“And then?” Evan prodded.
“And then…I will have dinner with you.”
He flashed that same smile. “I will pick you up at eight.”
“No.” Megan quickly shot at him.
“No?”
“I’ll be at your house at eight.”
“And then we’ll leave from my house? Why don’t you just let me pick you up?”
“No, I meant I’ll have dinner with you. I won’t go out to dinner.”
“So…”
“So you can make me dinner.”
Evan nodded his head, finally understanding. “But you don’t want to be seen with me?”
She laughed lightly to herself. “No Evan, believe me. You don’t want to be seen with me.”
Not wanting to lose her hold over their situation, Megan decided to finish their conversation by simply sprinting away from him. She rushed out into the clearing, around the final bend, and nodded to the police officer holding the stopwatch as she crossed the imaginary finish line.
“Nice job, Coulis. Ten minutes and thirty five seconds.” He shouted as she turned around to run back to him. “Now all we have to do is the three hundred meter run.”
Megan completed the three hundred meter dash in fifty-one seconds, exactly twenty seconds less than the required time.
She had passed all of the tests. Megan was going to be a police officer.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Evan couldn’t explain what had possessed him to follow Megan down to the police station and sneak up on her while she was in the middle of her run, but he had somehow convinced himself it was his only choice. He needed to see her, needed to talk to her, and he was certain she would only stop his advances had he approached her on an equal playing ground.
So instead, he hid behind a tree until she passed, and jogged for half of a mile in a two thousand dollar suit, all to simply ask her to dinner.
It didn’t matter though. She had agreed to go out with him, or at least have dinner with him. He was on cloud nine.
“Little bro, you home?”
“In the kitchen, Darren.” Evan called down the hallway as he wiped his hands on a dishrag.
“The shipment from China came in today. You win.”
“I always do.” They met in the middle of the hall with a firm handshake.
“What do you want me to do with France, Russia, and the other China?” Darren walked with him.
“Keep them, just in case. Have them all bid on the next one.” Evan said with a smile.
“Friendly competition. I like that.”
“Who said anything about friendly?” His smile grew.
“This is a welcoming change. Why are you in such a good mood?” Darren cocked his head to the side.
“Why would you say that?”
Darren threw his head back with a laugh. “You’re grossly giddy. What’s going on?”
“Nothing is going on.”
“Well, you’re in the kitchen, which means you’re creating a masterpiece.”
Evan patted his brother on the back. “You know me too well.”
“But it’s not for me, because you didn’t invite me over.”
“That I didn’t.”
“So Megan’s coming over.” He finished his assessment of the situation as he pressed his lips together, uncertain of the outcome.
“Sometimes it is nice that I don’t have to tell you anything.”
They both turned into the kitchen.
“Whoa, what is all this?”
Lying on the butcher-block table was a vast assortment of food, all in different stages of preparation.
Evan pointed out each creation. “Here, I have Hazelnut Fried Brie. Here, Shrimp Ceviche in Phyllo Cups. Here, Lemon Roasted Brussel Sprouts. Here, a New York Strip Steak with Mushroom and Tequila Sauce, and here, Chocolate Covered Strawberries.”
“What the hell, man?” Darren gave his brother a look as though he had officially gone crazy.
“I told you, or rather you told me: Megan is coming over for dinner.”
“I’ll ask again: what the hell, man?” Darren went to grab a Phyllo Cup, but Evan batted him away.
“This is dinner.”
“This is a feast.”
“So be it.”
“You know she’ll be too full to fuck, right?” Darren said through a mouth full of Hazelnut Fried Brie.
“Darren…”
“Admit it, now you’re regretting the meal.”
Evan pursed his lips together, as he mulled over his creation, unable to hold back a small cackle. “Okay, I’m regretting it a little bit.”
After all, he was only human.
“Wow,” Darren slowly paraded around the butcher block, “you’re going to save some of this for me, right?”
“Well, now I am.” Evan winked at his brother. Just in case anything did happen with Megan, he didn’t want either of them to be too filled up on food. He was just thinking ahead. Any smart businessman would do the same.
“And this dinner is for…”
“Just to catch up.” Evan looked away.
“Well, that’s good. For a second I thought this was coming clean about what really happened to Uncle Billy night.”
“No.”
“You sure?” Darren stood up straighter, trying to read his brother. He noticed that he had looked away when answering his question.
“Darren, I wouldn’t.”
“There was a time I didn’t think you would either, but since she’s been back, you’ve been…”
“Off?”
“Yes. Off. And when you’re off, you don’t always think straight.”
“I’m not going to tell her.”
“And yet you’re making this amazing dinner for a girl from whom you specifically told me that you needed to make sure you kept your distance.”
Evan looked to the ceiling, trying to find a way out. His brother was right. He had made that promise, and yet there was no way he could hide the intense feelings he was drowned by each time her face came to his mind. He woke up thinking about her, he showered thinking about her, he signed paperwork thinking about her, he went to sleep thinking about her, and as if he was a glutton for punishment, he spent all night dreaming about her.
The feeling of his hands on her hips, of her hands in his hair, of his lips on her lips, of her breath on his breath…it stayed with him. It refused to leave him. The feeling of her haunted him.
He needed more. He needed to touch her, to taste her, to take her.
And, he could do all those things as long as he didn’t tell her his secret.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Megan hated being late. It was one of those things that made her skin crawl. She found it disrespectful, just plain rude, to be expected at a certain place, by a certain person, and then to leave that person to wait alone.
It was a pet peeve of hers even before she found herself under the strict thumb of the prison system’s time table. There, being late wasn’t even an option.
So when Evan asked her to meet him for dinner at eight in the evening, she made sure she was standing outside his door at 7:45. But, as she lifted her hand to the doorbell, she froze. What was she doing? Although it was rude to be late, it was also rude to show up early to a person’s home. What if he wasn’t ready for her yet? What if he needed that extra fifteen minutes? What was the protocol here? She had missed almost ten years of social normality. She wasn’t quite sure how to find her way back into society.
It wasn’t as though people in town were treating her normal either. There were stares, awkward waves, awkward smiles, and finger pointing. Everywhere she went she overheard whispers about her life. She had to endure judgment and pity every single time she stepped foot out of her mother’s house. It was the reason why she wanted to meet Evan at his home instead of going out. There was only so much attention she could take. Being seen going out with Evan, in particular, would only cause more whispers. What would people think with her sharing
dinner with the nephew of the man she was convicted of killing? No. She didn’t have the energy to deal with the speculation that single act would produce.
So instead she agreed to a quiet night in.
But…what exactly did that mean? What were his plans? What were his intentions? Why did he want to have dinner with her in the first place? Was he looking for answers? For closure? What could she offer him that he couldn’t find on his own?
Megan pulled her phone from her pocket. It was exactly eight o’clock. She had been standing on his porch, going crazy for a full fifteen minutes, and hadn’t realized any time had passed. She took a deep breath, attempting to steady herself. She needed to pull herself back together. She was about to have dinner with Evan Covington.
Her hand hovered over the doorbell yet again, but this time, she forced her fingers to push the button. Within seconds, the door flew open, and standing in front of her was Evan, smiling ear to ear.
Why did he have to be so damn good looking?
“You made it.” He stepped aside, motioning for her to enter.
“Sorry I’m late.” She pushed past him, trying hard to hide her face, for she could feel it quickly reddening with embarrassment.
Evan looked at her, and then his watch. “You’re not late.”
“Well, I’m not early.” She swiftly rescinded back into her head.
“Eh, last time you showed up a minute early, I made you pay for it.”
“Oh, right…at school.” She chuckled and blushed.
“But now, I’d say you’re perfect.” Evan hummed, and then sucked in as he realized that he had, in fact, said the words aloud.
“What?” It as the first time she looked at him.
He licked his lips, stalling until he could find a different intention. “I mean, your timing is perfect. The first course is on the table. Can I take your jacket?”
Megan nodded, and slipped her arms out of her sleeves. Under her jacket, she was wearing a simple, long-sleeved blue dress with black tights and black boots.
“Thank you.” She cautiously smiled as she placed the coat in Evan’s hand. Their fingers graced one another’s, which caused their stare to linger a second longer than it should have.
When they finally broke eye contact, Evan swallowed. “You…you look beautiful.”
“Is this a date?” Megan blurted.
She didn’t know why she said it. She was immediately embarrassed and wished she could take it back. But she couldn’t. She had asked, so she stood strong and waited for an answer.
Evan laughed as he puffed out his cheeks. “Um, no.”
“Okay.”
“Unless.” He led.
“Unless what?”
“Well,” he took a guarded step toward her. “Did you think it was a date?”
“No.” She quickly jumped at his question.
“Okay.”
“But.” Megan hummed.
“But what?”
At the same time, they both bit their bottom lip, which caused them to chuckle at their combined embarrassment.
“Evan, you did jump out at me in the woods.”
“That didn’t make me sound creepy at all.” He joked.
“It was extremely creepy!” She teased.
“Looking back on it, I’d have to agree with you.”
“But.” She thought, mostly to herself.
“But what?” He prodded.
“I don’t know.” She shied away.
They were silent for a few seconds: both hoping the other would say something.
“Megan, I just wanted to see you. You ran out of here that night, and I wasn’t sure why. It’s been bothering me since.”
Megan had run out, but for a reason she hoped wouldn’t be brought up again. Evan had told her that he knew what happened the night of the Christmas party. He knew what Dr. Covington had done. He knew what she wasn’t able to stop him from doing. Evan knew a secret that she had never told. But, eleven years later, Megan had managed to put the memory of that night from her head. The nightmares had stopped and the pain had ceased.
She couldn’t allow it all to come back.
“It had just been a long day, and I got a little overwhelmed.” She wasn’t being completely honest.
Evan nodded, knowing it wasn’t the time to elbow her further.
“Dinner?”
She smiled, thankful that he wasn’t pushing. “Dinner sounds great.”
She followed him through the house and into the dining room. The room was open, and yet, like the rest of the house, not completely welcoming. It was dark, somewhat mysterious, and closed off, as if it was hiding something. Megan shook the feeling from her body as her attention was drawn to the gorgeously set table.
“Evan.”
“Sit.” He hid his smile as he pulled out her chair.
Megan lightly grazed her hand against his as she sat, sending a chill through her body. “This looks spectacular.”
“Thank you.” Evan sat across from her. “Well, go ahead. Take a bite.”
Megan lifted up the small Phyllo Cup filled with shrimp ceviche, and put it to her lips. After years upon years of eating nothing but prison cafeteria food, the ceviche was heaven to simply smell. She politely finished chewing, allowing the tastes to flood her senses. She could only imagine the hors d’oeuvre was better than heaven.
“So?” Evan hadn’t taken his eyes off of her.
She put her napkin to her mouth; embarrassed by the spectacle she must have made taking that small bite. “You have a truly an amazing kitchen staff.”
Evan began to laugh out loud.
“What?” Megan wiped her face again, afraid he was laughing because she had missed a spot.
“I have no kitchen staff, but thank you.” He saw it as a compliment.
“You made this?”
“I did.” He leaned on his elbows.
“Why?”
“Because I’m damn good at it.”
“Oh yes, absolutely.” Megan hoped she hadn’t offended him. “I just assumed…”
“You assumed I have people waiting on me hand and foot.” He coyly grinned.
“It was wrong of me.” She conceded.
“I have someone who cleans the house and I have someone who tends to the yard, but other than that, I take care of things on my own. No one sets foot in my kitchen.”
“And they very well shouldn’t when you can do this all by yourself.” Megan blushed as she took another bite of her shrimp ceviche.”
Evan rose from his chair, and walked over to an old record player in the corner of the dining room. Without a word, he fished through his collection, until he was happy with the sleeve he held in his hand. He delicately placed the record on the turntable and lowered the needle. It crackled at first, but the soft music soon filled the room.
“That’s beautiful.” Megan whispered from the other side of the table. She was astonished at how comfortable she felt in the silence, at how comfortable she felt in his presence, even after all these years. She closed her eyes and let the music fill her.
“Dance with me.” Evan slowly strolled over to Megan.
“What?” Her eyes shot open.
“You heard me.” He placed his open hand in front of her.
“Evan, I can’t…”
“No.” He cut her off. “I don’t want to hear that you can’t dance, or that you don’t want to dance. I just want you to dance with me.”
He didn’t wait for her reply, but wrapped his hand around hers and lifted her to her feet. He kept a careful eye on her as he placed her hands where they needed to be. Without speaking, they rocked back and forth. With each sway, their bodies pulled closer, until Megan was drawn to rest her head on his shoulder.
“I’m very comfortable with you, Megan.”
She looked away, into the distance, but still said the words. “And I, you.”
He pushed her hair from her face and searched her eyes, waiting for her to tell him that he could kiss her. Sh
e blinked twice and smiled, which was enough of a sign for him. He lightly placed his lips on hers, letting the taste of her breath fill his mouth before he deepened their embrace. He could feel her heart rate begin to quicken against his chest, which he only furthered by pulling her closer and crushing her body against his.
“Don’t let go of me.” She softly cooed, which sent Evan into a whirl.
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
His hands wrapped around the back of her neck and angled her face higher, allowing him to intensify their kiss. She breathed out a moan, tickling his lips with her voice.
He couldn’t handle it any longer. He needed her, and he was quite sure by her acceptance of his advances that she needed him.
“I’m going to take you now.” He pulled away and stared into her eyes.
The way he said it, with such conviction, made her body shake. “I…” She started, but was stopped short.
A piercing sound filled the room.
“What’s that?” Megan looked around.
Evan reluctantly smiled. “The timer. Dinner’s done.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Evan led Megan out of the dining room, around the corner, and into the kitchen. Her eyes widened as she marveled at its magnificence. It was unlike the other rooms in the house. This one was colorful, light, cheery, inviting, and warm. She felt a sense of happiness wash over her immediately. It was a kind of happiness she hadn’t felt in a very long time, not even when she was released from prison.
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