Eva's Deadline

by Linda Hope Lee

  Sasha walked the female doll over to join the male. “Oh, wait. Eva, too.”

  “Eva?” Mark frowned. “I didn’t know you had a friend named Eva. Is she new in town?”

  “Don’t be silly, Daddy. Eva at your office.”

  Of course, he’d known which Eva she meant. But he didn’t want her to come to his daughter’s party.

  “Inviting Eva isn’t a good idea, honey.” He brushed a lock of hair from her forehead.

  “Why?”

  “She’s an adult. Your party is for kids your age.”

  “April’s coming, and Grammy Eileen. They’re big people.”

  “Yes, but they’re helping to give you the party. They’re hostesses.”

  “Eva could be a hostess.”

  What could he say without revealing his personal reasons for not inviting Eva? He couldn’t tell his daughter that outside the office, he and Eva needed to keep their distance. He couldn’t tell her he didn’t want to risk her getting attached to Eva because within the year she’d up and leave them, just like Diane had done three years ago.

  And so he took a deep breath and said, “All right, we’ll invite her. But don’t be disappointed if she can’t come. She might be going to Seattle that weekend.”

  “I bet she comes to my party,” Sasha said.

  *

  EVA SLIPPED HER TAPE RECORDER into her purse, turned off her computer and stepped from her cubicle. She checked her wristwatch. One-thirty. She had half an hour, plenty of time to get to her interview with Trevor Milan, the Rotary Club president. As she headed down the hallway to the front door, she spotted Eileen Dugan and Sasha coming toward her.

  “Hello there. Your daddy’s in his office, Sasha.” She gestured over her shoulder toward Mark’s office.

  “I came to see you.” The little girl, dressed in a pink sundress with a ruffled hem, opened her pink purse and took out a small square envelope. She handed it to Eva.

  Eva took the envelope. “What’s this?” She looked down at Sasha and then over her head to meet Eileen’s gaze.

  Eileen lifted her chin and rolled her eyes. “You’ll see.”

  “Open it, open it.” Sasha jumped up and down.

  Eva lifted the flap and pulled out a card showing a little girl dressed in pink and wearing a gold crown. Underneath were the words “You’re invited…” She opened the card and read the words inside. She raised her eyebrows at Sasha. “Wow, I’m invited to your birthday party?”

  “Uh-huh.” Sasha’s eyes shone. “Can you come?”

  “Why, I—” Eva looked at Eileen again. “The party’s for adults and children?”

  Eileen’s brow wrinkled. “Not exactly. April and I are helping out, and of course Mark will be there, but the rest of the guests are Sasha’s little friends.”

  “Oh.” Eva felt uncomfortable around both women, especially April. Eileen was aloof, but she’d never been rude. April, however, openly expressed her disdain in sneers and smirks.

  “Please come,” Sasha said.

  Her wide eyes and clasped hands tugged at Eva’s heartstrings. What was important here? Sasha, of course.

  “I’d love to come. In fact, I wouldn’t miss it.”

  “Oh, goody!” Sasha opened her arms.

  Eva bent down and gave the child a hug. As Sasha hugged her back, warmth filled Eva. Suddenly she wished she had a child of her own to love and care for.

  *

  “I’VE SURE MISSED this view.” Sitting on her beige sofa, balancing a plate holding a teacup and a raspberry scone, Eva nodded toward the balcony overlooking downtown Seattle. Amid all the skyscrapers, the Space Needle poked its familiar head as puffy white clouds drifted across a cobalt-blue sky.

  Susan Jensen smiled and sipped her tea. “I’ve missed you, Eva. I’m glad you could make it this weekend.”

  Eva picked up her scone and took a bite. She closed her eyes as she chewed, savoring the sweet, fruity flavor. “Ah, de-li-cious. I’ve missed Avery’s Bakery. And I’ve missed you, too.”

  Susan raised one eyebrow. “Don’t tell me Willow Beach doesn’t even have a bakery.”

  “Yes, the Bon Ton, and it’s a good one, but the scones from Avery’s are special. I’m glad you’ve discovered them.”

  “How could I not when I pass the store whenever I enter the building? And that might not be a good thing.” She patted her stomach. “I’ve already gained a couple pounds. But like you, I love their stuff.”

  Eva’s gaze drifted over Susan’s mauve shirt and the silver beads that decorated the neckline. “Nice top, Suse. Is it new?”

  Susan beamed and sat up straighter. “It is. I bought it at Zeno’s show.”

  Eva frowned. “I hated missing that—especially after writing the article about him for the magazine.”

  “Your article got a lot of praise. Even Margo Janovich said you did a good job.”

  Eva wrinkled her nose. “Margo Janovich. The new assistant editor. The job I was supposed to get. But that was nice of her to throw me a compliment.”

  “She’s okay to work with, but I’d rather be working with you. Hey, we can check out Zeno’s line at Macy’s when we go shopping today.”

  “Good idea. You can’t imagine how much I’ve missed shopping. Willow Beach has one clothing store. Only one. Can you imagine?”

  Susan widened her eyes. “No, I can’t. You said on the phone you’re looking for a birthday gift.”

  Eva finished another bite of scone. “Right. For Mark’s daughter, Sasha. She’s turning six and has invited me to her party. I want to get her something special. Something I wouldn’t be able to find in Willow Beach.”

  “Your coeditor?” Susan raised her eyebrows. “Is there a Mrs. Mark?”

  Eva shook her head. “She died three years ago in a bus accident. I don’t know much else. Mark doesn’t like to talk about her, and I sense he’s still hurting.”

  Susan leaned back against the sofa cushions. “Ah. So tell me about Mark.”

  Eva smiled. “He’s quite handsome and very athletic. We jogged together on the beach.”

  “Like a date?”

  “No, we saw each other out one evening and joined up to finish our run and have coffee afterward.”

  “What’s a guy like him doing in Willow Beach?”

  “He actually likes living there. He’s dedicated to the Herald, and the staff loves him. I can see why my father valued him.”

  Susan frowned. “I’m getting mixed messages. You hate being there, but you don’t exactly hate him.”

  Eva looked away. “No, I don’t hate him. We argue a lot, but there’s…an attraction.” Eva thought of the dance and the kiss she and Mark shared on the Fourth. “You can tell when a person’s attracted, no matter how much they might act as though they don’t like you.”

  Susan grinned and waggled a forefinger. “Aha! Could he be the one?”

  Eva shook her head. “No, he can’t be. I’m still determined to move back home as soon as my year is up. I can’t live in Willow Beach again. I just can’t.”

  “I’m hearing you, Eva, but why not? I know you like living in Seattle and working for the magazine, but I sense there’s something else about the town that bothers you.”

  Eva nodded and fingered the silver chain that held Brett’s medal. “You’re right, Suse. A lot of bad memories are there that are hard enough to live with when I’m away—they’d be impossible to deal with if I had to move back permanently. Being there for a year is difficult enough.”

  Susan’s brow wrinkled. “Okay, I get it. I didn’t mean to pry.”

  “You weren’t. You’re being a good friend, and I appreciate that.”

  A sly grin curved Susan’s lips. “I have to say, though, that I think your heart’s on an entirely different wavelength.”

  “And since when did you become the expert?” Eva teased.

  Susan’s eyes took on a dreamy look. “Since I met Greg.”

  Eva sat upright. “What? You’ve met someone?”
/>   Susan nodded. “Greg Martin. And I think he’s the one.”

  Eva propped her hand on her hip. “And here I’ve been going on about my situation, and you’re sitting there with big news of your own. Tell me about him.”

  Susan finished her tea and placed her cup and saucer on the coffee table. “He recently moved here from Chicago to work at MicroTech. My cousin, Kayla, works there. She introduced us, and we hit it off. We have a lot in common. He likes to travel and to ski, and he loves it here.”

  “He sounds perfect for you.”

  “He is.” Susan’s eyes sparkled. “I really feel this is it.”

  “I’m so happy for you, Susan. I hope everything works out.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes, then Susan glanced at her watch. “It’s almost ten. We’d better get going if we want to do some shopping before we meet Janette and Rochelle for lunch.”

  “Right. Let’s clean up the dishes.”

  As Eva carried their teacups and plates into the kitchen, she thought about Susan’s news. Although she was happy for her friend, she couldn’t help envying her, too.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ON MONDAY MORNING, after stowing away her purse in a desk drawer and turning on her computer, Eva headed to the staff lounge for a cup of coffee. The only person there was Mark. He stood at the counter filling his mug from the coffee urn. He wore his usual formfitting jeans and short-sleeved cotton shirt, his muscular arms in full view.

  Holding his mug in one hand, he turned and spotted her. Ready to start the day on good terms, she smiled, but the cheery “Good morning” died on her lips when he frowned and said, “So, how was Seattle?”

  The disapproval in his voice puzzled Eva. She’d made clear from the beginning that she’d spend some of her weekends at home—her real home. She calmly plucked a mug from the stand and held it under the spigot, breathing in the aroma of the fresh brew. “How’d you know I went to Seattle?”

  “I ran into your landlady, Mrs. Halsey, at Charlie’s on Friday night—Sasha and I went there for fish-and-chips. She said she saw you earlier heading out to your car with your overnight bag. I figured you went to Seattle. Where else would you go?”

  Eva shrugged. “Oh, I might make a quick getaway to Mexico or California. You never know. But, yes, I went home.”

  Mark grabbed a napkin and wiped away a drip of coffee on the counter. “So how’s everything back home?”

  Eva sipped her coffee. “I had a great time visiting with Susan—she’s the one who’s renting my condo. We went shopping—”

  Mark tossed the napkin into the wastebasket. “Of course, shopping.”

  She sighed, but ignored his sarcasm. “Then we met some friends for lunch.”

  He put down his mug and crossed his arms over his chest. “That so? Well, good for you. We had a great time here, too. At Foster’s Shoe Store opening.”

  The real reason for this conversation finally dawned. She groaned and slapped her forehead. “Oh, no. I forgot I was supposed to cover the opening.”

  “Right. I thought the assignment was something you were interested in and wanted to do.”

  “I’m sorry.” She dipped her head and pressed her lips together. “Why didn’t you text or call me?”

  “Would you have turned around and come back?”

  Eva thought of the birthday present she’d bought for Sasha in Seattle. If she’d returned to Willow Beach, when would she have had another chance to purchase it? The party was this coming weekend.

  “Thanks for covering for me,” she said, sidestepping his question.

  “You agreed to report on the opening. If you didn’t want to, you should have said so.”

  “I did want to. Look, I said I was sorry, okay?” Eva’s shoulders tensed. How much apologizing did she have to do?

  He stuck out his jaw. “Okay. Give me the interviews and notes you did earlier and I’ll put something together.”

  “Why don’t you give me your notes, and I’ll write the article?”

  Impatience flickered across his face. “Because I went to the actual opening.”

  “And my interviews take a backseat to that? Why don’t we sit down together?”

  Mark put his mug on the counter and propped his hands on his hips. “Yeah, I can see that working. I’m quoting the effect the store will have on our economy and you’ll be describing what people were wearing.”

  She gave him a stony look.

  Bernie entered carrying his personalized coffee mug. He stopped and glanced from one to the other. “Oh. Am I interrupting something?”

  “Not at all,” Mark said in a smooth tone. “We’re just discussing the Foster’s store opening.”

  Bernie strode to the coffeemaker. “That was fun. Maria and Bella and I went. Free coffee and doughnuts and balloons for the kids.” He turned to Eva. “Didn’t see you there, though.”

  “She went to Seattle,” Mark said.

  “Oh, yeah, Seattle,” Bernie said flatly. “Well, you missed a good time. We’re going to have a feature on it, aren’t we, boss?”

  “You bet we are, which I will be writing.”

  Eva gritted her teeth. “I’ll bring my notes to your office, Mark.”

  “You do that, Eva.”

  *

  MARK WATCHED EVA stalk from the staff lounge, then carried his mug to one of the tables and sank into a chair. He put down his coffee and ran a hand through his hair.

  Bernie came over and peered at him. “What’s got you so riled up? ’Cause she missed the store’s opening? You can write a better feature than she can any day.”

  “She gets on my nerves.”

  “Humph.” Bernie pulled out a chair beside Mark and sat. “I’d say there’s more going on between you two than arguing over a missed assignment.”

  Mark raised his head to meet Bernie’s twinkling eyes. “I know what you’re thinking, but you can forget it. She’s not my type.”

  “So, what is your type? You don’t like any of the ladies Maria and I bring around.”

  “I’m just not ready,” Mark insisted.

  “It’s been three years… Everyone’s on their own time schedule, but you’ve got a little girl who’s ready for a new mommy.”

  Mark frowned. “What makes you say that? Sasha still thinks of Diane as her mother.”

  “Does she? I hear her talking to Bella about a real mommy, not just one in a photograph.”

  “So I keep a lot of pictures around, and so I haven’t changed anything in the house since Diane’s been gone? It’s important for Sasha to remember her mother.” Aware his voice had risen, Mark clamped his jaw shut.

  Bernie raised both hands. “Hey, forget I said anything. Not my business.”

  Mark forced a grin and gave Bernie a soft punch on the shoulder. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to jump all over you when you’re trying to help. How does all this relate to Eva? You don’t even like her.”

  Bernie nodded. “Glad you reminded me. But I still say there’s some sparky stuff between you two.”

  “Maybe there is. But that doesn’t mean I have to do anything about it.”

  “No, I guess not.” Bernie drained his mug and stood. “I gotta get back to work.”

  “Glad you’re on the job, buddy. Check with you later.”

  After Bernie left, Mark sat there rubbing the back of his neck, hoping to ease his tension. He was upset with himself for the way he’d treated Eva. Sure, forgetting her obligation about the store opening was annoying, but he’d been able to step in and cover for her. She went to Seattle and spent time with friends. So what?

  He knew the answer. He’d missed her. He’d secretly hoped they would meet up at the opening and spend the day together. Maybe the evening, too. Corralling his feelings about Eva was driving him crazy. He’d lectured himself over and over that there could be nothing between them. Yet whenever she came near, his reasoning was forgotten, and all he wanted to do was take her in his arms and kiss her.

  A little less than te
n months to go? Might as well be ten years.

  *

  “HAPPY BIRTHDAY, SASHA!”

  Eva joined the chorus of voices that filled the living room. The birthday girl, a gold paper crown atop her blond curls, sat on the floor surrounded by her guests. The birthday cake, with Happy Birthday, Sasha! written in pink icing across the top, sat on the coffee table next to a stack of paper plates and plastic forks.

  They’d played Pin the Tail on the Donkey, an alphabet game and a rhyming game, and now it was time for eating cake and opening the gifts. Cheeks puffed, Sasha leaned forward and blew out the six candles. Before the smoke cleared, April pulled them off and picked up a knife to cut the cake. Eileen added a scoop of ice cream and delivered the plates to the guests. Eva had offered to help earlier, but not surprisingly, the two women waved her off, saying they had their own system. As she ate her cake and ice cream with the younger guests, Eva looked around. She hadn’t had much chance earlier, and she’d admittedly been curious about Mark’s house. All she’d known was that he lived in the south end of town near the high school.

  His home turned out to be a modest frame home, similar to Seb’s but smaller. The furniture in the living room was mostly royal-blue, with yellow and lime-green cushions and an afghan for accents. Not colors Eva would pick but apparently chosen with some thought.

  A flower arrangement that was obviously fake sat on an end table. It looked as if it could use a good dusting. A blue crocheted doily peeked out from under the silver pot. Who used doilies anymore?

  The house, although outdated, obviously had a woman’s touch. In fact, had she not known Mark’s wife had died, she’d think a woman lived there still.

  Her gaze caught a row of framed photos on the mantel. Looking around to make sure everyone else was busy eating and talking, she got up and, still holding her cake plate, casually made her way to them. The most prominent photo, in the center of the group, was of a woman with short blond hair and wide-set blue eyes. Her lips looked overpainted, as though she were trying to make them appear fuller than they were.

  The eyes, as well as the dainty nose and the bow-shaped mouth, confirmed this was Sasha’s mother, Diane.

  Eva studied the other photos. One showed Mark and Diane on their wedding day; another had them with baby Sasha in Diane’s arms; and still another captured them digging clams at the beach.