Reluctantly, she padded to the door and cracked it open. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in Shepherd's hulking form on her tiny porch, a paper bag clutched in one large hand.
"Brought you some food," he grunted, avoiding her gaze. "Figured you might need something to eat since your parents are out,” Shepherd said, thrusting the bag towards her.
Evie blinked, caught off guard by his unexpected appearance. The savory aroma of her favorite Thai food wafting from the bag made her stomach growl, reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She hesitated, torn between her desire for solitude and the sudden realization of how hungry she was.
"I... thank you," she managed, stepping back to let him in.
Evie hugged her arms around herself, acutely aware of her cupcake-covered pajamas and damp hair. She hadn't expected company, especially not Shepherd's gruff presence.
"You didn't have to do this," she said softly as he walked into the kitchen and set the bag down on the counter.
Shepherd shrugged, not quite meeting her eyes. "Figured you probably wouldn’t bother to feed yourself after everything. And, well..." He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck. “Didn’t think you should be alone, no matter how much you argued. It doesn’t do any good to wallow. But if it’s not my company you want, feel free to tell me to fuck off.”
Evie turned to find some plates, using it as an excuse to hide her expression and the war she felt inside herself at his surprising foresight. When the hell did grumpy ole Shepherd Lawson get so perceptive? And how did he know Thai food was her favorite?
Evie hesitated, her hand hovering over the plates. Part of her wanted to insist she was fine, to politely usher Shepherd out so she could return to her solitary misery. But hadn’t she just been cursing how alone she felt?
She turned back to face him, studying his gruff expression. There was an awkward tension in the set of his broad shoulders, like he wasn't entirely comfortable being there. Yet he'd gone out of his way to bring her food and to check on her.
"I... thank you," she said softly. "This is really thoughtful of you."
Shepherd shrugged, his gaze fixed somewhere over her left shoulder. "S'nothing," he mumbled.
Evie bit her lip, and the silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.
Surprisingly, company sounded… good.
Finally, she gestured toward the large oak kitchen table. "I’d like it if you stayed. You’re right, I thought I wanted to be alone, but with the house so silent… well, I’m just not used to it, and somehow that makes everything worse."
Surprise flickered across Shepherd's face before he nodded gruffly. "Ah, sure."
The fact he was surprised she hadn’t thrown him out just endeared him to her even more. Shepherd Lawson had hidden depths, it seemed.
They sat at the table and settled into a comfortable silence. Evie watched Shepherd dig into his pad thai with gusto. His large hands dwarfed the fork as he shoveled noodles into his mouth. She picked at her own food, her appetite wavering despite the delicious aroma.
"You should eat," Shepherd grunted between bites. "Can't take care of anyone else if you don't take care of yourself first."
He wasn’t one for platitudes, but his gruff concern warmed something inside her. Evie took a small bite, savoring the familiar flavors. "How did you know Thai was my favorite?"
Shepherd's cheeks reddened slightly. He shrugged, not meeting her eyes. "It’s a small town. I notice things. Figured it might cheer you up."
Evie blinked, surprised he'd picked up on such a small detail. She'd always thought of Shepherd as standoffish, wrapped up in his own world. But here he was, bringing her comfort food and company when she needed it, even though she’d thought she didn’t.
The silence stretched between them, broken only by the scrape of forks against takeout containers. Shepherd wasn’t one for small talk, but it felt comfortable, and Evie found herself relaxing, grateful for Shepherd's steady presence. He didn't try to fill the quiet with empty chatter or probing questions, and that was something she appreciated.
The knot of tension in her shoulders slowly unraveled. Shepherd's steady presence was oddly comforting.
When they finished eating, Evie gathered up their empty plates and containers, and Shepherd helped her clean up and stack the dishwasher. Somehow it took her by surprise. Adrian would never have done such a thing, despite Evie working moreantisocial hours than he did. He’d have come home from his cushy 9 to 5 and moaned about having to collect Ollie from After School Club even though it was on his way. Meanwhile, she’d have been rushing through the prep for the following day at the bakery before she hurried home to make dinner, then get Ollie bathed and ready for bed. While she did so, Adrian would sit on the couch and watch the news, before Evie returned to clean up after dinner because her ex wouldn’t have bothered.
It occurred to her, in that moment, that for all intents and purposes, she’d been a single parent and relying on nobody but herself for years. She’d just never realized it because she’d been part of a couple. But being married to Adrian just meant she’d had one more person to look after. One more compromise to make, whilst he made none. The knowledge was actually liberating.
She finished stacking the dishwasher while Shepherd wiped down the countertops, but when they were done, Evie paused, suddenly uncertain.
What now? Part of her didn't want Shepherd to leave, dreading the return of that oppressive silence. But she didn't know how to ask him to stay without sounding awkward or desperate. She fidgeted with the edge of her pajama top, unsure what to say.
Shepherd cleared his throat. "Well, I should probably get going," he said gruffly, taking a step towards the door.
Evie's heart sank at the thought of being alone again. "Wait," she blurted out before she could stop herself. Shepherd paused, his brow furrowed as he looked at her questioningly.
