by Zoe Dawson
Resigned to a long wait, because one look at Evie’s face made me realize she had no intention of asking me along, I handed Mr. Ballon my keys and described my car. He shouted to someone named Bobby that he’d be back, then got in his tow truck and took off.
“Thank you for giving me a lift, Evie,” I said, sorry that my time with her was at an end.
She frowned. “You’re welcome.” She looked pensive, opened her mouth, but closed it and got back into the truck. I turned to go inside to find a place to sit and wait. But she called my name.
I turned back around.
After another pause, she said, “This could take awhile. Would you like to come with me? I have to drop this stuff off to my nephew, then go see my sister. She makes great café au lait and amazing chocolate chip cookies.”
“Are you sure I’m not inconveniencing you?” I wanted to give her an out since she looked like she desperately wanted one.
“You’re not. It’s stuff I have to do anyway, so it’s fine for you to tag along. It’ll be better than breathing in grease and exhaust fumes for hours. I also don’t like the thought of stranding you here if he can’t fix your car today. I’m sure you’d appreciate a ride back to Suttontowne.”
I got back in the truck, once again captivated by this sweet woman. I was sure she’d rather not have to interact with me, but she put that aside, offering her kind hospitality so I wouldn’t be bored to death and stranded. “Be careful, Evie. I might think you’re warming up to me.”
“Hush,” she said. “I’m just being neighborly. Don’t read anything into it.”
We drove out of town and turned off on a well-maintained dirt road. We came to a small house next to a workshop, scraps of metal everywhere, and amazing metal pieces nestled in the trees. A dark-haired man was standing on a ladder while another guy held a spiky piece to a half-completed sculpture I immediately identified as a horse. The guy on the ladder was welding it into place to serve as the mane.
The guy holding the piece looked over his shoulder and his face split into a wide grin. He shouted something to the welder, who turned off his torch and looked up. Climbing down he removed the welder’s mask and I saw the resemblance right away. These guys had to be brothers.
Evie stopped the truck and got out. The two guys approached and the welder, whose dark hair was shoulder-length, hugged her tight, then the other guy took his turn.
“Aunt Evie,” the welder said, “Ma said you were heading over this way, said you might stop by.”
She turned to me and said, “This is Mr. Winchester Sutton. These are my nephews Creed and Remy Beaupre.”
“Sutton?” Creed said, his words tinged with Cajun while he gave me a sharp once over. “Any relation…”
“Yes,” Evie said. “He’s River Pearl’s uncle.”
“River Pearl is pretty awesome,” Remy said, and Creed agreed. I saw the appreciative gleam in their eyes. The guys were young, well-built, and quite handsome, and was I glad they didn’t live close to my niece. It made me wonder if Evie’s sons had the same good looks, Braxton in particular.
I shook their hands and gestured to the half-finished horse. “That’s mighty fine work,” I said.
Creed nodded. “I do it in between welding jobs. Thanks.”
“I can’t stay long,” Evie said. “I found you some chicken wire. I knew you could use it.”
A grin split his face. “I sure can. Thanks.”
They unloaded the wire and weathervanes. Evie took her time explaining to her nephew how she wanted them fixed. We got back in the truck, and Evie waved to them as we pulled back out.
“Your nephew is quite talented. His work, even though it’s made out of metal, is so full of life, it’s almost like the horse he’s working on is in motion.”
“It’s probably his Cajun upbringing. We are an energetic folk in all aspects of our culture, from our spicy cooking to our lively music.”
“They are handsome boys. Does that run in the family?”
She gave me a knowing look. “Are you asking me if my sons are good looking?”
“Yeah. Guess I’m pretty transparent.”
“You can’t help it. You’re her uncle. But yes, my boys are very handsome, but then I’m their mother.”
“True, but I’ve seen your nephews and I’ve seen you. Beauty runs in your family, it seems.”
She didn’t look at all comfortable accepting my compliment, and I had to wonder if it was because no one had told her she was beautiful in a long time. I intended to remedy that every chance I got.
“You do go on,” she said wryly.
I chuckled as we pulled up into the driveway of a nice house with weathered clapboards. We were greeted by her just as lovely sister, Heloise, and a big, dark-haired, burly man, her husband, Otis. They were very cordial to me, and Evie’s sister plied me with excellent café au lait and the most delicious chocolate chip cookies.
#
Evie
“These are excellent,” Win said. “Very moist.”
“He’s a food critic,” I said. “He can’t help but comment.” My sister eyed me and I tried not to squirm. I could see she was dying to ask me about Win.
“It’s the recipe Braxton uses, so if you’d like more, see him. He’s closer to home. The trick is a roux of shortening and butter,” she said, giving her husband a meaningful look.
I was talking too much, but it was because my nerves were getting the best of me. Otis was oblivious to my sister’s attempts to get his attention. It would have almost been comical if it wasn’t for the fact that I didn’t want to talk about Win, especially not while he was nearby and might overhear. Nothing good could come of that. “My sister taught Braxton everything he knows about cooking. I’m passable, but my sister is a genius.”
“I’ve seen your son Creed’s work. Quite impressive.” He reached for another cookie.
My sister smiled and jumped at the opportunity. “Otis, why don’t you take Mr. Sutton—”
“Win,” he corrected.
“Win…” she corrected with a very genuine smile, “…out back and show him some of Creed’s work.”
I knew my sister. If she didn’t like someone, she certainly didn’t smile like that. Oh, man. Why did I offer to let him come along? Because I was a sap. I couldn’t stand the thought of him sitting there bored out of his mind, and run the risk that he might be stranded in Petit Libellule overnight, when I was completely capable of driving him home.
“What?” Otis said, frowning.
“Creed’s work. Show it to him.” She nudged her husband and his puzzled face cleared.
“Ah, oui. This way.”
“Wow, you were subtle, Heloise,” I said, rolling my eyes.
She turned eagerly toward me and huffed, rolling her own eyes back at me. “You walk into the house with that man, and you don’t expect me to ask about him. Are you crazy? What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
Her eyes widened and she huffed again. “Nothing?” She grabbed my arm and shook me, “Really, Evie. Are you dead from the neck down? He’s gorgeous and his voice is like butter.”
Where she saw an eligible, handsome man—and Win was quite drop-dead gorgeous—I just saw complication after complication. Maybe I had been unable to give up my hope that Brody would come back to me. Maybe I hadn’t been able to move from Suttontowne because it would make it more difficult for him to find me, and maybe I was pathetically holding onto a love that was long gone, but it all added up to the fact that I was still joined to my absent husband. “If you’ve forgotten, I’m still married.”
Her face went tender, her voice softening. “Evie, you can’t still be holding on to the hope that Brody is going to come back. He’s been gone for thirteen years. You’ve waited long enough. Divorce him, already.”
“I don’t want to talk about this,” I said.
She gave me a suffering look and said, “I know you don’t, because Brody was wonderful, and I know you loved him with everyt
hing in you. But he left you alone with those boys. You’re still young for mercy’s sake. You’re only thirty-eight. It’s time you moved on.”
“Win is a Sutton,” I said, stubborn about it. She was pushing me, and I just wasn’t ready.
“So? He’s obviously interested in you.”
“It complicates things, and I’ve got to let go of Brody my own way, and in my own time. Dating Win Sutton isn’t smart.”
“Dating isn’t going to hurt you. Just be honest with him. He looks like the kind of man who would take good care of a woman.”
“I don’t need a man to take care of me.”
I looked up to see Win standing there with my brother-in-law. Otis looked uncomfortable and disappeared into the kitchen.
“Mr. Ballon called. My car needs to stay here overnight. I could use a lift home,” Win said.
It was clear he had overhead some of our conversation. I gave my sister an exasperated look, but she just raised her eyebrows, looking innocent.
She wrapped up some cookies for him and we headed back to my truck. He didn’t say anything until we hit the outskirts of town. “Have you done any traveling?”
We kept our conversation on travel all the way back to Suttontowne. When I pulled up to the mansion, he turned to me. “Thank you for a wonderful afternoon. It was a pleasure to meet your family.”
“You’re welcome,” I said. He picked up my hand and pressed a kiss to my knuckles. His lips were soft, his mouth as warm as the fingers that clasped mine, brushing against my tingling palm. My heart skipped a beat.
I couldn’t seem to move. I was frozen in place by the gesture. If he had tried to kiss me, it would have been easy to dismiss. But kissing my hand was symbolic of reverence and respect. It was a way a gentleman parted from a lady. He held my hand for another moment, looking into my eyes. “I know that you don’t need a man, but I do know how to care for a woman. Reconsider my offer,” he said. He smiled and let me go.
This time my heart didn’t skip; it stopped altogether, then thundered on with such ferocity, I felt it might explode from the sudden intensity of it.
I curled my other hand over my kissed knuckles, then realized what I was doing. I immediately straightened, started the car, and headed home. As I drove, tears gathered in my eyes, and I brushed them impatiently away. I didn’t want him mooning over me or doing anything tender and sweet. I most definitely didn’t want him wanting to get to know me more intimately, at least not in any way he hadn’t already discovered.
I made dinner like I usually did, and ate alone like I usually did. But tonight, I felt the keenness of that loneliness I had been trying to keep at bay for the year since my house was no longer filled with my opinionated, bickering, completely wonderful boys.
When I couldn’t sleep, I wandered down to the living room and pulled out my wedding album. My hands trembled when I opened it. I hadn’t looked at it in years. I looked so young and happy. So happy. But it hadn’t lasted. I traced my finger over Brody’s face, feeling a pang at seeing him so handsome and smiling in his tux. It upset me that I often had to look at a photo to remember what it felt like to be with him. Loved by him.
I closed the album and set it on the coffee table, then went up to bed. My sister was just trying to help, but I would decide when I was ready. When I would let go of my past. Except that small kernel of hope that he would return someday was still there.
It was all I had left.
That hope.
So small and fragile.
My head spun at that revelation, and all the implications of having someone new in my life. I had no doubt that Win wanted more. But there was a very real problem, something he didn’t know and I had never bothered to fix.
I was still married.
Maybe in the eyes of the law an abandoned wife was freed from her marriage. I had to wonder why I was holding on so hard. Was it fear of moving on? Fear of admitting to myself that I had wasted so much of my young life holding onto a dream that was never going to come true? Or was it fear of loving again, fear of putting my heart at risk that was really holding me back?
Chapter Four
Evie
In the morning I called Boone, and he showed up with one of his helpers, Betsy West’s youngest, Deke. He had sure grown up since the last time I saw him. He was now a very handsome young man.
“Hey, Ma.” Boone said as he kissed me on the cheek. “You remember Deke West?”
“Yes, of course. Hello, Deke.” He towered over me, his shoulder-length blond hair pulled back, although long pieces had escaped and framed his striking face.
“Yo, Mrs. Outlaw.”
Boone walked to the truck and whistled low. “Ma, these are great! I have just the place for two of them. I’ve been looking for something like this to round out Mrs. Johnson’s koi pond.”
“Mrs. Johnson? Luella Johnson? Doesn’t she have a lot of cats?”
Deke chuckled. “She’s the one.”
“What would you think of heading over to River Pearl’s house and letting her momma check them out? It seems she might want two of them.”
“No problem with that. I could do so much to that back yard of theirs. It’s so boring.” I ruffled his hair and he grinned at me. “I’ll tell her while I’m there.”
“I have some cinnamon rolls for you in the kitchen.” Deke’s face lit up and Boone shook his head. “Lanterns first, then breakfast.”
“He’s such a slave driver,” Deke grumbled, unlatching the tailgate and stepping up into my truck. “You want us to unload the pie safe, too, boss?”
I laughed. “Yes, thanks.”
Boone and Deke transferred the lanterns to his truck and my new project to the shed. I planned on starting it after they left.
When they entered the kitchen, I had already slipped two one hundred dollar bills into an envelope, and I handed it sealed to Boone. It had Win’s name on it. Boone gave me a nosy look, but I gave him a no-way look, and he tucked the envelope in his back jeans pocket.
I wouldn’t be beholden to anyone, and Win Sutton was going to take that money and not bother me again. I couldn’t handle this with him. I was too messed up, my emotions too wild to deal with his distracting scent, his gorgeous mouth, his intense presence. I would end up doing something foolish, I was sure.
Best that I made it clear to him once and for all that I didn’t need him, even though he was a good man. What I needed was distance and time to think.
#
Win
When Boone Outlaw showed up on our doorstep with the stone lanterns, Amy was beside herself with joy. And I took one look at that handsome kid and realized that if Braxton looked anything like his trip, River Pearl was a goner. I liked Boone’s brash offer to take care of my sister-in-law’s boring garden. She even laughed at him and told him she would think about it.
When she came back to the table and handed me the envelope Boone had delivered to her, I broke the seal, glanced inside, and gritted my teeth in irritation. I rose from the table so abruptly even James looked at me. “Is everything all right?”
I nodded curtly. “Yes, it will be. Excuse me.”
Finding her address was easy, and it wasn’t far to her house.
Pulling up in her driveway, I got out and made my way up her pretty walk, unsurprised to find everything blooming and picture perfect.
Whatever had been between us in the brief times we had interacted had the potential to develop into something strong and bigger than both of us if I nurtured it slowly and carefully. But I had to set something straight here.
I knocked, but there was no answer. Her car was in the driveway, and she wasn’t immature enough to not open the door. I heard scraping coming from behind the house. I headed toward the sound.
She was bent over the pie safe, working on removing the beat-up tin from the slots, her strong face in profile. I strode over and said, “Evie.” She jerked and dropped the pliers, and as she turned, a ragged piece of protruding tin sliced across the fleshy
part of her palm.
“Damn,” she hissed. “You startled me.”
I rushed over as blood welled and slipped over her wrist. “I’m sorry. Is it bad?” I tried to look at it, but she yanked her hand out of my grasp. “Come in the house and let me look at it.”
She allowed me to drag her inside and to the sink. I turned on the water and she hissed again while I washed away the blood. She saw the stitches in my arm and gasped. “What happened?”
“Let’s worry about you right now.”
I swiped my thumb over the cut to get a better look and breathed a sigh of relief. “It’s not bad. But maybe you should get a tetanus shot, that tin was…” I turned to look at her, but my face was so close. Her eyes were a rich, dark brown, shot through with copper. My breath got strained and I finished. “…rusty.” And I got hard. It was instantaneous. I couldn’t control it. For a moment we stared at each other, and she leaned toward me just a fraction. Then backed off. She tried to pull her hand from my grasp, but I held on. “Let me take care of you for just a minute. You don’t always have to be so strong.”
“I already got a tetanus shot. I work around rusted stuff all the time,” she said. “Band-aids are in the cupboard to your right.”
I grabbed the box and took out one of the packages. Drying her hand with the kitchen towel, I peeled the guards off and stuck on the bandage.
“I know why you’re here. Can’t you just be a sport and accept the money back?” Her tone was cautious and wary.
“I don’t give a damn about the money, Evie. I would have decked that bastard if he’d laid another hand on you. I wanted to…show you that not everyone feels the same way in this town.”
