"Fine," Evie said, draining her glass. "I'll do it. But you have to help me plan the menu. I don’t have time for that on top of all the other stuff I have to do."
Posy clapped her hands in excitement. “Awesome! I’ll work out a meal plan that won’t take forever to cook, buy the groceries, and bring them round. The rest is up to you. When are we doing this?”
Evie slumped back in her seat, wondering what she’d let herself in for. “Well, it will have to be Saturday evening. That’s the only night I don’t have to bake since the shop’s closed on Sunday and the festival doesn’t start until after church.”
“Good point, plus Monday is Christmas Eve - your birthday - so your parents will be back. Sally and Edward are the best, but that would seriously cramp your style.”
Right. She’d be turning thirty. The big three-oh.
And while she might have returned to living with her parents, maybe she’d be lucky enough to celebrate with a fledgling new relationship.
Chapter
Seventeen
EVIE
Evie was a bag of nerves.
What had seemed like a good idea after a bottle of wine looked entirely different in the cold light of day.
Too bad she’d texted all three of her prospective suitors while she was still half-cut, and they’d all jumped at the opportunity she presented.
“Oh well, here goes nothing,” she mumbled to herself as she prepared the chicken breasts Posy had delivered.
Evie was going for simple, but impressive - she hoped. Her grandmother’s Hunter’s Chicken recipe. Chicken wrapped in bacon and stuffed with cream cheese, before being slathered in barbecue sauce. She was serving it with herbed mashed potatoes and asparagus, and dessert was a no-cook spiced cheesecake with pouring cream, which was already in the fridge.
Everything was prepared, and Evie had just finished sautéing the asparagus spears in garlic and butter when the doorbell rang, startling Evie out of her nervous reverie. She quickly wiped her hands on a dishtowel and smoothed down her hair, heart racing as she went to answer it.
Taking a deep breath, she opened the door to find Gabe standing there, looking dashing in his usual suit, since he’d undoubtedly come straight from taking care of the hotel next door. He was holding what looked like an expensive bottle of wine, and his green eyes crinkled as he smiled at her.
"Good evening, Evie. You look lovely," he said, leaning in to kiss her cheek.
He was being chivalrous. What she really looked like was frazzled, both in nerves and appearance. Adrian wouldn’t have hesitated to have told her so.
But he’s not Adrian.
The light brush of his lips sent a shiver through her. "Thank you, come on in," she managed, stepping back to let him enter.
As she started to close the door, a car she recognized as Asher’s pulled into the shared driveway. Evie's stomach felt like a hoard of hyperactive hornets were buzzing around inside it. She was relieved when Asher drove around to the small parking lot belonging to The Evergreen, instead of pulling up outside the house, where the whole town could speculate on his visit. This was really happening. In just moments, she'd have all three men under one roof. What had she been thinking?
But there was no backing out now. Squaring her shoulders, she plastered on a smile and went to greet the next arrival, silently praying she'd make it through this evening with her sanity intact.
Asher strolled to the door, his blue eyes twinkling as he handed Evie a bouquet of delicate Christmas roses. "Thought these might brighten up the table," he said with a wink.
Evie's cheeks warmed as she accepted the flowers, their sweet fragrance mingling with the savory aromas from the kitchen. "Thank you, they're beautiful," she managed, her voice a bit breathier than she intended.
As she ushered Asher inside, the elevated position her parents’ house enjoyed meant she caught sight of Shepherd's lithe frame, his long legs eating up the short distance from his apartment on Main Street. Her heart skipped, and she had to take a steadying breath and will her nerves to calm.
Shepherd strode up the path and greeted her with a slow smile that made her insides flutter. "Evening, Evie," he said, his deep voice sending a shiver down her spine. He leaned in close, his beard tickling her ear as he whispered, "You look good enough to eat."
Evie's face flamed. She stepped back, flustered, nearly stumbling over the threshold. Shepherd's hand shot out to steady her, his warm touch sending sparks across her skin. Evie's breath caught as she looked up into his dark eyes, momentarily lost in their intensity.
"Everything okay?" Shepherd asked softly, his brow furrowing with concern.
Evie nodded quickly, forcing herself to step back and regain her composure. "Yes, fine. Please, come in," she managed, gesturing toward the living room where the other two men waited.
As Shepherd brushed past her, his spicy scent enveloped her, making her head spin. Evie took a deep breath, willing her racing heart to slow. She smoothed her dress with trembling hands before following him inside.
