Читать книгу The Surprise of Her Life - Helen Myers R. - Страница 8

Eve and Derek separated like guilty teenagers caught by their parents. Well, she did, which gave Derek little choice but to release her. She automatically smoothed her hands over her dress, while miserably watching Rae pat her hands together as though she’d just hit the jackpot at Vegas.

“Do you need me to bring out something?” she asked.

“No, no. Apologies, darling,” the redhead all but gushed. “I just had to tell Special Agent-in-Charge Roland that we need to arrange for a ride for him. The district attorney’s neighbor’s house is on fire, and he rushed off to make sure all is well at his home. He sends his deep regrets,” she added to Derek. “Eve dear, I’m thinking you should handle this, since you and Derek are longtime friends.”

As Rae began bobbing her head up and down for emphasis, Eve started shaking hers. Leave the party with Derek Roland? They’d only been alone for a little while and look what had already happened! Besides that, she wasn’t about to drive down this mountain at night with the road still mostly covered in packed snow and ice. She was barely competent at driving in the stuff down on the flats.

“Rae, did you forget that I was to stay and help Carmella clean up?” she asked, referring to the Graingers’ live-in housekeeper.

Rae dismissed that technicality with a flick of her hand. “If I can’t adjust to a little unexpected glitch like this, I’m in the wrong business, aren’t I? Not to worry, dearest. We’ll get things taken care of. Enjoy the reunion, you two and—Happy New Year.”

She dashed away before Eve could think of another reason her presence was vital. That left her and Derek in awkward silence.

This was definitely a night for reality checks, she thought with increasing embarrassment. “I can’t decide whether she thought she was helping, or being sarcastic,” Eve told him. “I’ll go explain that she was wrong about what she thinks she saw.”

“What was it then?”

The question, as much as the way he was watching her, left Eve at a loss. She hadn’t meant to offend him. All she’d intended to say was that she’d gotten caught up in the moment. Rae might have even done her a favor before she’d made a bigger fool of herself.

“You don’t have to feel obligated about the ride,” Derek said, suddenly reaching for his BlackBerry. “I’ll call for a cab.”

To come all the way up here tonight of all nights? “The aspens will leaf out before you have any luck with that plan,” she told him, resigned to what had to be. “Rae’s right. I’ll take you.” It was the only principled thing to do. Tomorrow, Eve told herself, tomorrow she would talk to Rae. Explain that what she saw was just a bit of late-night craziness on top of a hectic schedule and too little rest or food. “Let me get started on loading the dishwasher.” Back in pragmatic mode, she felt more in control of herself. “We’ll have to wait a few minutes anyway, until some guests leave and there’s access to my car.”

It was closer to an hour before that became possible, but it passed quickly with Derek insisting on doing his share to help. Eve didn’t know whether to be flattered or wonder if he was staying close because he suspected that she might change her mind and abandon him, too?

Finally, after saying a formal good-night to the Graingers and the die-hard partiers, Eve led the way to her red SUV. Only a few steps out the front door and—despite the salt they’d spread earlier—she slipped on some resilient ice. Thanks to Derek’s fast reflexes and strength, he saved her from a nasty backward fall.

“Those heels are suicidal. You should have brought boots to change into.” His breath creating puffs of vapor in the frigid night air that floated around the faux-fur trim of her red parka telling her what she already knew, since his hands were clasped tightly to her waist and her back was flush to his torso. He was leaning close trying to see her face. But now that they were more alone than ever, she couldn’t risk looking into those soul-searching, shaman eyes of his.

“I did. They’re still in my suitcase,” she said, pointing at her vehicle. “I didn’t think I’d need them or my case until later.”

“This is just not turning out to be your night, is it?” he said wryly.

He didn’t know the half of it, she thought, as they continued on toward the SUV. However, as she began to key the door locks, she knew she couldn’t continue this way. “Full disclosure,” she blurted out. “I’m an insurance agent’s dream customer. Not so much as a driving citation, let alone a fender bender on my record. But the other reason I wanted to stay here tonight and help out wasn’t because of you. It was to avoid driving down this mountain in the dark. On the cliff side of the road, no less.” She held out her keys to him as though they were toxic. “Even if you didn’t go through one of those wild defensive driving courses I’ve heard they give you guys … would you mind? And feel free to resist confessing if your own driving record is the worst in the Bureau’s,” she quickly added.

“It isn’t.” The speed with which Derek took possession indicated that he’d been trying hard not to suggest this solution from the moment they’d stepped outside. “Let me get your door,” he said, all solicitude and reassurance. Keeping his arm around her, he succeeded in getting her safely inside.

When they were both settled and he had the engine purring, she fastened her seat belt, turned on her seat’s warmer. Then she basically continued with all of the little fussing movements that came with the reality that their close confines felt more intimate than the sunroom did.

“I think I’ve lost feeling in a few toes,” she said, leaning forward to watch as she wriggled them in the strappy shoes.

“I should have carried you,” Derek said. “It would have been faster and safer.”

The idea of being in his arms again heated her body faster than the heater could. “You’re kind, but tongues will be wagging enough as it is.”

She could feel his sidelong glance and just knew a question was coming; however, it didn’t. Relieved, Eve prepared herself for the nerve-wracking descent.

As they started down the winding road, Eve was surprised to see that although there had been several people leaving at the same time, she could see only one car ahead of them. Everything else was dark, including most of the other houses tucked into the mountainside. By day she loved this area, loved the way nature crafted art via location and climate into every tree, the way sun and shadows played tricks on the eyes making you see things that weren’t there, and forced you to pay closer attention to not miss what was. But at this hour, all she saw was the sweep of snow cutting downhill and its steepness made her stomach roil.

In self-defense, she half turned to face Derek. “Don’t think I’m staring,” she told him. “I’m simply trying to avoid dealing with what’s behind me.”

“I have to ask, just to reassure myself—is there a panic attack issue you need to tell me about?” Although he frowned, and didn’t take his eyes off the road, there was amusement in his voice. “I don’t have to worry about you grabbing the wheel or anything, do I?”

“I don’t think I’m that far gone. Unless we skid.” Please don’t skid. Please don’t skid. But he was handling the machine beautifully, so far successfully avoiding every patch of ice.

“Why don’t you tell me about that birthmark?”

“That what?” Belatedly, Eve remembered her earlier remark when he’d first entered the kitchen. “Oh! That was just … comedic relief.”

“I’m crushed.”

Eve wished she had the courage to turn forward again, but was afraid that if she did, she would lose what little she’d eaten this evening. She chose her second-best option—to duck deeper into her jacket like a shy turtle. “I’m not really the flirt you’re taking me for.” Of all the people she’d had to make a fool of herself in front of, why did it have to be him?

“Doubly crushed.”

“Seriously. I’m the dumped wife, remember? Sex appeal in the negatives.”

“Right. Which is why, in hindsight, I found myself wishing Rae had taken a wrong turn instead of locating us as quickly as she did.” Shifting slightly in his seat, he abruptly added, “This might sound like bitterness, since I’m the rejected party, as well, but I don’t owe Sam squat, let alone allegiance, and hadn’t for some time. So let me just say this for what it’s worth. Wes is a fool … and that’s on top of being the four-letter equivalent of excrement.”

Eve waited for more, but Derek, erudite man that he was, said nothing else. “Feel better now?” she ventured to ask.

“I do, actually.” After a few moments, he added, “I wish you did.”

“I’m getting better.” At his brief, disbelieving look, she added, “It’s not like I’m hoping he’ll waken one morning to the revelation that he made a mistake.”

“I should bleeping hope not.”

It was sweet of him to be so sensitive to her battered ego. But despite his comment about loyalty undeserving, she couldn’t completely shake the nagging concern that all this attention to her was because he harbored a little fantasy about exacting a bit of revenge against one or both of their former mates. Eve inwardly shook her head at how she had become her worst enemy.

In took less than twenty minutes until the worst of their descent was over. In that time, Eve carefully kept questions away from personal matters. She asked if he supervised a large group of people, and he told her that including clerical staff, they had just under two hundred agents.

“There’s roughly the same number of specialists, analysts and pro staff. Then there’s the different task forces.”

“Good grief, you’re a king with your own kingdom,” she said, intimidated all over again.

When they could see the highway that would take them back to the city, she looked for signs of smoke, or—worse yet—flames, indicating D.A. Maines’s situation had grown dire. “I’m sorry I didn’t voice more concern over the D.A. Will you be able to call him and see how things are over there?”

“Yeah, I’ll check as soon as I get home.” Derek turned onto the interstate. The lights from Denver’s skyline painted a glittery landscape and stark contrast to the wooded foothills. “If anyone is going to get a fast response from the fire department, it’s his neighborhood, but I don’t blame him for hurrying off. I would have done the same thing.”

“I’ve met him only a few times, but he seems quite the family man.”

“That’s the impression I got.”

As they passed a series of restaurants, she almost pointed one out to mention that it was particularly good if he liked Thai cuisine. Then she decided against that. He’d been living here almost as long as she had and probably knew about it. And the last thing she wanted was for him to be thinking that she was hinting at an invitation.

He did get her attention when he turned onto a road that she would have taken to get home. When he took the next left, she looked at him with disbelief. But it was when he turned into her apartment complex that she tensed with unease.

“What are you doing?”

“What do you mean?” Pulling into a parking spot in front of the first building, he gave her a wary look. “Are you okay?”

No, she wasn’t okay. He was freaking her out. “This is a joke, right?”

Derek pointed to the corner apartment of the building directly in front of them. “‘E.T. go home,’” he recited, using a forlorn voice.

No. “You’re serious? You live there—since—?”

“Since I arrived in Colorado. It’ll be a year in March.” He pointed to the black SUV parked in the spot next to him. “That’s mine. Why?”

Her heart sinking, Eve reached over to shut off the ignition and pulled out her keys. She used them to point to the building diagonally across from his, specifically the bottom corner apartment. “That’s me,” she said.

Derek glanced from her to the point of her direction and back again. Then his chest started to shake on a soft laugh. “Well. Hello, neighbor … again.”

Derek meant to bring a little levity into the moment, considering that this was playing out to be a classic case of fate having the last laugh. But one look at Eve Easton’s adorable, but horrified face, and his smile waned. Damn, but the cutie was hard on his ego. The situation wasn’t as awful as all that … was it?

“Okay,” he began slowly, “you don’t think this is even the slightest bit amusing?”

“More like a bad dream.”

“Thanks a lot.”

Eve had the grace to wince. “Excuse me. I didn’t mean—”

“That you were appalled at the idea of living next door to me? And here I thought that lovely little interlude we shared in the sunroom would be—”

“This would be a good time to start forgetting that.”

“Why on earth would I want to? Tonight was the best time I’ve had since moving here. Come to think of it, it’s the best New Year’s Eve I’ve had in … long enough,” he said, realizing he was already giving away too much. She’d already managed to deflate him; there was no point in proving that not only did his love life suck, his determination to make high marks with his superiors had turned him into a workaholic. “The point is I’d hoped we’d gotten past that your-ex-dumped-you-for-my-ex hurdle.”

“I did, too … back when I assured myself that it wasn’t as if I would be seeing you every day.”

“I don’t remember the word blunt being used in reference to you.”

“I’m not being insensitive, I’m being real-time honest. Jeez, I wish I had that wine right now.”

Chuckling, Derek replied, “Evie, come on, the way we’re going I’d better wish you a happy Valentine’s, Halloween and Christmas, because it’ll be next New Year’s before we’re apt to run into each other again!”

She moaned with dismay. “Don’t call me that.”

“What? Evie?” Now he was at a loss for words. He’d meant it as an endearment. For this bizarrely intriguing conversation they were having, Eve seemed too formal, and Evie spoke to his wish that they could still be back in that sunroom with her gently murmuring lyrics that he found himself yearning in that moment to be true.

“It’s what my family calls me, especially when they’re about to patronize me for something I did or advice I wouldn’t take. Another gift that comes with being the youngest. Remember I mentioned my older brother is Nicholas? No one has called him Nick in years. He’s a cardiac surgeon. My older sister Sela is a corporate attorney. Her look will give you a freezer burn if you call her anything else.”

“I’m not patronizing you, and I understand now how pulling in here the way I did must have panicked you, but—” he gestured to their respective residences “—this is what it is.”

She shook her head as if still fighting reality with herself. After a few more seconds, though, she said, “You’re taking it awfully well.”

“Maybe because I’m honestly glad to see you again.” Leaning over a few inches he said, “This is where you could say something like, ‘You know what, Derek? I’m happy to have had a chance to see you again, too.’”

With a sheepish smile, she said, “Consider it said.”

Continuing to gauge the proximity of their buildings, Derek added, “It is odd that we haven’t crossed paths sooner.”

“The truth is that I rarely see anyone in this place except for service people and the groundskeepers. So many of the residents are professionals who tend to head to their workplaces from five-thirty to seven-thirty every morning. Rae and I usually don’t get into our office until nine because we’re often on the job later into the evening.”

“That would explain it,” Derek said, having come to the same conclusion himself. “I’m usually heading in by seven. Although that doesn’t explain weekends. What do you do on weekends, play Sleeping Beauty?” That would account for her whipped-cream complexion. His fingers itched to touch her again—in places that would probably leave her with a permanent blush.

“Hardly. That’s when I am likely to be gone before daylight, possibly not to return until dark again. We have a number of clients who, out of necessity, schedule their events for the weekend.”

“Makes sense.”

Derek hoped she would continue, to share what some of those events were like. Despite her reserve, tonight felt a little too close to kismet or destiny to see it end yet. Instead, she opened her door.

As she exited the SUV, he did, too, hurrying to help her, which proved a necessary thing when he saw that she had more ice and snow on her side than he’d previously realized—another indication that the woman had gotten to him in more ways than one. He literally lifted her by her waist as though she were a doll and placed her safety on the clear and dry walkway. “Sorry for not seeing that.”

“It’s okay,” she said a little breathless. “Derek … I hope you know that I do wish you only happiness?”

She was truly adorable with her big blue eyes refreshingly absent of guile and her mermaid-sleek body half hidden from him by a jacket, whose color perfectly matched her lip gloss. Those lips stirred hunger anew in him. Derek suspected that she didn’t have a clue as to how delectable she was because Wes the Weasel had taken her for granted, if not outright neglected her. The betrayal and divorce were the final blows to her crippled self-esteem. He hoped one day Eve would heal enough to believe that she was a delight and would be very easy to fall in love with.

“I wish you the same,” he replied with quiet earnestness. They began walking up the sidewalk that bisected their front lawns. “If things were different …”

He waited to see if she would take the bait. Women were supposed to be the curious sex and ask, “What if they were?” But she didn’t. She was proving to be an anomaly in more ways than one.

“If things were different,” he said again, determined that she hear this anyway. “I would ask you out sometime.”

At the crossroads to their respective buildings, she stopped. “That’s one of the nicest bad ideas anyone has said to me,” she said.

Unsure whether to laugh or curse, Derek had to ask the obvious. “Bad idea why?”

“Because there’s baggage, and then there’s our kind.”

“‘Our kind?’”

“Joint baggage.”

She made it sound ominous, like a five-year tax audit, or worse. “We aren’t the ones who did anything wrong.”

“Which is why if we do run into each other now and then, we can say, ‘Hello.’”

“I should hope so.” Taken aback, Derek couldn’t decide what was more astonishing, that she wanted to pretend that the too-brief, but wholly romantic interlude they’d shared earlier was easier for her to brush aside than it was for him, or that he was somehow tainted by Sam’s behavior? Hindsight being the ugly pill that it was had made him accept that Samantha had always shown the impulses of an alley cat. He supposed it was a combination of his patience and voluntary myopia that had allowed the marriage to last as long as it did. No doubt Eve had engaged in her own survival tactics, but she couldn’t still be in love with Wes—or was she so angry she was going to judge all men by her two-timing ex’s character flaws?

With a sigh, Derek gestured toward her apartment. “I’ll wait for you to get inside.” When she opened her mouth to protest, he held up his hand. “Humor me. Accept that I’m old school and want to see a lady safe and secure for the evening.”

“Okay. Thanks. Sorry.” She flapped her arms hopelessly. “I’m just no good at this.”

“No, you’re not.”

But he said it with a smile, and she laughed softly, and finally continued her way to her place.

In truth, she was a pain in places he didn’t want to think about. He ached to follow her to her door and kiss away what was left of her lipstick. Some competitive or hungry something compelled him to talk her into agreeing to see him tomorrow or the next day for coffee, lunch, or whatever. If she looked over her shoulder, he would do it.

She didn’t look back again until she had her door unlocked. Then she waved and locked up, leaving him to grimly stride to his own apartment. After bolting up behind himself, he stood in the nearly dark, too impersonal living room and felt fatigue descend upon him.

“Note to self,” he muttered, pulling at his tie. “Let it go … or move.”

“This is the winner of the Best Use of Spices float,” the female commentator for the Rose Bowl Parade said on the television.

“And I’m going nuts pretending this is what I want to be doing.”

Eve put the last of her meager Christmas ornaments into their box before reaching for the remote and turning off the TV. It was a shame considering that she’d enjoyed this ritual for years, but she just couldn’t get into watching today. What’s more, she’d already transcribed important dates onto her new calendar—birthdays, anniversaries and appointments—and removed the lights in the window and around her front door. The wreath was neatly tucked in a large trash bag in the coat closet, and the tree was about to go back into its box and join it. She was completely caught up, yet the microwave clock in the kitchen read only 10:57 a.m.

All that remained now was to call her family. But she suddenly dreaded it, despite missing them terribly. How was she going to explain last night without mentioning Derek? They’d known about the party, so there was no avoiding the subject. In fact, they’d be expecting a full recap—mostly in the hopes of discerning that she’d met someone “worthy of her” to quote her father. As good as her parents were at reading her moods and state of mind, her siblings were better than card sharks at reading her. That vetoed any idea about using her computer’s Skype application.

With the last items in the closet, she reached for her BlackBerry and scrolled down the contact list keying the number for her parents. Maybe she’d bought herself some time and would only get their answering machine. This was close to the time that they’d be heading to the retirement community where her father and maternal grandfather were likely to squeeze in a round of golf while her mother and the rest of her grandparents discussed who had been wearing the least last night on the evening TV specials. Then they would all head back to the house to wait for the arrival of her siblings, nieces and nephews.

“Eve! Happy New Year, dearest! How was your night?”

Just dive in, Eve thought. “Fine, Mom. Ho-ho to you and Dad. Everything okay down there?”

“Lovely. It’s sixty-two degrees, sparkling sunshine and we’re about to head out the door.”

“Okay, I won’t keep you. Give the Grands my love.”

“We can talk a minute. But you should call back in the afternoon and visit with everyone else. Your brother and sister say that you’ve been avoiding them.”

“They have busier schedules than I do. It’s hard to synchronize a good time to call.”

“That’s true enough, but they are worried about you, as are the rest of us. Now how was the party? Did you meet anyone interesting?”

“Tons of people,” Eve assured her. “The D.A., our congressman, the lady who hosts our local morning talk show up here …”

“Any noteworthy bachelors?”

“A sheik-in-training—some big oil guy’s nephew. But he came with a Playboy bunny,” she drawled, “and my humble little B-cup chest can’t compete with that.”

“I’m going to assume you’re teasing me the way you always do to stop me from prying.” Her mother paused to talk to someone in the background. “Your father sends his love and wants to know when you’re coming down for a visit. We discussed your situation over Christmas dinner, and your sister and brother want you to reconsider letting them arrange for some introductions.”

Eve could just imagine. She’d deferred the subject last time by simply telling them she wasn’t ready. The second time she pointed out that she would need a Bachelors and Masters to understand half of what their coworkers and friends were talking about. “I’m not exactly where I can talk, Mom. We’ll see, okay?”

“Oh, I didn’t realize you were still working. Of course, dear. But what will you do after you’ve finished up there? Are you getting together with friends? I so hope you’re not spending the rest of the day sitting in that tiny, dark apartment by yourself.”

Eve cringed as she glanced around her spick and span, almost empty and dark apartment. “Who, me? No way. There’s a skiing party at one of the lodges. I’ll grab a hot toddy and strike a sexy pose at the fireplace, until the risk takers get frostbite and rejoin me.”

“That sounds more like it. Do watch that no one slips something into your drink. I saw on the news last week—”

“Here’s my boss, Mom. Gotta go. Love you.”

As soon as she disconnected, Eve grimaced for having deceived her mother, but she simply didn’t want to worry her family. What was the point of putting hundreds of miles between herself and them if she wasn’t going to finally be independent and be responsible for her own decisions and actions?

She put down the phone and went to peer through the mini blinds. As usual, she saw no one out there, and Derek’s black SUV was still parked in the lot, but his mini blinds were shut tight. Lucky him if he was still asleep, she thought with envy. Lucky him if he had any sleep.

“And you actually thought you might be preoccupying his mind the way he is yours,” she muttered to herself in disgust.

The quiet surroundings did give her the perfect opportunity to get her trash to the Dumpster. She quickly slipped her parka over her oversize, black, V-necked sweater and jeans, grabbed her stuffed trash bag and made her way to the far corner of the property. Although the parking lot was two-thirds full, she didn’t see anyone or hear anything, except for the minimal traffic on the two streets that bordered their complex. With the sun shining at full force, the snow sparkled and stung her eyes, making her wish she’d thought to don sunglasses before venturing outside.

After flinging her offering up into the steel bin, she began to retrace her steps. Then she heard a sound that had her glancing up from her diligent navigation of slush piles and puddles. Derek was emerging from his apartment and locking his door.

“Really?” she asked, with a look toward the heavens.

There was no doubt that he would spot her—unless she ducked behind one of the bigger SUVs or pickup trucks. She was feeling very much the coward this morning, but she wasn’t that far gone. Besides, with her luck, someone in another apartment was likely to emerge and ask her what she thought she was doing?

Hoping that Derek was preoccupied and wouldn’t look her way, she pulled her hood over her head, tucked her hands into her pockets and kept her head down, once again focusing on where she stepped. She was halfway home when she came to the conclusion that he wouldn’t remember her jacket from last night. Men didn’t pay attention to women’s clothing, unless it was skin tight or fastened by string.

“Good morning!”

What part of FBI agent don’t you get, Easton? He’s not Wes who, if he wasn’t wearing his contacts, could pass you in your own house and not see you.

Eve stopped and pushed back her hood to find that he’d circled the side way and was almost upon her. He’d remembered his sunglasses and they gave him an air of mystery.

“Hi,” Derek said, coming to a halt not two feet away. He slid his glasses up onto his head.

“Hey.” She immediately cleared her throat because she sounded like she’d been sucking helium out of a balloon.

“Getting rid of some evidence I should know about?”

He posed the question with mock sternness, but as he nodded toward the Dumpster, she saw the smile in his eyes, even though he was squinting. He was dressed in jeans, a russet suede shirt and a black leather bomber jacket that made him every bit as appealing as he’d been in his business suit last night. Despite having wanted to avoid further contact with him, Eve couldn’t deny that he triggered inner turmoil within her, and she was glad that he was in a playful mood.

“What’s left of my counterfeiting operation,” she countered, pretending pride in her crime. “What I couldn’t sell online. Don’t bother looking for prints. I wiped everything clean before I bagged it.”

“Damn. There goes my hopes for making an arrest and getting to frisk you.”

“But we’ll always have last night.” As soon as the words were out, Eve regretted them. She hadn’t meant to send him the wrong signal, he just made it too tempting to play along. “Nice jacket,” she added quickly. “It looks vintage.”

He inclined his head in thanks. “It is. My father had his grandfather’s bomber jacket and I always admired it. Sadly, it didn’t hold up well. I found this one on craigs-list and couldn’t resist.”

“You had flyers in your family?”

“Navy, yes.”

“Do you fly?”

“No, the bug bypassed me. I try to keep both feet on the ground—or in the water if the opportunity comes up.” His expression turned quizzical. “I thought you’d be long gone back up the mountain to resume help with the cleanup?”

Eve shook her head. She wasn’t about to make herself available to Rae for another interrogation, no matter how conscientious she was to help out. “But you’re obviously off to somewhere. Don’t let me keep you.”

“Poker with some cronies,” he said, with a shrug. “I’ve reached my saturation point for reading reports and catching up on paperwork.”

Eve felt a wave of nostalgia and envy. “That’s what my family will do after dinner. Well, cards and dominoes. My grandparents insisted that even we kids learn. It guaranteed that they’d never run short of players.”

“I’ll bet you’re pretty good—except at the poker face.”

Wrinkling her nose, she admitted, “You’ll be astonished to learn that you’re not the first person to have said that.”

“I’d invite you to come along, but it’s stag. I wouldn’t subject your tender ears to that.”

“I’m sure I’m no match to you high rollers anyway.” She took a step to signal her retreat, only to remember something. “D.A. Maines—is he okay? His house?”

“Fine. Perfect. The neighbor’s place has damage, but it’s limited to two rooms.” Derek’s gaze grew concerned. “Are you catching a cold? Your voice sounds different and your nose is getting pinker by the second.”

She should never have mentioned her family; the tears she’d been fighting after calling home were threatening again. “Probably allergies from the dust while taking down Christmas stuff. But just in case, I better keep my distance and not contaminate you.” She took another backward step. “Good luck.”

“Take care of you.”

Eve waved her appreciation for his concern and cut a brisk about-face to increase her pace back to her apartment. Her mood sank with each step as she processed what he’d told her.

He had friends, a life, things to do. How silly and egotistical to hide indoors believing he’d been lying in wait for her!

Note to self—he’s out of your league! Get back to doing what you came up here to do.