In the dressing room, Eva picked up a sixth dress to try on. Brandon hadn't stopped at a maternity store, so everything fit awkwardly. She hoped the simple swing dress would work. It was time to go. She held it closer, threw it over her head and decided it would do. At least it hid what seemed more like fat than baby, and a moment later, let herself out.
Brandon’s eyes brightened when he saw her. She felt her pulse zip, so she glanced away. "My friends are getting together for coffee afterwards. Can we go?"
"Calliope already told me," he said and glanced at his phone. She couldn't complain that he was working. She nodded and returned to the dressing room.
He took a seat outside while she changed. She spoke through the door, picked up the lightest dress she’d held in a long while, and threw the dress over her head. "Jay and Alice are back in town from their honeymoon. I almost ruined their wedding, so I want to make sure they are still my friends."
"What did you do?"
His question haunted her. Her palms sweated and her heart sped faster. "Really? I thought you knew because you knew Jay paid me two million dollars."
She heard him stand closer to the door and could see his shoes underneath the drape that separated them. "I didn't know why. I knew what my sister told me."
She threw the dress over her head, fixed her butterfly necklace that her foster mother had bought her, and said, "But she wasn’t on the ship where Jay and Penny married. She was about to marry Chris?"
"Yes, we came to Mexico. I saw you, but with my sister's wedding fiasco, I didn't have much time."
"I saw you were making sure Chris could not find your sister." The memories hit her. She'd stayed in the hotel for a day, but every second it felt like the room was caving in on her and that she needed to pay everyone back. The money burned through her. She stared at his shoes. "Okay, so Jay's mother didn't want them to get married. She offered me a million dollars. As I knew I owed people about two million dollars for the failed production I talked people into performing in—"
"You took the money?"
"Jay doubled it for me not to ruin the wedding with his mother’s lies. I told myself it was just an acting job, but we both know it was wrong."
She threw the drape away and stared into his eyes. She had to know if he judged her, his brown hues gave her the sense he cared.
"You look beautiful." He blinked and reached for her hand. "Again, you didn't sign a contract making you personally responsible for the play’s performance. Shows close all the time."
"I self-funded because I believed the story was timely." She held up her hand as a wall between them. "Irregardless—"
"Now you're from Miami." He rolled his eyes and stepped back.
She nodded. Yes, the misspoken word was absolutely a Miami trait. She made a motion to change, but he shook his head and directed her to pack. She followed and continued. "Irregardless, I don't want my baby coming into a world where I don't honor my contracts, and when Jay offered to double the cash to not ruin his wedding, I was relieved. I had the means to start my new life free of debt."
"And what about the baby—" She made a face that made him stop. He held her jeans and black shirt and they made their way to the register. "Your girl deserves a solid financial future."
"I don't know what that looks like."
She blinked and wished she knew how to save. Not everyone had parents like his, who had clearly stressed to save for his future, but the best lesson she had about economics and saving was drawing a graph that showed saving was good. No one she knew followed that advice, except maybe Brandon. He paid, and the cashier was kind enough to lend Eva scissors to cut the tags. She approved of her new blue babydoll dress. Once he paid, he offered her his arm. "Right, let's go."
Five minutes later, they pulled up to the restaurant parking lot.
He held open the door and the second she climbed out, he pointed to the pier next to the entrance. "There's Calliope and Michael near the water."
Michael had a genuine smile and kissed Calliope, it was clear he had no idea they were walking toward them. In her brief fling with Michael, he had never once looked at her with that beam in his eyes. Both of them had filled a void feeling something was missing. She whispered to Brandon. "They look happy."
"Come." He said and offered his hand. This time she accepted. Brandon made her feel safe.
The second they neared his sister, Brandon coughed to let them know they had joined them. Calliope instantly came over and hugged them both. "Eva, Brandon, Merry Christmas."
"We have a table already," Michael said, and pointed to the door. Until Michael’s father died, he’d been on a bend to spend every dime his father gave him, but last year, once Michael became in charge of his own life, practically overnight, he’d become responsible and savvy. So maybe it was just that she had no one to show her how. For her daughter, she’d have to change her ways.
Once Calliope had stopped hugging her, they walked in a group to the door while Brandon said, "Sorry we're a few minutes late. Movie production wrapped later than expected."
Michael walked them to their seats. Brandon helped her sit, and near him, she had a jolt where she felt whole for this one moment. His nearness made her feel good. As they perused their menus a chill raced through her. She turned and a second later, she stared at Chris Sommers. His blond hair and blue eyes now seemed empty while he said, "Calliope. Eva."
Calliope turned red and held Michael's hand tight. "Chris, just walk away. Right now."
Eva stared at her. She was clearly stronger than she was.
"Callie, I still love you," Chris said.
Eva rubbed her belly. It was better to not engage with him as her baby deserved to be number one in her life and no one would take that away from her.
Michael stood. Brandon followed suit and said, "She told you to leave."
She slipped her hand in Brandon's. Chris must have seen, because he stepped away, then a moment later turned toward her. "I get it. Eva, you and I need to talk later."
Brandon repeated himself. "Go now."
Her entire body felt warm. She looked at the table until she was sure he was gone. Her legs still shook. She said, "It's okay, Brandon. Calliope, he told me you two had broken up, and a week later, I received your wedding invitation."
"I thought you were dating Michael when I sent the invitation, and I wanted to be inclusive of all his friends." Calliope explained. "I always liked Michael, and I knew in my heart that Chris wasn't the one, so he didn't break me. In fact, my life is pretty awesome now I have Michael, who I love and adore."
"I'm excited for both of you," Eva said, she scooted toward Brandon, and realized she held his leg under the table. He massaged her arm. He was sweet and kind and good.
Her face felt flushed. Brandon was the kind of guy she normally avoided, but here she was. The usual panic never surfaced, and she stayed calm.
Calliope put her menu down and ordered first from the waitress. They all went in a circle and she ordered spaghetti with a butter sauce. She'd pay for those carbs later. Once the waitress left, Calliope asked, "So how are things with my brother and you?"
She glanced at Brandon. His kisses made her wish for a life she never had, but she wasn’t the kiss and tell type. "New. Good."
Michael passed the bread tray and asked, "So you moved in already?"
Right. She was about to figure out how to explain, but before she could form a thought, Brandon said, "Eva needed a place to crash as hers is unacceptable."
Michael blinked and stared at Eva. "What did you do with the money, then?"
Her friends were like family, but the restaurant seemed to grow quiet. Once again, this question seemed to haunt her. She looked at the candle in the middle of the table. "I paid everyone back for the play."
Michael made a tisk sound, echoing Brandon. "Eva, not everything is your responsibility. If it doesn't work out, everyone in your industry understands."
Calliope said, "If I can help people, I do too."
The differences between them were vast. For one, Calliope had a trust fund and Brandon watched out for her. Eva felt Brandon's hand around hers. Again, she said, "I want to do better than the hand I was dealt."
She felt like she'd melt into a puddle of water at their feet, as Brandon took over the conversation. "Eva is sort of like my sister—money is secondary. Though, my sister has never gone without."
A sister wouldn’t have her urges.
The waitress came with their dinners. Once everyone was served, Calliope picked up her fork and asked, "So Eva, before the men start making us sound like idiots who let their hearts rule, what do you see in my always practical brother?"
"Other than him being handsome?" She smiled and was thankful the conversation had changed.
Calliope leaned forward. "Yes."
Her heart took over the answer, and she glanced more and more at Brandon while she spoke to Calliope. "Brandon is a stand-up guy. He's strong. He has morals, which in this day and age is rare. He's protective, and most importantly, he's sweet. I wish in high school I had gone to the prom with him when he asked me."
Brandon’s eyes grew wider.
"Wait." Calliope asked, "He asked you?"
"You remembered that?" he said to Eva, covering his lips with his napkin, his face turning red.
She reached and brushed her fingers against his shaved cheek to remove the napkin. "How could I not? Brandon, either way, I'm glad we're here, now."
Without too much more conversation, they finished their meal. Michael and Brandon both placed their cards on the table, and Brandon told his sister, "We'll meet you for coffee with your friends soon."
She nodded and took out a small present; presumably for her brother. It was Christmas Eve tomorrow, and in the background, Eva heard Jingle Bells on the radio. Calliope said, "Okay, but I wanted to give Eva this."
Eva jerked backward in her seat. "For me? Why?"
"Because I want us to be friends." Calliope answered.
"What is it?" Eva said and shook the small box. Friendship wasn’t bought and sold, but the gesture was sweet.
"Open it and find out."
The waitress returned the cards with the receipts. Brandon signed his paper and left it, and Eva read to them. "Sisters by Marriage. Friends by choice. Calliope, this is sweet, but we're not getting married."
Calliope put her hand on the table to show off her new engagement ring, she stared right at her brother. "Not yet, maybe, but I hope we can be friends so I'm extra excited for when my brother does propose."
"Calliope…" Brandon started.
No. If she put pressure on anything, it never worked out. Eva squeezed Brandon's hand and finished the sentence. "We’re not ready for marriage, Calliope, but I'll be your friend."
Michael and Calliope stood to go, Calliope leaned forward and hugged her shoulders. "Yeah." She stood next to Michael again and finished, "Okay, Brandon wants to talk. See you all there."
Eva whipped her attention toward Brandon. He hadn't moved much, but his fingers being laced with hers kept her calm. She turned her knees even further toward him. "Brandon, we're alone."
"My sister is about as subtle as a bomb," Brandon said and leaned closer. "Don’t let her get to you."
"Don’t worry." Eva said what was obvious. "She's sweet."
"Eva, I don't know if it’s Christmas or us being together, but we both have to remember this is a job."
The words were like cold water splashing her in the face. They weren't in a relationship. None of this was for real or forever. She needed to save the money for her baby. "Right. This is temporary. At work, I saw nothing unusual, but then I've never made a movie."
He nodded his head. "I think it's the art department. I'll be with you tomorrow for longer so I can dig deeper."
Christmas Eve. It seemed cruel to end things tomorrow, but she knew everything was a lie. It was her own fault she’d believed in Brandon or some happily-ever-after scenario for herself. Good men were never in the cards for her. She drank her leftover water in one gulp. Once done, she said, "Oh, so you might not need a pretend girlfriend soon."
"Right. This might all be over."
Except she wasn't ready for any of it to be over. Brandon made her feel safe and a part of something bigger that she wanted for her unborn baby girl. For once, it felt like she had a family, and it wasn't fair to rip that away.