Nick was grateful for the distraction of a bunkhouse poker game with Rafe, Garrett and Leo even if they did spend more time talking about women than playing poker.
“I still can’t figure it out.” Leo glanced at his cards and laid them face down. “Why did she say I’ll get back to you? What kind of a response is that?”
“I’m confused, too,” Nick said. “She seemed excited about the date when I talked to her yesterday.” He didn’t mention that Fiona was intimidated by Leo’s movie-star looks. She might not appreciate him revealing that and it would only make things more awkward.
Garrett folded his hand, created a neat stack and set them aside. “I’d give her a few days and then maybe send her flowers.”
“That’s an idea.” Leo nodded. “I’ll try that.”
“I was thinking about doing the same with Kate.” Rafe seemed like his old self unless you noticed the defeated look in his eyes. “Not as a romantic thing, but to see if we can at least get back to being friends.”
“If it’s friendship you’re after,” Leo said, “I’d go for a big box of chocolates. She likes dark.”
Rafe scowled. “I know she likes dark. I know she likes her coffee with cream, no sugar, her favorite color’s blue, her favorite singer’s Brad Paisley and she hates the smell of burnt toast.”
“Just sayin’.” Leo took a drag on his bottle of cider. “She’d rather have chocolates than flowers.”
Nick sighed. “I wish you’d let me talk to her.”
“And say what? It’s hopeless.”
“Have you ever tried pointing out that you’re the opposite of her ex-husband?”
“In various ways, yes. Didn’t make much of an impression.” He glanced at the kitchen clock. “Hey, lover boy, it’s almost nine. Have you checked your phone recently?”
“Yep. Nothing yet.” He tapped the screen. “Still nothing…wait, there she is. She’s leaving Fiona’s.” He quickly typed a reply.
Leo glanced at him. “Any chance you’ll get some intel on Fiona?”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Thanks. On second thought, forget it. This is sounding way too middle school.”
“I’ll be subtle.” He stood. “Just divide up my winnings. I don’t want to take the time to—”
“I’ll put them aside for you,” Garrett said.
“Yeah, get on outta here.” Rafe smiled. “It’s nice to see that at least one of us has smooth sailing.”
He took a breath. “Right.”
“You don’t?”
“It’s…I gotta go.”
Rafe pushed back his chair. “I’ll walk you out.” He followed him into the bunk area and waited by the door. “I thought everything was peachy-keen.”
“It is. For now.” He loaded up on condoms, grabbed his keys and his hat.
Rafe opened the screen door and gestured for him to go first. “What’s that mean?”
“Seems I have a similar issue to yours. Yesterday, before we’d even kissed, she announced she was never getting married.”
“What the—” Rafe didn’t finish the comment as he fell into step beside him. “Has she been talking to Kate?”
“Maybe. But I doubt Kate has much to do with it.”
“Does she have a smarmy ex, too?”
“No.” Nick blew out a breath. “She was raised by her great-aunt, who apparently loved being single. Aunt Sally’s her role model.”
“Is Aunt Sally still around?”
“Died four years ago. She was Eva’s only family and they adored each other. Aunt Sally couldn’t have kids and Eva’s been told her chances are slim, too. That clinched it for her.”
“Then why in hell did she buy that big ol’ house?”
“It’s a lot like the one she grew up in, the house Aunt Sally used to own. Near as I can tell, Eva’s honoring Aunt Sally’s choices by following in her footsteps.”
“But she’s okay with having you pop in for overnight visits?”
“Taking a lover is okay, just so I don’t get any ideas about marrying her. She values her independence. Just like her Aunt Sally did.”
“Hey, I’m all for independence. Henri and Charley were independent as they come, and they made it work.”
“We know that, but Charley’s gone. Kate never met him and Eva didn’t know him very well. We can talk all we want about what Henri and Charley had but neither of those women saw it in action.”
“Damn it all.” Rafe stared into the darkness, his voice soft. “Why did he have to die?”
“I ask myself that all the time.”
“Do you think Eva will budge on this? I mean, now that you two are—”
“I wish I could say yes, but she’s convinced staying single is the life she’s meant for. The one Aunt Sally groomed her for.”
“She sounds as bull-headed as Kate. I’ve been holding out hope on that front for two long years.”
“Think it’s time to throw in the towel?”
“Wish I could. But I’m hooked on her. More now than before.”
“I never asked this, but have you two ever—”
“I kissed her for the first time yesterday. And she kissed me back. I thought that was the breakthrough. But I didn’t want to go further unless she’d had a change of heart, so I asked. Got the wrong answer.”
“Sorry, bro.”
“I’m a damned fool. She’d have an affair with me. She said as much. I should take that and be happy. I can’t.” He cleared his throat. “You need to get going.”
“Yeah, I do.” He clapped Rafe on the shoulder. “See you in the morning.”
“Good luck, Nicholas.”
“Thanks.” He climbed in his truck, started it up and gave a friendly beep of the horn before pulling away from the bunkhouse.
Two years. Rafe had waited a long damn time to have the life he wanted and it was still out of reach. Two years. Would Eva hold to her plan the way Kate was sticking to hers? Would he still be driving to her house for a sleepover two years from now?
He turned on the radio. Switched it off again. What would Charley do?
Charley had loved quotes, had been especially fond of one from Maya Angelou. He’d written it out in his block letter style and put it up in the tack room a few years ago. Gone now. But Nick could see it plain as day.
WHEN SOMEONE SHOWS YOU WHO THEY ARE, BELIEVE THEM THE FIRST TIME.
Eva had laid out her game plan before she’d kissed him. What had she shown him? That she was conscientious and straightforward. Honest about her intentions. Serious about the life path she’d chosen.
In other words, he’d been warned, just like Rafe had been warned. The women they were crazy about didn’t want what they wanted. They’d both ignored the warning. Rafe was two years into his state of denial. Nick was only two days into his. If he was smart, he’d get out before he was enmeshed in a hopeless cause. Like Rafe.
Eva had beat him to the house, not surprising since he’d had farther to go and he’d spent time talking to Rafe. The inside lights were dim.
He could text her and say he’d changed his mind, that he’d realized their goals didn’t match and that continuing down this path was a mistake. Then he could drive away.
He shut off the motor. She was inside, waiting for him to kiss her soft lips, caress her body, so eager for his loving. Rafe had stood his ground, refused Kate’s offer of an affair.
A little late for taking that stand with Eva. Oh, who was he kidding? He couldn’t drive away from here. Not tonight.
The minute he opened his door and climbed out of the truck, his body reacted to that decision with a rush of heat. His steps quickened as he rounded the hood and started up the walk.
The view through the screen door, even from the walkway, would give visitors some idea of what was going on inside, especially during the day. They’d been lucky no one had dropped by during that episode on the living room rug.
His groin tightened and he winced as he bounded up to the porch. Was she in there? The jeweled tones of the Tiffany-style lamps cast beautiful patterns but the room was largely in shadow. No movement of any kind.
Walking in didn’t seem right. Knocking wasn’t much better and ringing the doorbell would be worse. He settled on calling her name. “Eva?”
“I’m here!” The patter of her bare feet on the stairs indicated she was coming down from her bedroom. “Come in!”
Had she been setting the stage? His heart twisted. She loved being with him. No question there.
He opened the screen door and stepped inside. “I was slightly delayed. Rafe and I—”
“I’m glad you were.” She emerged from the shadows of the staircase. “It gave me a chance to change.” She walked toward him.
He forgot to breathe. The glow from the porch light fell on an angel from another dimension, a blue-haired, green-eyed creature wearing something made of fairy dust. The nightgown, a wash of iridescent blues and greens, flowed seductively around her as she moved toward him.
She paused a few feet away. “Do you like it?”
He gulped and nodded.
“Beth gave it to me tonight. She wanted me to have something special to wear.”
“That’s—” He cleared the sandpaper from his throat. “Very special.”
“Can I get you anything? Something to drink? A snack?”
“No, ma’am.” Just you. That’s all I need.
“Then if you’re good, let’s go upstairs. I was lighting candles when you arrived. This nightgown inspired me. I decided we deserved a romantic setting.”
Taking off his hat, he hung it on the coat tree. Then he closed and locked the front door. “Lead the way. I’m right behind you.” If he could look forward to this kind of greeting every night, did anything else matter?