The following night at six-thirty, Eva grabbed a diagonal parking space in front of Fiona’s shop. She’d spent her morning sorting through some of the boxes Nick had brought down.
She’d also contacted Ellie Mae and confirmed a three-thirty appointment for tomorrow. By afternoon she’d been dragging, so she’d taken a long nap.
Nick hadn’t been able to indulge in that luxury, poor guy. As she’d sent him home this morning after they’d cooked breakfast together, she’d suggested taking a raincheck on tonight’s plan. Predictably, he’d scoffed at the idea.
He’d texted her a few minutes ago while she was driving over here to confirm that she’d contact him when she was leaving Fiona’s. He was eager. God help her, so was she.
After shutting off the engine, she picked up her phone and texted him that she planned to leave at nine. He sent her a happy face. She sent him a kiss. Then she silenced her phone because she was acting like a besotted teenager.
The closed sign hung in the window of Fiona’s shop but she always left the front door unlocked on the nights Beth and Eva came over. Shifting a container of homemade brownies to her left hand, Eva opened it and walked in, causing the bell above it to jangle.
Laughter and lamplight spilled down the stairway leading up to Fiona’s apartment. Beth must be here. Eva locked the deadbolt and hurried through the tidy shop.
“I’m here,” she called out as she climbed the stairs. “Better stop talking about me.”
“We can’t,” Fiona called back. “You’re the most fascinating topic we have. We’ve rehashed what I found out yesterday and we could use an update.”
“Aw, come on.” She reached the top of the stairs. “You guys had dates last night. You know all you need to about Nick and me. I want to hear what happened with Leo and Jared.” She crossed the neat-as-a-pin living room to a small dining table where they both sat drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers.
Fiona pushed back her chair. “Yay, you remembered the brownies.”
“Of course I did. I promised I’d make some.”
She stood. “Ah, but when your body is flooded with happy hormones, your mind could be taking a temporary vacay.”
“Stop, stop. It’s not like that.”
“Don’t listen to her.” Fiona turned to Beth. “I saw what I saw. Those two were on fire.”
“I believe you. Look at her face. It has that orgasmic glow.”
“Oh, for pity’s sake.” If it hadn’t before, it did, now.
“Have a seat, lucky lady.” Fiona reached for the brownies. “I’ll fetch you some wine.”
“You don’t have to wait on me. I can get it when I put these in the fridge.”
“No, let me. You should conserve your energy. Is he coming over later? We wanted to bet on it except we both think he is.”
She surrendered the brownies and took a seat. “He’s coming over later. I told him I’d leave here about nine and text him to let him know.”
“Awesome!” Beth left the table, went into the living room and came back with a small Racy Lace shopping bag. “This has your name on it.”
Eva blinked. “Oh, Beth, you don’t have to—”
“I’ve thought of you every time I looked at this. Take it and enjoy.”
She opened the bag and pulled out a filmy, knee-length nightgown with thin straps and a low-cut bodice. Shades of blue and green blended into each other in a kaleidoscope of color. “It’s beautiful.”
“She showed it to me earlier.” Fiona poured wine into Eva’s glass and topped off the other two. “Talk about perfect. It matches your eyes and your hair.”
“I love it.” Eva got up and gave Beth a hug. “I have nothing like this. I had no reason to have sexy nightwear, but—”
“Now you do.”
“Thank you for figuring that out.” She gave her another hug and grinned. “I could say I’ll think of you when I wear it, but I’d be lying.”
“I hope to hell you’re not thinking of me! Come on, we need to toast.” She raised her goblet. “To the exciting new chapter in Eva’s life.”
“Hear, hear!” Fiona clinked glasses with them.
Eva took a sip. “You two look pretty darned happy. Does that mean things went well last night?”
Beth grimaced. “It means we got an early start on the wine.”
“That bad, huh?”
“I’ll let Fiona speak for herself, but Jared behaved like he was my big brother. The drive-in was fun. Neither of us had seen the movie and we laughed like crazy. On the way there and back, we talked mostly about business. He made not one move to indicate he’s sexually interested in me.”
“How frustrating.” Eva put down her glass so she could fold her nightgown and tuck it in the bag. “Did you consider making a move on him?”
“I might have if we’d had one of those pregnant pauses where you’re just sure something has to give. That never happened. When he left me at my door he tipped his hat. I was ready to knock it off his head.”
Fiona giggled. “You should have. That would have grabbed his attention.”
“I think he really likes you,” Eva said. “Something’s holding him back.”
“Well, I give up. This was the perfect opportunity and he blew it. I think Fiona’s situation is more hopeful, in a way.”
Fiona shook her head and took a gulp of her wine. “No, it’s not. I’m tongue-tied around Leo. He’s too gorgeous for words. Ha! That’s why I can’t say anything when I’m with him. Too gorgeous for words.”
“I hear he doesn’t think of himself that way,” Eva said. “Did you have an adult beverage during dinner?”
“No, because I’d rather be tongue-tied than babbling like an idiot. I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I get a lot more talkative when I’m drinking.”
“We’ve noticed,” Beth said. “That’s Eva’s point. A little alcohol would loosen your tongue.”
“And I could start saying stupid things.”
“No, you wouldn’t.” Eva picked up a cracker and added a piece of cheese. “You’re one of the smartest people I know.”
“That’s what I mean about stupid things. One too many bottles of cider and I’m liable to launch into a discussion of the fermentation process. Or make the case for Pluto being reinstated as a planet.”
Eva smiled. “Leo might enjoy that.”
“I doubt it. I’m talkative, not witty.”
“He asked her out again,” Beth said, “and she—”
“He did? See, you don’t have to be witty.”
“Tell Eva what you said, Fiona.”
Fiona took another hefty swallow of wine. “I said I’d get back to him.”
“You’d get back to him? Why on earth did you say that?”
“I don’t know! I just can’t think straight when I stare into those beautiful eyes. I want to grab him and kiss him all over.”
Eva laughed. “I know how that is.”
“Which brings us to you, toots.” Beth speared her with a look. “Fiona told me about the attic adventure, so you can skip that part. Pick up the narrative after she left you alone with Mister Muscle.”
Eva sighed. “I ripped his shirt.”
Her friends happily leaped on that tidbit and pestered her for more. She only gave them an overview, and still the discussion lasted through happy hour and into dinner.
Would Nick be having the same conversation with Rafe? And maybe other members of the Brotherhood? And why not? They’d known each other longer than she’d known Beth and Fiona.
If Nick filled in the guys about last night, that would change the dynamic when they came into the salon. But it would change anyway if she and Nick continued to see each other.
Eventually the topic switched to Winifred Barton, the cancelled wedding and the box of seductive outfits. Beth was intrigued by Winifred’s story and loved sorting through the garments, but she couldn’t come up with a logical use for them, either.
“Let me think about it,” she said as they packed everything back in the box. “What are you going to do with the things in the black trunk?”
“I’ll see if the wedding dress can be salvaged. I could donate that, along with the shoes and the veil. As for the rest, I’m not sure.”
“You don’t have to decide yet,” Fiona said. “Something might come to you.”
“It might. There’s one other thing I didn’t bring over. I’ll share it once I’ve finished reading it.”
“She left a book?”
“She left a diary of her adventures with her secret lover, whoever that might turn out to be.”
“Cool!” Fiona took another brownie. “Do you think you’ll figure out who it was?”
“It might not matter,” Beth said. “She was ninety-seven, so whoever it was is likely in the Apple Grove Cemetery, too.”
“Maybe not.”
Fiona’s eyes widened. “You think he might still be alive?”
“It’s possible. I’m getting hints that he was younger than Winifred.”
“Even so,” Beth said. “He could still be gone.”
“I know. I may not be able to figure out who he was, but it’s fun trying. And that Winifred—there was a bold lady who knew how to go after what she wanted.”
“I can’t wait to read it,” Fiona said. “If you can’t figure out who it might be, I’m willing to go through the Apple Gazette archives for clues. Does she have dates in this notebook?”
“No, but she references town events. The Gazette has archives?”
“Of course. Most newspapers do. They’re digitized.” Fiona was clearly in research mode. “Do you think this man was prominent in town?”
“My guess is he might have been.”
“Married?”
“I’m not getting that. But I do think he was someone who wouldn’t want the whole town to know he was having lusty sex with a woman who seduced him with leather corsets and crotchless panties.”
Beth held up her phone. “Eva, it’s almost nine.”
“I saw that. This has been great, but I—”
“Say no more.” Fiona stood. “Go meet your lover.”
“I do believe I will. Thank you so much for this nightgown, Beth.” She gave them each a hug, grabbed her Racy Lace bag and hurried downstairs.