And somehow, impossibly, it seemed that he cared for her too. Though he hadn’t said it out loud, the way he took her hand told her everything his words didn’t.
The only thing holding her back was the thought of Rory back in the city.
How can I let myself open my heart to such happiness, knowing that my brother is in trouble?
But there was no answer to that question, and no answer from Rory to her many text and voice messages.
She knew deep down how he felt about that house. It was the home where they had shared so many happy memories with family and friends. If he couldn’t let it go, she would have a hard time blaming him.
She was certain that if he was willing to leave the city, then her pay here would be enough to cover a rented room for him while he tried to get on his feet in a new place, far from the bad element that currently surrounded him. But until he decided to respond, all Evangeline could do was wait.
And in the meantime, there were so many things to keep her busy—the endless rhythm of Leo’s care, and the fun things that happened in between, like decorating the tree, frosting all the cookies, and delivering them to the center and to Ana and her mother and other new friends around town.
So the week had melted away, and suddenly it was Saturday again. Leo was having a happy morning and she was excited that they were heading into town to check out the Hometown Holiday celebration that Grayson had told her so much about.
“We won’t be able to do everything,” he told her on the way over, glancing at Leo in the mirror. “But I think he’ll last an hour or two at least.”
“More if he naps a little while we’re out,” Evangeline said, thinking about how her tiny bestie would often sleep in her arms even in the most distracting of circumstances.
“Of course,” Grayson said with a fond smile.
He smiled more often now, and it made her heart ache every time she saw it. Between the pain he carriedover Isaac Jones lessening a little from seeing one of the men he had saved, and the removal of the stress she hadn’t even understood over Leo, she was seeing a new version of the man she already respected.
They found a parking spot before they got to Park Avenue, since the main streets in the little town were closed for the occasion.
“Oh, wow,” she murmured as Grayson helped her out of the SUV. “This is incredible.”
To Evangeline, the little town always looked like something out of a storybook with its Tudor-style shops and the candy cane decorations hanging from the lampposts. But today the streets were lined with booths decorated for the holidays, and people walked among them, bundled up in colorful coats with cups of hot cocoa, waving to each other and stopping to catch up as light snow flurries danced down like graceful ballerinas.
Grayson helped to put Leo in the front carrier and pulled a fleece hat onto his little head before taking Evangeline’s hand and leading her onto the street to join the rest of the townsfolk.
Her heart thumped helplessly at the thought that this time he wasn’t holding her hand for strength or faith, but because he wanted to—because he didn’t mind the whole town knowing he had feelings for her.
He glanced down at her, as if to be sure she didn’t mind, and she found herself smiling up at him like a lovesick teenager with a terrible crush.
He winked and led the way to a booth selling hot chocolate to support a worthy cause.
“After this, we’ll have a carriage ride,” he told her.
“A carriage ride?” she echoed.
He nodded toward the end of the block where a real, horse-drawn carriage was clopping its way up Park Avenue. The beautiful animals were awfully familiar.
“Peanut Butter and Pickles,” she breathed.
“See,” Grayson said. “You already know everyone in town.”
She had to laugh, and that made Leo turn in his carrier to look up at her and reach for her face, chuckling so hard his chubby cheeks practically covered his eyes.
“Your daddy is so funny,” she told him, offering him her finger to grab.
Leo let loose a waterfall of squeaks and chirps while he yanked her finger around like he was conducting an orchestra.
“I think he likes the Hometown Holiday celebration,” Evangeline said. “Don’t you, Leo?”
They shared a hot cocoa and walked around, admiring the booths. Grayson bought handmade gifts, and put so many bills in donation cans that Evangeline had lost count of how many charities he had supported. And he introduced her to everyone they bumped into, earning more than a few knowing looks from people who obviously thought they were together.
When Leo started getting sleepy, they took a carriage ride all the way down Park Avenue and back up again.
