She knew it was wrong to feel it, but something about this place just made her happy.
8
GRAYSON
Grayson pulled up on Park Avenue ten minutes early, with Leo fussing in his car seat.
“You’re okay, buddy,” Grayson told him calmly.
But he might as well be talking to himself. Leo didnotlike the car seat.
There were more errands Grayson could have run, but he had wanted to be back early so Evangeline wouldn’t worry that he had abandoned her.
And he found that he was actually looking forward to seeing her.
She works for you,he reminded himself.
But somehow he felt the same anticipation he would if he were about to see a long-lost friend.
A long-lost friend I saw two hours ago…
Getting out of the car, he was amazed to find that Evangeline was already there waiting. He hadn’t recognized her when he’d pulled up. She was sitting at one of the café tables outside the bakery, wearing a pretty redcoat, with shopping bags surrounding her. She almost looked like a princess with her dreamy expression and the bright colorful clothing that was such a contrast to that oversized leather jacket she had been wearing when they met.
“Hi,” she said with the same shy smile as before.
Belatedly, he realized he’d been staring at her.
“Hey,” he said gruffly. “I can bring Leo out if you want to finish up.”
“No, no,” she told him quickly, hopping out of her chair. “I was just waiting for you. I didn’t want to be late.”
“Got you something,” Grayson said, pulling the prepaid phone he’d picked up for her out of his pocket and handing it to her.
Evangeline’s face went soft and he saw something flash in her eyes.
Relief?
“Thank youso much,” she told him, hugging the little phone to her chest. “I wanted to buy one, but they don’t sell them in town.”
“I know,” he said gruffly. “I figured I need you to have one, so I might as well buy it. I got it charged up in the car and there are plenty of minutes on it. Should be just fine for now.”
“Thank you,” she said again. “For this and for the clothing. You’re a good man.”
Her eyes were wet with unshed tears and his heart ached so much that he had to look away from her.
“No problem,” he told her. “We should get a move on since Leo’s in the car. He’s a little fussy. He really doesn’tlike the car. But hopefully he’ll go to sleep once we drive for a few minutes.”
“Oh,” she said, her face brightening. “I got him something.”
“You did?” he asked her.
His heart warmed at the idea that she had been thinking of Leo even when she had to do practical shopping for herself.
“It’s nothing,” she said quickly. “Just something small for the car.”
She pulled something out of one of the bags that flashed a reflection in the sunlight.
“It’s a mirror,” she explained. “Can I put it in there for him?”
