by Gary, Codi
A fluffy black-and-white cat came out from behind the couch, took one look at them, and arched its back, hissing and growling with a high-pitched whine. Beast wiggled his body in response, and Oliver heard a crash in the other room. “Everything okay?”
“Shit,” Eve said. A few seconds later, she peeked her head out of what must have been her bedroom. “What the heck are you doing in here?”
“You were taking so long I wanted to tell you to shake a leg, but now that I’ve seen your apartment, I gotta say—”
“Nothing! You will say nothing.” She ducked her head back into her bedroom and reappeared a moment later with a large suitcase, a tote, and some kind of little black bag.
“You know we’re coming back Sunday, right?”
“Yes, I know that, but I couldn’t make up my mind.” Oliver bit back a grin noticing that she seemed a little frazzled at him being there.
“You weren’t kidding about the bras and dishes,” Oliver said, only teasing.
“I know, I am the worst housekeeper in the world, which is why I pay someone to stop by once a week and clean for me.”
Oliver laughed. “Hey, no judgment here. Being a good housekeeper is not one of my ‘like-like’ requirements.”
Oliver could tell his reassurances weren’t making her feel any better, and he walked over to her. Snaking his free arm out and around her waist, he ducked his head to catch her eye. “Hey.” When she finally looked up at him with those mossy green eyes, he smiled. “Honestly, I don’t care.”
“Come on, you care,” she said. “Everyone else does.”
Vulnerability. It was in the way she avoided his gaze. Seeing it on his usually self-assured Eve was unsettling.
“You hate to clean, and I like to start fights. We both got crap that would send other people screaming, but we’re both still here.” Kissing her hard and fast, he dropped his forehead to hers and stared through her glasses into her eyes. “So let’s grab your shit and get this show on the road.”
He released her to grab her suitcase and wheeled it behind him as Beast led the way out of the apartment. “Who’s going to watch your cat?”
“I texted Megan to stop in and check on her, but she has an automatic waterer and feeder that usually last her a week,” Eve said.
“Aren’t you worried about the fund-raiser falling apart without you?” he asked when they reached the car.
“Actually, no. I planned everything down to the wire, and Megan is competent. Granted, she’s probably furious with me, but I’ll make it up to her,” Eve said.
Oliver opened the trunk, and once everything was loaded inside, he slammed it shut with a grin. “You ready?”
“As I’ll ever be.”
Chapter Twelve
“SO, ARE YOU going to tell me why you got into a fight?” Eve asked.
They had been on the road for several hours, and although they had talked about Beast, their childhoods, and their first kisses, Oliver didn’t want to answer this particular question. Not just because he didn’t want to hurt Eve’s feelings, but also because he didn’t want to give her any more reasons why they shouldn’t be together. He was still shocked that she’d agreed to come with him in the first place and, more to the point, that he had asked. His mom was going to go nuts; he’d never brought a girl home, at least, not since high school, and his mom had hated Rochelle.
Somehow, he got the feeling his mom was going to love Eve, though.
“I bumped into Tate and that guy Andy outside your dad’s office. You met Tate, he’s a dick. He just started mouthing off, so I popped him. Andy got a hold of me long enough for Tate to knock me out and dump me at my car.”
“Why were you at my dad’s office?” she asked.
He almost told her about wanting to stay at Alpha Dog, but what good would it have done? Her dad had made up his mind, and the last thing he wanted to do was create a rift between them.
“It was how I found out I was going back into rotation on Monday,” he said.
“Oh.” She didn’t say anything else, and he figured she probably didn’t want to talk about his job.
After a moment of silence, she changed the subject. “Tell me about your parents. Are your sisters going to be there?”
“No, they’re both married now. Margie lives in Texas with her husband and twin sons, and Luz is in San Diego. Her husband is a jarhead, but I don’t hold that against him.”
“I can’t imagine living far away from my mom after I had kids,” Eve said.
“My mom and Margie love each other but are so much alike that they butt heads constantly. My mom stayed with her for a few months after the twins were born, and Margie’s husband said it was like a war zone every day. Luz and I are more like our dad. He calls my mom his little spitfire because she is barely five feet tall, but when she gets mad, watch out. Once, when I was a teenager and had smarted off about something, she actually took her shoe off and started chasing me around the room with it. When she couldn’t catch me, she threw it at me.”
“Oh my God,” Eve said, laughing.
“Oh, yeah. My mom doesn’t take crap, and she is crazy protective.”
“She sounds amazing,” Eve said.
“My dad definitely thinks so. He was raised on the East Coast, and instead of going to college like his family wanted, he joined the army and got stationed in Texas. He met my mom on a weekend pass and married her. When my dad got out, he joined the police department, and my mom stayed home with us for a few years, picking up waitressing jobs at night when my dad was home. When we were in school all day, my mom started waitressing full time, and on weekends we always did things as a family. It taught me how to be responsible and take care of myself.”
Oliver stopped talking and noticed that Eve had become really quiet. Reaching across to take her hand, he squeezed it gently. “Hey, you okay?”
“Just nervous,” she said.
“It’s okay, dulzura,” he said. “They’re going to love you.”
AS OLIVER PARKED the car in front of a large home surrounded by trees, Eve had a hard time catching her breath. She’d met a few boyfriends’ parents before, but this was different. She had never experienced roiling nausea at the thought of someone’s parents hating her, had never really been worried about impressing people in general, but these people had created Oliver—amazing, funny, handsome Oliver—and she wanted them to like her.
Correction: She needed them to like her.
“We’re here,” Oliver said.
Giant redwood pines surrounded the dark brown house with tan trim and the colorful flower beds drawing attention to the brick walkway. The heavy oak front door had an intricate beveled-glass window with a pine tree in the center. Beyond the house, Eve caught glimpses of blue water and couldn’t wait to see the full impact of the view.
“It’s beautiful,” Eve breathed.
“Yeah, my mother adores it. When my grandfather died, it turned out he hadn’t completely written my parents off the way they’d thought. He hadn’t spoken to my father in years, so the inheritance he left them came as a surprise. My dad was always good with money, and by the time he’d retired, he’d tripled the money my grandfather had left him, so he started looking for a beautiful place with mild weather. He got this place for a relatively good price when the market crashed a few years ago.” Oliver grinned at her across the top of the car. “Wait until you see the view.”
Eve had barely shut her door when an older man and woman came out of the house. The woman squealed and rushed toward Oliver, hugging him fiercely before cupping his bruised face in her hands. “Ah, mijo, what have you done to yourself?”
“Hey, Mom, don’t worry about it,” Oliver said, his cheeks rosy red. Eve couldn’t stop the giddy bubbling in her chest as she watched him greet his mom and then his father. She’d already known he was a good guy who loved his family, but seeing it in person was different.
“Mom, Dad, this is Evelyn Reynolds, the friend I told you was coming,” Oliver sai
d. Eve shot him a surprised glance, and he added, “I called them while I was waiting for you to pack.”
She came around the front of the car to greet them, holding her hand out. “Hi, Mr. and Mrs. Martinez. It’s so nice to meet you. You can call me Eve.”
“Eve, it’s a pleasure to have you. You may call me Edward.” Oliver’s dad took her hand in his and squeezed it.
“Oh, it is so nice to meet you.” Oliver’s mom pulled her in for a hug. “I am Maria. I had given up on my Oliver ever bringing a girl home.”
“Don’t listen to her,” Oliver said. When Eve caught his eye, he made the crazy symbol by his head, making her giggle.
“Come in. We’ll leave the men to get the bags, and I’ll show you the house. Are you thirsty? I can get you something to drink.”
“I am fine, thank you,” Eve said. Oliver’s mother laced her arm through Eve’s and led her inside. The house was an open floor plan, with the kitchen and living and dining rooms flowing into one another. It was three times as big as her apartment. The beautiful wood walls of the living room were adorned with art and photographs, and a large bay window showed off a breathtaking ocean view. The dining room had a long table with eight chairs. On the wall hung an abstract painting with vibrant colors that drew out the red cushions on each chair.
And the kitchen . . . Well, if Eve ever learned to cook, this would be her dream kitchen, with an enormous island in the center and ample cabinet space. She could put a thousand dishes in all the cupboards and never have to do dishes again. Eve bit back a laugh at the thought, but endless dish storage aside, it was an extraordinary home.
“Oliver will have to take you down to the beach and into town while you’re here. Is this your first time in Mendocino?” Maria asked.
“Yes, it is. Your home is gorgeous.”
“Thank you. It’s larger than our old house but is actually only two bedrooms and two bathrooms, while our first home was three bedrooms and one bathroom. We do have a cabin and a pull-out couch, though, so we can host quite a few people, which is great when our kids come to visit.” Maria’s smile was kind as she added, “Especially when they bring guests.”
“I hope I am not imposing, it was so last minute—”
“Of course you are not an imposition. It is nice to have another woman around to talk to. Otherwise, my son and husband try to run roughshod all over me.”
“Don’t listen to her, Eve,” Oliver said from the doorway. He had his duffle and her smaller bags. Beast sat at his side, sniffing a plant by the door.
“Oliver Manuel Martinez, if that dog pees in my house, you’re going to be in trouble,” Maria said.
“He’s housebroken, Mom,” Oliver said. “Should I put our stuff in the cabin?”
“You may put your things in the cabin, but I’ve already made up the guest room for Evelyn.” Maria’s chin was in the air, and Eve thought it was adorable that the woman seemed to be protecting her virtue.
“Are you serious? I am a grown-ass man—”
“And I am your mother. This is my home, and if you don’t like it, you are more than welcome to find a hotel.”
“I could sleep on the sofa bed,” Oliver said.
“And have you try to sneak down the hall into her room when you think I’m sleeping? Don’t think I don’t know all your tricks, mijo.”
“You are being ridiculous,” Oliver said.
Eve bit back a laugh at their banter. Oliver’s mother reminded Eve of her dad when he was laying down the law, and the best way to get on her dad’s side was to agree with him.
“I’m good in the guest room,” Eve said.
Maria looked at her in approval, and Oliver scowled, mouthing traitor.
Laughing, Eve went to collect her bags from the men and whispered in Oliver’s ear, “I never go all the way on the first date, anyway.”
OLIVER SAT BACK in his chair, stuffed full of his mother’s enchiladas and already wanting to escape his parents with Eve. He hadn’t really imagined his mother would enforce her only-married-people-share-a-room policy, but there was nothing he could do about it.
“That was so good, thank you,” Eve said, groaning. “I don’t know if I’m going to be able to move!”
“Really?” Oliver said. “Because I was thinking we could take a walk down to the beach and check out the moon.”
“Yes, you two go and enjoy yourselves,” Maria said.
Oliver stood up, ready to get out of there and be alone with Eve.
“Let us clean up dinner, Maria. You go put your feet up. Oliver can help me put things away,” Eve said.
Oliver almost groaned aloud, until he saw his mother’s face light up with delight and approval. “No, you are our guest—”
“I insist,” Eve said.
His mother didn’t put up much of a fight, though, and escaped to the living room. His dad sat down in his easy chair and flicked on the TV, clicking through the channels. Oliver smiled when he heard his mother tell him to go back to a romantic movie. And although his father sighed loudly, he did as she asked.
Oliver admired his parents and the way they compromised to make each other happy. That compromise was what he’d always been on the lookout for, for himself: a woman who kept him on his toes. Ultimately, though, he just wanted to be happy.
Hopefully he could have that with Eve, if he could just get her alone.
Eve gathered the dishes from the table and walked around the kitchen island to the sink while he followed behind with the enchiladas.
“Are you trying to avoid me?” he asked, whispering so his parents wouldn’t hear.
Eve’s shocked expression told him all he needed to know. “No! I’m a guest and am trying to make a good impression on your parents. Just because I’m messy in my own apartment doesn’t mean I was raised by wolves.”
“Actually, your dad is more like a hungry grizzly bear—”
Oliver jumped when Eve slapped him with a dish towel.
“Be nice,” she said.
Coming up behind her, he put both hands on the edge of the sink, boxing her in. “I’m trying to be very nice, but you aren’t giving me a chance,” he said against the side of her neck.
And got an elbow to his ribs for his efforts. “Behave. Your parents are right there.”
Oliver glanced across the large, open room to where his parents sat, engrossed in their movie. “Exactly why I’m trying to get us out of here,” he grumbled.
“Well, the faster we clean the kitchen, the sooner we can go on that romantic moonlit walk.” She handed him the same towel she’d whacked him with. “I’ll scrub, you dry.”
“Aye-aye, captain. And by the way, I never said it was going to be romantic.” He leaned his hip against the counter and teased, “You shouldn’t go putting words in my mouth.”
Suddenly he got a face full of water from the sink sprayer. Wiping his face off, he locked eyes with Eve, who dropped the sink sprayer back into place. Giggling and backing away toward the side of the island, she gasped, “That should teach you some respect.”
Oliver’s lips twitched, but his tone came out a dark, gravelly threat. “You’re dead.”
With lightning speed, he lunged for her, but she made it to the other side of the large, marble island. He kept coming, and she took off, squealing and circling the granite square, not slowing even when Beast bounded to his feet, barking and joining in the game.
The third time around, Oliver managed to catch her when she went for the sink’s hose again and wrestled her arms to her sides. She was breathless with laughter, and he wanted to kiss her, to feel her arms wrap around him and pull him into her body.
“Children!” his dad called from the living room. “We are watching a movie. Try to keep it down.”
Eve pulled out of his embrace, blushing, and Oliver cursed his dad for interrupting their moment.
Ten minutes later, the kitchen was shiny and the dishwasher loaded. Before something else came up, Oliver took her hand and tugged. “We’re goi
ng for a walk. Can Beast stay with you, Mom?”
At the mention of his name, Beast looked up from his comfortable spot covering Oliver’s mom’s feet in front of the couch and laid his head back down again.
“Sure, he’s just keeping my feet warm. Be careful and take a flashlight,” his mother called.
Oliver grabbed one and had almost made it to the door when his dad said, “And you might want to wear a sweatshirt or jacket.”
“I didn’t bring one,” Eve whispered.
“I’ve got an extra.” Even if he’d only had the one, he would have gone without just to get out of there. As they walked the short distance to his cabin, Oliver was surprised when Eve volunteered to wait outside.
“Are you afraid my mom’s going to catch you in my cabin and get mad?”
“Yep, most definitely,” she said.
Oliver chuckled as he went in and grabbed the sweatshirts. He handed her one, and once it was all zipped and in place, he held his hand out for hers.
“Come on. The trail’s just this way.”
Chapter Thirteen
EVE KICKED OFF her shoes the minute they hit sand, loving the feel of the cold, wet grains under her heels and between her toes. It had been a long time since she’d been to the beach, mainly because it was hard to coordinate a vacation to the coast with her friends, but this was heaven.
Made better by the man holding her hand and leading her toward the water.
“We’re not going in, right?” Eve looked out over the midnight black water and could just imagine what lurked below the surface.
“Nah, too cold.” Oliver sat down in the sand and pulled her down between his legs. Eve relaxed and snuggled back into him as he circled her in his arms. He didn’t try for more than that, and part of her was disappointed after all the effort he’d gone through to get her alone.
