The text vibrated Eva’s cell phone, pulling her out of work for the first time in what had to be hours.
Glancing up she realized two things. It was dark outside, when it had still been light last time she remembered looking up. And her neck and shoulder muscles were stiff. As were her hands and wrists.
Her stomach growled and she added another thing to her list of proof she’d worked for hours. She’d forgotten to eat dinner. But it had been worth it. She had most of the forms filed to create Linc’s gift. Now all she had to do was fund it. But that was a job for later. She needed to eat.
Putting the laptop aside, she stood and stretched. Muscles protested, just not as loudly as her stomach, which gave another grumble.
“Okay. I’m eating,” she said to the noisy organ.
Luckily, half of her lunch from Rosie’s, a huge club sandwich, was in the fridge. As was some leftover soup from the day before. Perfect. Soup and half a sandwich. That was even a decent meal, like real people who worried about such things might eat for a late dinner.
While the microwave did its thing on the soup, she stretched the muscles in her wrists and hands.
After the ding, she carried her mug of soup and cardboard to-go box containing the sandwich to the table and sat. Which is when the second reminder that she had an unread text came.
Shit. That was why she set the notifications to sound twice. It took her a few minutes to function in the real world after being completely focused on the computer.
Her eyes were blurry from staring at the screen for hours. She squinted to focus them and read the text.
She let out a snort. All of a sudden he was Mr. Christmas? In her opinion, the lodge was plenty decorated. Besides, they were hosting the Yule log night, whatever that entailed. Not Christmas morning. They didn’t need a tree to gather around and exchange gifts. That’s what the ten-footer in the Wilder living room was for.
She hit send and went back to her sandwich, half expecting him to reply with an argument and tried not to be disappointed when he didn’t.
Apparently, he wasn’t that into the tree idea after all. But she couldn’t wait to see his face when he opened his gift from her. Not that he’d know it was from her. And not because of the stupid Secret Santa must remain secret rule the Wilders made up. But because it would be safer for everyone if she wasn’t affiliated with this gift, which is why she’d gone above and beyond to hide her connection. Brilliantly, too, if she did say so herself.
Smiling, she reached for her soup and felt the pain in her right shoulder. Another computer related ailment.
With a sigh, she stood and walked to the bathroom. The tub was big and old and showed the wear of too many years, but the water was hot and plentiful and the tub was deep enough she could soak her shoulders and work out some of the stiffness.
There was still some residual soreness down lower, as well. The kind that flooded her mind with the memory of last night. A bath would only help that too.
Flipping on the water, her night was set. A nice long relaxing hot bath was exactly what she needed. Maybe she’d even turn out the lights and use those candles Poppy had left all over the apartment.
Eva wasn’t great at relaxing. Sitting and working was one thing, but it was hard to sit still and do nothing without a computer in front of her.
Although, she had to admit, the hot water felt nice. Relaxing. And the quiet of laying in the tub with her eyes closed gave her brain some much needed rest. She didn’t stream music. Or even those spa sounds Poppy favored.
There was nothing but peace and quiet… and the sound of the front door closing.
What the hell?
Her eyes flew wide as she sat up fast, sending the cooling water sloshing in the tub.
Who was in her apartment?
Poppy maybe? Or Linc? That thought thrilled her as much as it pissed her off that he’d dare to assume he could let himself in. But no, she’d locked the door. Poppy had a key but Linc did not.
Yet...
Pushing that errant thought aside, she decided it was time to get up and see what her former roommate wanted or needed.
If she was here to get the candles she’d left behind, she was going to be disappointed. Eva had decided she liked them. The clean cotton scent especially. Although the lavender was nice too. And the mistletoe scent smelled like pine trees—not mistletoe—and reminded Eva of Christmas so Poppy wasn’t getting that one back either. She was just going to have to order more for her new home at the Wilder mansion.
Grabbing her robe from the hook inside the bathroom, Eva tied the belt around her and opened the door about to inform Poppy of her intention to keep all her candles, when she froze. The man who’d just flipped on the light switch and had turned to face her was definitely not Poppy.
A weapon. She needed a weapon!
Dammit, she could have used one of those fireplace pokers every room in the Wilder house came stocked with for the many fireplaces. Here, her choices were limited.
Heart pounding she spun back to the bathroom and grabbed the heavy porcelain toilet tank lid with both hands. Spinning back she raised the lid above her head and ran straight at the wide-eyed intruder, screaming at the top of her lungs as she did.
He threw his hands up to protect his head, but before she could bring the heavy object down on him with all of her might, the door opened again and Linc appeared.
Linc’s gaze swung from Eva to the stranger and he said, “Emmett. What the fuck are you doing in here?”
“Emmett?” she asked, lowering the lid and narrowing her eyes.
The dirty rotten scum whose name she’d sworn to never utter again. Whose real face she’d never seen since the only pictures he’d provided had been fake.
Here in her apartment…
And right after his family had found that will leaving his ancestors, and therefore him, half of everything.