by Faye Sonja
“Why?” She asked. His face was so close to hers. Too close. She took a step back.
Robert sighed. “Eve.”
Eve crossed her arms and looked away. Robert sighed and then took her hand and led her toward their office. Adam Haines’ name still sat on the window. Eve waited for Robert to open the door and then walked inside.
The door closed behind her. Eve turned. “I heard a rumor.”
“What rumor?” Robert made his way across the room and took a seat on the edge of the desk. He crossed his arms. “What are you hearing?”
“That you were selling your shares of the company.”
Robert’s brows flew up, but he didn’t say anything.
Eve shook her head. “So, it’s true.”
Robert unfolded his arms and placed them on the table behind him. “Where’d you hear this?”
“One of the church ladies came up to me before I reached the building. Is it true?”
Robert sighed. “Eve, you’re going to have to trust me.”
“No!” Eve stomped across the room. She didn’t stop until she had a finger dug into Robert’s chest. “You tell me the truth, right now!”
Robert grabbed her hand. “Trust me, Eve.”
“No.”
Robert shook his head. “You have to trust me.”
“Why?”
“Because if you don’t, we’ll never be happy.”
Eve began to shake her head. “Happy is a fleeting feeling, Robert. It’s not real.”
Robert’s brows drew together. “Have I not made you happy?”
Eve backed away from him until her foot touched the back of a chair. She reached back a hand to stop herself from falling into it. She straightened herself. “Until I have complete control of my father’s company, I don’t think I can be happy.”
Robert walked over to Eve until their shoes touched. He brought up a hand and placed it under her chin. Eve’s eyes stayed averted for as long as they could until the pull from his dark orbs called to her. Robert’s voice, when he spoke, was at a whisper. “If I were to leave you today and simply give you the company, would you be happy?”
Eve looked away. Her breathing quickened. She didn’t want that.
Robert sighed. “The fact that you didn’t immediately say ‘yes’ gives me hope.”
Eve looked up at his handsome face again. “I didn’t say ‘no’, either.”
Robert gave a sad smile. “Eve, I need you to believe that I would never do anything to purposefully hurt you.”
“So, the rumor?”
“Trust me.”
Eve shook her head and kept shaking it until Robert was cupping her cheeks in his hands. He forced her to meet his eyes once more. “Trust me, Eve.”
Eve released a shaky breath. “Okay.” She’d said okay, because deep down, Eve knew she’d had no other choice. Robert had found the hole in her heart and had managed to bury himself there. Losing him now would hurt. So, Eve would put her faith in a man one last time.
* * *
10
Chapter TEN
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“ Whether I am or have ever been married
is no longer any of your concern.”
.
Surprised by the princess’ knowledge, the prince turned to her and said, “I tried to slay the dragon for you, but you said ‘no’. I tried to slay the crab for you, but you said ‘no’. I tried to slay the lion for you, but you said ‘no’. So, if you were awake, why did you not fight in the other battles as well? Princess Evelyn smiled at the prince and said, “Because, fighting for me in the day, only proves yourself to be a fighter, but fighting for me at night proves yourself to be my friend.”
A few days later, Eve was at Clara’s. Florence was there. Robert and Ben had decided to take Lewis and Clark fishing; a bonding activity, leaving Eve some free time to spend with the girls. It had been a long time since she’d been able to do that. Since her father’s death, Eve hadn’t had anyone who’d she’d trusted to watch the boys when she made plans with Clara and Florence. If the boys weren’t with her then they were with one of the two women in front of her. So, for the first time in over half a year, Eve had the afternoon to be with her friends.
The friends had done some shopping earlier in the day, but now they were at Clara’s house. It was here that Robert would pick her up once the festivities of the day were done.
Eve looked at her surroundings. “This place looks nothing like it did when Cynthia lived here.” The sitting room they were in was done like no place Eve had ever seen before. She’d felt as though she’d been transported to another place in another time. Ancient China was the theme. The wallpaper was a deep red with golden drawings of flowers done throughout. A large fan sat on one wall. Two swords that crossed in the middle sat on another. A short dark wooden table sat on the floor in front of them. Eve and the other two women sat on pillows around it. Clara had been collecting things from China since The War that had just ended four years ago. They’d fought on America’s side, so the room wasn’t done up in bad taste. In fact, it was quite inspiring. Eve could now see why Clara never gotten rid of things. Everything she’d collected over the years now had a place. “I really like this.”
Clara smiled over her china tea cup. “Thank you, darling.” Clara’s eyes fluttered closed as she took a sip of the hot liquid. Eve took a sip of her own tea. It was good, really good.
“Where’d you get these leaves?” Florence asked just before Eve had the chance to ask.
Clara brightened up, and her deep blue-green eyes danced with mischief. “My little secret.” She winked.
Florence smiled, her own lavender eyes sparkling. “Well, now I’ll just have to come over here whenever I want a good cup of tea then.”
Clara put her cup down. “Or, you could leave Eddie and move in.” She was serious now.
Florence moved a hand through the back of her pale blond waves. “Do we always have to go back to this conversation?”
Clara turned to Eve. “How’s your marriage doing these days, anyway?”
Eve’s eyes widen. “Uh… nice?”
Clara tilted her head. A red flower sat pinned in the side of her black hair. It matched the red lining in her black cheongsam that she was wearing. The silk dress fit her form perfectly. It was so like Clara to be in theme. “How nice? How is Robert treating you?”
Eve looked down at her tea cup. “Great, actually.” But the event a few days ago was still shaking her up. Robert had told her to trust him and Eve was trying harder than she had ever tried with anyone.
Clara said, “Hm.” Then shrugged.
Florence put her cup down. “That’s it?”
Clara’s eyes flew to Florence’s. “What do you mean?”
Florence looked between the two women. “A few months ago, you were threatening to boycott. Now, you’re okay with Robert?”
Clara shrugged and took another sip of her tea. “He seems alright.”
Florence narrowed her eyes. “What is it that has made you change your mind?”
Eve looked at Clara, thinking it was a good question. If anyone hated men more, it was Clara. Florence was right to question the change in attitude. Clara smoothed a hand over the hair on her hand that hadn’t moved out of place. Not even by an inch. “Oh, I don’t know, Robert seems like an alright guy, that’s all.”
“But why?” Florence pressed.
Clara sighed. “Because he’s been good to the writers at Haines Press.” Clara threw a hand Eve’s way. “And Eve says he’s been great. So, maybe the man is alright.”
Florence sighed. “Well that’s true. He hasn’t changed anything that everyone at the company hasn’t loved thus far. He’s not censoring us like Mr. Wright wanted.” Florence looked over at Eve. “And he’s made a show of asking your opinion on everything. If you didn’t like it, he didn’t do it.”
Eve
smiled. “Yeah, he does do that.” At this point, Eve would rather grab hold of any of Robert’s finer qualities than to dwell on the dragging feeling that he was going to pull the wool over her head and reveal himself to be the Big Bad Wolf that he was.
Florence crossed her arms and looked at Clara. “Yeah, it could be that Robert’s playing fair, but still…” There was silence for a moment and then Florence said, “I have the feeling that there is something else.”
Clara laughed. “Florence, please.”
Florence narrowed her eyes. “This change wouldn’t have anything to do with Joe Dawson, would it?”
Clara went very still. “No.”
Florence’s eyes went wide. “What happened? You have to tell me!”
Eve stared at the other woman. Clara glanced her way and Eve’s mouth dropped. “What aren’t you telling us, Clara?”
Clara rolled her eyes. “You’re both being dramatic.”
Florence and Eve shared a look. The Queen of Drama, as they lovingly called Clara, was what they were both thinking at the moment. They both turned on her at the same time; firing questions. Clara threw her hands up. “Joe wrote to C.C. Reed.”
Florence’s eyes went wider. “What did he say?”
Clara swallowed. She looked down at the table. “Nothing really. He just had questions about the author, wondering if I was truly going to stop writing the books.”
Eve nodded. “Oh, he must have been checking up on the little ‘rumor’ that you brought up a few months back.”
Florence turned to Eve. “What rumor?”
What rumor? Such a good question, but Eve shared the story about the breakfast they’d had a few months ago. When the story was done, Florence turned to Clara. “Clara is in love.”
“Am not.”
“Are to.”
Eve narrowed her eyes at Clara and watched the woman flutter her hands around the table; wiping away the dust that wasn’t there. Clara was nervous, but why? “The letters weren’t just about the rumors, where they?”
Clara’s eyes widened.
A knock came to the door. Clara sighed and got up. “I’ll get it.” She rushed from the room before either of the other women could say anything. She came back with the man who, despite keeping secrets, still had the ability to make Eve’s heart stop.
Eve stood and walked over to Robert. He was wearing a white shirt that was open at the collar, and a pair of beige pants. His clothes and hair were damp. What had happened on the fishing trip? Eve took his hand. It was moist, but warm. She didn’t let it go. Robert rubbed a thumb over the back of her hand.
“Oh, wow.”
Eve turned around to see Florence looking at her with wide eyes. Eve turned back to Robert. He was smiling at her. She couldn’t help but return a smile herself. Robert spoke to the group. “Have a good evening, ladies.” The group said their goodbyes and then Eve and Robert left.
Outside, the weather was perfect. Not too hot and not too cold; just right. The sun would be setting soon, which would mean that the city would be closing down for the night. Haines didn’t really have a nightlife. There was no gambling or drinking halls.
Robert opened the car door for Eve and she slid into the interior. A car? Really, it was nothing more than a black box on wheels. It reminded Eve of a coach without the horses. Instead, a motor made it move. Invented by Mr. Henry Ford. By this time, cars had only been around for about two years. But in the first year alone, the inventor had sold more than one million of the things. Apparently, Robert being a city guy, was a customer. He had it sent by train all the way from his place in New York and it was the first one that Eve had ever rode in. The town was so small, that most of the time, if Eve wasn’t walking, she rode a bike, but Robert’s car was nice.
Robert rounded the car and got in on the other side. “How was your day?” he asked as he drove away.
Eve looked over at him. “I should be asking you that. Why are you wet? Where are the boys?”
Robert smiled. “The boys are fine. Ben took them home.”
“What happened?”
“We fell out of the boat.”
They were riding down the road now. “How?”
Robert shrugged. A grin appeared on his handsome face. “It was a challenge to see if the boys could tip us over, versus Ben and I keeping us afloat.”
Eve shook her head, but she was smiling. “A challenge? Sounds like you and Ben came up with that.”
Robert smiled as he pulled into their driveway. It really was a short ride. He leaned over and gently placed a kiss on Eve’s lips. Robert pulled away. “I really missed you today.”
Eve wondered when the heat that seemed to spread over her face would cease. “Hmm,” was all she said.
He smiled, kissed her again, and then got out the car. He came around and opened the door for her. Eve stepped out and took his hand. He led her up the steps and opened the door. Eve made it into the main room, but then paused. There were tall red drapes hanging from the balcony and blocking the view of the rest of the room. A single chair sat in front of it. “What’s going on?”
“You’ll see.”
Eve turned to him. “What do you mean?”
Robert’s smile widened, but he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he led Eve by the hand and helped her take the only seat in the room. Then Robert left her side and walked through the curtains. Eve narrowed her eyes as she concentrated on the giggling that was coming from the other side of the curtain. “Lewis?” Another giggle came. “Clark?”
Then the curtains opened and Eve gasped. Someone had thrown a printing paper up on the back of the wall. A sunny day sat on one side while a full mooned night lay on the other. Cardboard had been taped to the couch in the shape of a boat. And there was Clark. A mustache drawn on his face and a sword in one hand. He was standing on the couch in a pose that made him look mighty. One arm thrust to the sky, the other on his hip. “I’m off to find the treasure lands!” he shouted.
Eve laughed, in spite of the fact that Clark was wearing boots on her white couch. She’d have to clean the couch later. But none of that mattered. At the moment, Eve could do nothing but cry. Clark was pretending to be a story from one of her father’s story books. Who had thought of this?
Lewis slowly ascended from behind the couch. He rubbed his hands together in the most mischievous of ways. He was dressed in green painted cardboard, a black curly mustache drawn on his own face. “You may not pass through these waters without my permission,” he said in a deep, deep voice.
Robert and Ben come out then, dressed just like Lewis; with green cardboard body suits. The curly mustache a theme for the night. They too were rubbing their hands in mischief. Eve watched the entire play, holding her sides when it was time to laugh, and weeping throughout the rest. She’d known the story by heart, she’d even read it to the boys, but seeing it in front of her did something to her. A part of her broke. By the end of the play, she was standing on shaky feet, clapping with much enthusiasm, but still, there was sadness.
Lewis and Clark came over to hug her first. She knelt down towards them and moved her hands through the dark curls on their heads. She kissed them both and they didn’t protest.
“Mommy,” Lewis said, “Are you alright?”
Eve nodded, but she didn’t speak.
Clark tightened his hold on her. “Why are you sad?”
Eve shook her head. “I love you both so much.”
They both held her. Ben came over. “I’ll take them to bed.” She looked up and nodded at him too, but still she said nothing.
When it was only she and Robert in the room, he brought her into his arms and held her. He’d taken the cardboard off, leaving only the layer of his shirt underneath her cheek, and through that, his warmth. Eve settled in and cried. Robert rubbed her back. “Had I known it would hurt this much, I wouldn’t have done it.”
Eve whispered. “I miss him.”
Robert just held her. There was no need to say his name. They both knew
who she was talking about. “I know.”
“This was so nice,” she said.
Robert laughed. “If you’re going to cry at every nice thing I do, then no more nice things for you.”
Eve laughed and then pulled back from him. “Why’d you do this?”
Robert just smiled at her; his eyes a brilliant dark, and an alluring blue. “Because I wanted to share him with you.”
“My father?”
Robert nodded. “He meant a lot to me, but I know he meant more to you. I just wanted to have a moment to remember him. For, because of him, and his company, I have you.”
Eve’s hand went to Robert’s shoulders. “I love you.”
“I love you, too.” Then Robert moved back and brought a paper from behind his back. “That’s why I’m giving you this.”
Eve took the paper and read it. It was her shares of the company plus more, and they were all in her name. “How is this possible?”
Robert smiled. “One of your partners sold out when they thought that we were selling.”
Eve looked up at Robert with wide eyes. “How? Why?”
Robert’s grin grew. “Rumors are nasty little things.”
Eve laughed and looked down at the paper in her hands again. She now had enough shares to have complete control of the company. “Who sold? I don’t understand.”
“Mr. Perch. A few days ago, Ben and I had a public, and very much staged conversation about selling the company and leaving Haines Press with nothing. Mr. Perch believed it and caved.”
Eve shook her head. “I can’t believe it.” She looked at him. “Why are you giving these to me?”
Robert brought her back into his arms. He placed his forehead against hers. “Because I never wanted you to doubt me again, Eve. That’s how much I love you.”
Eve started to cry again. She ran her hands through Robert’s hair and silently thanked the Lord for the blessing she now claimed for her own. She thanked God for the trials that had come into her life. She thanked God that Robert had had the audacity to push even after she’d stopped writing him. Robert Manning; her arrogant, obnoxious, persistent, loving, beautiful, enchanting, mail-order husband.
