sister had matured and decided to open up. “Sometimes I am happy, but my happiness isn’t a factor that comes into play.”

“What makes you happy and why isn’t it a factor? I know school does, but what else?”

“I have a responsibility to our family, to our—”

“I know what’s expected of you, Evie. I know all of that, but the last couple of months I’ve seen a change in you, a change for the better.” Audrey stood in front of Evie and asked her pointblank. “If you didn’t have to worry about the family, money, anything, all of it, what would you do?”

She felt uncomfortable, so Evie did what she always did, she blew off the seriousness and redirected. “Oh, come on, it’s not that dramatic” She touched Audrey’s shoulder, saw the worry on her sister’s face, and tried to ease it. “I’m happy, okay? Don’t worry about me.” She turned away and pulled a blouse off the rack to try on.

Audrey was not satisfied by the blow-off and it set her mind spinning, knowing she’d have to discover Evie’s secret on her own. Step one: Return to Manhattan soon to investigate the situation further. But for now, she’d let it slide.

* * *

William was in the city working. He cycled through his day embracing the easiness of his Saturday shift. He thought about Evie while trying to avoid being hit by cars. Their relationship was developing slowly, but it was deep and laced with important shared moments, and he felt bonded in a way he didn’t expect.

He wondered if this trip to Philly would be a good time to make it
official
and establish what their relationship was. He felt he needed to tread lightly around his deepening feelings for her because he didn’t want to push her faster than she was willing to go— emotionally or physically—at this stage.

As much as he wanted to tell her everything he felt for her, he decided it best to play it by ear on this trip and let things play out naturally.

After shopping and thinking about the quote the waitress told her, Evie purchased two train tickets to Philadelphia. The rest of the afternoon was a relief because Tom was in meetings all day, and she got to enjoy her freedom to think about William as she pleased. She wasn’t aware of the eyes that were following her. She bent down to smell a red flower along the large fence on the right side of the house, and it tickled her lip. She smiled in delight at the memory of William’s lips against her own, soft, but with purpose.

“Right there! That’s exactly what I’m talking about.” Audrey busted her. “What’s that giddy, silly smile on your face for? I know a flower didn’t do that to you.” Audrey placed her hands on her hips, standing a few feet behind Evie.

“I love the garden this time of year, Audrey.” Evie couldn’t look Audrey in the eyes or she’d give herself away by giggling in girly delight. “I don’t get this obsession with my happiness.”

“Because you’re acting weird.” Audrey came closer to smell the flower for herself. “I love a pretty flower as much as the next girl, but come on, it’s just a flower.” She looked at her sister who was avoiding eye contact at all costs, and asked, “Are you in love?”

Evie laughed at the question, but answered with honesty. “Of course I am. That’s nothing new, Detective Wright.”

Audrey huffed in annoyance and turned on her heel to head back to the house, knowing Evie wasn’t going to give her any information.

“I am most definitely in love,” Evie whispered, loving the sound of saying it aloud as she touched her lips once more.

Audrey started walking backward and pointed an accusing finger at her sister. “I’m on to you, Evie. I will find out your dirty little secret.” Audrey was laughing which made Evie smile even more, kind of hoping she would.

Chapter 16

Evie awoke on Sunday renewed from her short visit in the Hamptons, but anxious to return to the city and to William.

Dallas showed up at William’s apartment at ten in the morning bearing bagels. As they ate, he informed his older brother of his plans. “I got a catering gig here in the city. The pay is good, but some of the events will be later than the ferry runs. Cool to crash here those nights?”

“Yeah, of course.” William looked over at his brother sitting at the desk. “You doing okay since the break-up?”

“Yeah, you’re right. There are other girls out there. I mean, I can admit I was pretty into Abby, but whatever.” He spun around in the chair to face William who was lounging on the bed. “I have a date on Wednesday with a girl from school. What about you and Evie?”

“Progressing, but it’s slow.”

“So it’s okay at your age to take it slow?”

“Dude, I’m twenty-two. I’m not Dad’s age or anything.” William lay back on the bed. “She’s worth the wait. I know that sounds strange, but I feel different about her. I don’t feel the need to rush anything. It’s like we have all the time in the world.”

Dallas went back to Staten Island around noon and William decided it was time to take care of a few things. He cleaned his apartment, which didn’t take long, he bought a few things from the corner market, and then packed his bag for tomorrow’s journey.

Without anything to distract her, Evie decided to text William:
Hi.

She felt like an introductory text was appropriate when in actuality she just wanted to text him more than once.

He didn’t keep her waiting:
Hi there. How are you?

She wasn’t sure what she should text, and stuck to etiquette:
Good. How are you?

Great. What are you doing today?

She was relieved he was leading the conversation and relaxed:
Lazy Sunday, you know how it is.

Lazy Sundays lead to Amazing Mondays
. He wondered if she would pick up on his desperation to see her again. He hoped not.

*Smiles* Yes, they do. I have the tickets. Meet me at the train station at 7 a.m.?

Yes. I’ll bring coffee.

Platform 8. I can’t wait.

William typed:
15 hours until I see you . . .

But then he deleted it thinking it might come across as too forward. Instead, he texted:
I can’t wait to see you again.

Everleigh smiled and typed.
I can’t wait either. See you in the morning.

William sent one last message to her:
Goodnight. Sweet dreams.

Both Evie and William spent their night anticipating tomorrow’s planned journey to Philadelphia and the time they would get to spend together.