Leo sits beside me with such pride in his eyes, latched onto every movement of his father. He won’t take his gaze off him.
As much as Evan doesn’t want his son to grow up to be a football player, I think he’s going to have a bit of trouble there because Leo is infatuated with it right now. Or maybe he’s just infatuated with Evan. He was desperate to come and watch him during practice today, and even though Evan seemed reluctant, I convinced him that we’donly stay for half an hour before heading to the rabbit rescue to visit Cheese, where she’s taken up permanent residence.
But Evan barely looked at me as I explained our plan for the day to him. Instead, he focused on tying his shoes a little too tightly before thanking me and heading out the door. It’s been three days since the kiss, and even though I had awoken the next day with the mindset of refusing to let things feel weird, it seems Evan didn’t get the memo.
It’s like I’m suddenly back with the old Evan, who didn’t want anything to do with me. Yet, this new version forces smiles at me and even stopped by the shops to pick up another tub of my favourite matcha powder, restocking it without saying a word. It’s giving me whiplash, and it’s getting fucking annoying.
My phone starts to vibrate on my lap, and I narrow my eyes to see that my sister, Megan, is calling me. It’s my niece’s birthday tomorrow, and I still haven’t worked out what I’m going to do about her gift. The clothes are ruined—they hadn’t survived, even after drying all night.
Mollie will be expecting a new outfit; something she can wear to the birthday party I know Megan will be throwing for her, probably with a magician and a giant five-tier cake, and she’ll be disappointed to discover that she’ll have to wear the same one I gifted her last year.
“Hi, Meg, I’m so sorry—” I say as I pick up the phone.
“You littlewitch.”
“What?”
“Oh, don’t pretend you don’t know what I’m talking about. I’ve just come home from my run, and the Super Sparkle dollhouse is sitting on my doorstep. How did you manage to afford that, sis? It’s expensive!”
I’m silent, the cogs turning in my head, but they’re rusty, shuddering against one another in perplexity.
“Seriously, Flo, I know you love Mollie, but you don’t need to spendthatmuch on her.” There’s the sound of cardboard being ripped open. “I’ll wrap it for you. I just know she’s going to love this. She was looking forward to one of your creations, but I’m not going to lie to you, she’ll be over the moon with this. It’s been on her wish list for ages!”
“Megan, wait… what dollhouse? What are you—?”
“Your name is literally on the order Flo, so don’t try to be modest. You’re the sweetest. I love you. Look, I really need to go, but I just wanted to call you and say it arrived safe and sound.”
“Um, okay…” Confusion envelops me.
“Speak to you soon, bye!” My sister’s cheery tone echoes in my ears before the line is cut, and I stare at the phone in bewilderment.
My eyes shift over to Evan, sly and suspicious. He glances up, our gazes caught in one another’s, and there’s a strong, silent current between us, before Evan throws the ball to Bennett and drops the contact between us.
I hadn’t told anyone else about the gift Mollie was desperate for, and for the next thirty minutes, I can’t shake thetugging deep inside my chest that I’m feeling towards this man, who right now, refuses to offer me anything other than polite, courteous smiles and simple head nods.
“Okay, you haven’t said a word for like twenty minutes, which for Flo McKenna, is probably a new record,” Mae says as we sit on a picnic blanket with Poppy, watching Leo on the slide—which he now has a newfound love for— in the park. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing. I’m just stressing going through my checklist for things I need to make sure I sort out before the trip.” I’m lying. I haven’t even made a checklist, and I haven’t responded to the organiser’s last few emails with all the information regarding it, either.
“Pull the list up. I’m sure there’s something we could help you with.” Mae leans over my shoulder and nods at my phone, but there’s nothing to pull up for them about my trip in my notes app.
“Fine. We kissed.” The words explode out of me like soda from a can that’s been shaken too much. I’m not usually much of an overthinker when it comes to men, but Evan West is altering the way my brain thinks. Ever sincethe kiss, things have been different between us—a type of difference that both angers and excites me.
Leo’s far enough away from us that he can’t hear, and I keep my eyes on him to make sure he’s safe as he plays.
“Oh shit!” Poppy exclaims, hands covering her beaming lips. “What kind of kiss are we talking about here? Like, was it a kiss, or was it akiss?” She wiggles her blonde brows.
I rest my chin in my hands. “The last one.”
“I knew it.” Mae crosses her arms and leans back, a smug look on her face. “I knew all you had to do was get your tits out and he’d drop to his knees.”
“I didn’t even have my tits out, Mae. I was wearing his clothes, which were baggy and did nothing for me.”
Poppy’s mouth pops open. “That’s even better. You have that man whipped.”
“Barely. He leaves the house as soon as he can when I get up, and I can probably count the number of times he’s looked me in the eyes since.”
He might regret the kiss, but I don’t. He’s overanalysing it. I don’t expect him to get down on one knee and propose to me, so Evan needs to return to real life, because the reality is that we’re both consulting adults who find each other attractive and made out on his porch.
