by Lexi Lewis
And oh, god, she wanted to fold. She wanted to say yes and hold him close, but she knew that was not the right way to handle this. So Eve sighed and shook her head. “No, Devin. We need to talk, okay? About that note from your teacher and what happened at school today.”
The little boy scowled. “It wasn’t my fault! He pushed me first!”
“Your teacher said—”
“He did!” Devin interrupted, stamping his foot. “He said…he said I looked dirty and poor so I should play in the mud, and he pushed me. So I pushed him back because that’s fair, right, Eve? To push him if he pushes me?”
It would have been better if Devin was just being a bully. Well, alright, not better, but at least then there wouldn’t be this…pit in her stomach. Devin had always been a fairly popular kid, but he was getting older now, and people were noticing. The other kids were apparently noticing and bullying him for the way he dressed and the fact that he didn’t have new or brand name things. It hurt Eve to think about it.
“Eve?” Devin asked again, poking her. “Am I in trouble?”
Eve sighed and made herself focus. “I…no. You’re not. You…it’s not nice to push people, Devin. Just because he pushed you, doesn’t make it okay for you to push him back. If it happens again, let the teacher handle it, okay?”
He sighed in response, but nodded. “Okay. Sorry.”
“Don’t be sorry,” Eve said with a sad little smile. She brushed her hand over his head. “This isn’t your fault.”
This was her fault. Her fault for not being able to provide more than the bare minimum for her brother. He had all the things he needed to survive, but that was about it. There were very few treats or extra things, and she knew how cruel kids could be when it came to things like that. Maybe it would have been better if he’d stayed living with their aunt. She was doing better than Eve was and could probably provide more for the boy.
But she’d wanted them to stay together.
Maybe she was just selfish.
Devin had run off to go play, and Eve leaned against the counter. She didn’t tell Reese about any of these things and for good reason. He had money and fame and good looks and fans who sent him flowers when he was in the hospital. There was no way he would understand about being virtually poor and trying to raise a child.
It was stuff like this that made her worry that they were doomed before they even started. They led such different lives, and it wasn’t going to be easy to reconcile that. No matter how attracted to each other they were.
But she didn’t want to think about that right now. More and more things were piling up on top of her, and she wasn’t really sure what to do about any of it. She didn’t know where her father was, so she couldn’t do anything to keep him away other than try and keep an eye out. They didn’t have any extra money to help Devin not get bullied at school, so there was nothing she could there, either. More than anything she just wanted to talk to someone about all of this, but she was better at holding it all in, so that was what she was going to do.
Things continued in that same vein for the rest of the week.
Patients continued to stream into the hospital at an alarming rate, and everyone was rushing around to try to get to them all. Devin came home with another note, this time for pulling a girl’s hair. Eve had met the girl’s mother at a PTA meeting once, and she knew that she was one of those parents who spoiled and indulged every whim of her child. She also knew that she was one of those parents who spent a lot of time gossiping about Devin and her and their situation. So she didn’t even need Devin to explain what had happened. She just admonished him again about hurting people and cried as softly as she could in the shower that night.
It was bad enough that people thought she was bad at looking after him, but for the kids to be repeating that stuff in front of Devin was worse. He didn’t really know or understand their financial situation, and Eve had wanted to keep it like that for as long as she could.
It seemed sooner or later she was going to have to talk about it with him.
By the time the weekend rolled around, she was exhausted.
Warily, she had sent Devin off to spend the weekend at a friend’s house after making him promise that he wasn’t going to get into any fights and that he would call her if he needed to. She wanted him to have fun, but the current trend of people being crappy to him wasn’t making her feel good about it.
Carla from next door had assured her that the parents of the boy were good people in her experience and one of her own sons was going, too, so that reassured her some.
Eve wasn’t going to pretend like she wouldn’t enjoy having the apartment to herself for a couple of days. She didn’t have to work that weekend either, so it was going to be all about relaxing and trying to let go of some of the stress that she seemed to be carrying around with her constantly these days.
On Friday afternoon once her shift was over, she came home and flopped onto the couch face first, burying her face in the cushions and trying not to think.
That was, of course, easier said than done considering the fact that not ten seconds after she’d managed to relax, her phone buzzed in her pocket. Ever since she’d gotten that call from her dad, every time the phone rang, her heart leapt into her throat. This was no exception, and she hesitated before pulling it out and looking at the screen.
Relief washed over her when it was just Reese, and she sighed and answered.
“Hello?”
“Hey. So quick question. Are you busy tonight?”
She frowned. She wasn’t, of course, but the idea of driving an hour out to where his parents lived to visit him was not her idea of relaxing. “That depends. What do you want?” Eve tried to keep her voice teasing, but she was hoping that wasn’t what he wanted.
“I’m making Paul drive me around today because of that whole him telling people things I didn’t need them to know thing, and I was thinking about coming to see you. If you’re not busy.”
Eve blinked. Have Reese…here? Her apartment was clean, but there was no hiding the shabby furniture and the fact that it was so small. Her instinct was to tell him that she would meet him somewhere in town, but…if they were going to have something together, then she couldn’t hide this from him. He’d find out eventually how she lived.
“No, I’m bot busy,” she said after a moment. “Devin’s even gone to stay at a friend’s house for the weekend.”
“What perfect timing. I gotta get a new prescription from the hospital, but I could come by your place when I’m done? Paul’s had enough of my parents for a while, so he’s staying in a hotel, and he can pick me up whenever. Can’t you?”
There was muted grumbling from the other end, and Eve smiled. It would be nice to see him, and she had been thinking about being alone with him since the last time she had been alone with him.
“I can’t promise that you’re going to love my apartment, and I’m definitely not cooking for you, but you’re welcome to come over.”
He laughed. “Sounds fair. I can pick something up on the way if you want to tell me what you like.”
“I like a little bit of everything,” she said with a grin. “But if you bring me some nachos or something, then I’m sure to let you in. We even have an elevator so you won’t have to hobble up stairs like an invalid.”
“Hey,” he protested. “Aren’t you supposed to feel sorry for me because I’m injured? Isn’t that a part of your job?”
She grinned and pushed herself up off the couch. “I’m not at work, though, am I? I’ll text you my address. When can I expect you?”
“In like an hour, maybe an hour and a half. Medicine then food.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see you then.”
Once they’d hung up, she hurried into the bathroom to shower and fix her hair. While she wasn’t going to get dressed up for him, there was no reason he had to see her looking like she’d just finished a full day of work. Even though she had.
She could at least be clean and
changed when he got there.
Her mind was racing at the possibilities of what they could do when he arrived. Dinner, obviously, but then… The last time she’d seen him, she’d ended up on her knees with his dick in her mouth, and she’d gotten herself off to that memory on more than one occasion since then. Now that there was no threat of being walked in on or interrupted, there was really no limit to what they could do.
The question was would he want to?
Apparently he still liked her plenty, but Eve had such a hard time believing that someone who could have virtually any woman he wanted would be interested in her. She didn’t have anything to offer him, other than just herself, but maybe that was enough. It would be nice if that was enough.
But she wasn’t going to think about it. Instead she was going to focus on finding some nice, comfortable clothes to put on and letting her twists hang down around her face and shoulders. She made sure that none of Devin’s toys were in the middle of the floor, and put the large stack of bills in the drawer for the time being. He didn’t need to see that.
By the time he was knocking on the door, Eve was as ready as she was going to be, and she found herself nervous but also excited as she went to go let him in.
CHAPTER 3: A MOMENT ALONE
Reese licked his lips and leaned back in the seat of Paul’s rental car, tapping his fingers restlessly on the arm rest. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Paul rolling his eyes, and he rolled his right back.
“Are you having a problem?” Paul asked, glancing over at him as they took the turn that would lead them to the restaurant the nurse at the hospital had assured him made the best nachos in town.
“No,” Reese said back. “I mean…no.”
Paul huffed. “You’re acting like a teenager on his first date, Reese. Didn’t you already have sex with this woman?”
“Well. I mean…not really. Not entirely.”
“But kind of?”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Then what are you so worried about?”
“I don’t know, okay? This is the first time we’re gonna be alone together outside of the hospital. What if I don’t know what to say to her? What if I say something stupid and she realizes we really don’t have anything in common? I mean, come on, she doesn’t even like sports and that’s basically all I do.”
Paul laughed at him and pulled up to the restaurant, glaring when he saw that it didn’t have a drive thru. “You’re still acting like a teenager. Obviously she likes you a little or you wouldn’t be invited over. And she wouldn’t have sucked your dick. Now stop whining and tell me what I’m getting here since apparently I’m doing everything for you now.”
“Hey, it’s your fault for telling my parents about the sabotage thing,” Reese pointed out. “If you had’ve just kept your mouth shut, then you wouldn’t have to do this.”
“I know, I know. You can stop reminding me ad nauseam. What am I getting?”
Reese laughed. “Two orders of nachos. With everything on them, I guess. Uh…drinks? I dunno. Just get a bunch of stuff.” He handed Paul his credit card. “Thanks, man. Seriously.”
“You’re welcome,” Paul replied, smiling briefly before he got out of the car.
Once he had gone in, Reese sighed and flopped his head back against the headrest of the seat. It wasn’t like him to be so nervous. Adrenaline was his friend. He loved doing things that made his heart pound and his breath come faster. Things that most normal people thought he was insane for doing. Of course, the only problem was that he reacted the same way to things that those normal people found easy.
People went on dates every day. They talked to the people they were attracted to with ease and grace. While he was sitting in the car, he saw three different couples go into the restaurant. It wasn’t even hard. But he just didn’t have a lot of experience here, and it worried him. Reese really liked Eve, and he didn’t want to mess this up.
It would be fine.
He was a grown man, and he could handle this. Reese kept that mantra going in his head when Paul came back, carrying two massive bags of Mexican food. He kept it going as they followed the GPS directions to Eve’s apartment building, and he was practically mouthing it as he and Paul got in the elevator to head up to her apartment.
They found the right door, and Reese knocked, looking back over his shoulder at Paul. “You can go as soon as I’m inside,” he said. “I wouldn’t want you to think you have to play chaperone.”
Paul snorted. “Why would I think that? Although I do feel like a parent bringing my kid over for a playdate.”
Reese grinned and then the door was being opened, Eve standing there looking as casual as he had ever seen her in jeans and a sweater, her hair down around her shoulders. She grinned at him and stepped back to let them in.
“You found it. I was hoping you would,” she said, eyes darting to where Paul was still standing in the doorway. “You must be his ever impressive agent.”
Paul flashed her a smile. “That would be me, yes. Currently in the dog house and serving as chauffer.”
“Ah, because you told his parents about the danger out extreme sports,” Eve teased with a grin, taking the bags from him.
Reese shot him a look, and Paul rolled his eyes. “I have trouble with impulse control. Reese doesn’t like it. Hence my current punishment. Anyway, it’s nice to meet you finally, Eve. I’d stay, but I’m sure you two kids don’t need me hanging around. Have a good evening.” He nodded and then was turning to head back down the hall.
“Ignore him,” Reese said, shutting the door and looking at Eve. “He’s just uncomfortable around women he can’t sleep with. But anyway.” He let out a breath and smiled at her. “You look really nice.”
She snorted and raised an eyebrow. “These are my casual, sitting around the house clothes. They aren’t even fancy.”
“So? You still look really nice. I’m just…I dunno. It’s good to see you.”
Her answering smile was warm, and he watched as she walked into the small kitchen and grabbed some utensils and plates to set the table so they could eat. While she was doing that, Reese had a look around. Her apartment was smaller than he would have imagined it to be, but it was clean and cozy looking. He assumed that it was usually messier since there was a ten year old boy living there, but it had an overall lived in look that he liked.
It made him think about his own apartment two states away. Reese was only there when he wasn’t traveling for competitions or exhibitions, and it was much bigger than he needed and didn’t have very many personal effects. Usually he just lived out of suitcases until he needed to pack up and head off again.
This reminded him more of his parents’ house, and it was easy to tell that a family lived here, however small.
“Thank you,” Eve said. She glanced up from where she was taking the food out of the bags to flash him a tired looking smile. “Come sit down. If you fall over in the middle of my living room, I’ll never out live the scandal.”
There was something tight about her eyes and the set of her mouth, something that seemed to radiate anxiety when he was close enough to see it properly, and it made him frown. He wondered if she had been as nervous about this as he was. This was new for both of them, and he knew that she hadn’t really done anything with anyone since she’d become her brother’s guardian.
Somehow that helped to think about, and he gave her a reassuring grin before making his way to the kitchen table to sit down. “I like your place,” Reese said.
She glanced away from him for a second and shrugged. “It’s home. It’s a place to sleep when I can manage it.”
“It’s more than that. It feels…I dunno. It’s got that homey feel to it that a lot of places don’t really have. I like it a lot.”
There was a moment of her studying him like she couldn’t tell if he was making fun of her or not. He wasn’t, of course, and it occurred to him that she might be self-conscious about the way she lived. Nurses probably didn’t ma
ke all that much money, and she had a kid to support at the same time. Reese frowned at the thought that she assumed he would judge her.
“I’m serious,” he continued. “It feels like family. And my place never feels like this, so I think I’m a little jealous.”
Apparently that was enough because she smiled and shrugged. “Give up the life of the thrill seeking bachelor and you never know what you might get,” she teased, sitting down in the chair to the side of him. “Anyway, let’s eat. I’m starving.”
The two of them started into their food in a companionable silence, though Reese was pretty sure that he spent more time staring at Eve than at the nachos and chimichangas they were demolishing between them. He couldn’t help it. Being this close to her again, being this close to her without any distractions to take part of his attention away, reminded him of all the things he liked about her and how pretty she was and how much he wanted to kiss her.
She didn’t seem to be paying him any attention, and when she happened to glance over at him, there was something shadowed in her eyes that made Reese frown.
Something wasn’t right.
Maybe she was just tired, but Eve was usually livelier than this. At least, he thought she was. How much of her jovial, sarcastic nature was over emphasized for the job to make patients feel better, he didn’t know, but this…this didn’t feel right.