Evelyn choked on her mulled wine. “Please tell me there are pictures.”
“There are, and you’ll never see them.”
They looped around the market one last time, then wandered down a quieter street toward a small public garden, just for the sake of walking.
“This was good,” Evelyn said, voice soft.
“Yeah,” Alyssa replied. “It was.”
Bug circled them once, then sat, looking expectantly at Alyssa’s pocket. Alyssa snorted and nudged Evelyn’s shoulder with her own.
“You know,” she said, “I was worried you’d cancel on me tonight.”
Evelyn smiled, but there was a sadness under it. “I almost did.”
“Why?”
“Because this—” Evelyn gestured to the two of them, to Bug, to the whole bright, messy night, “—is new. I’m not great with new things. I’ve been stuck in a routine for so long, feeling like I’m barely keeping my head above water.”
Alyssa nodded, letting the silence settle. She wanted to say something reassuring, something cool and memorable, but the words wouldn’t come.
“I think you’re doing great, Evelyn. And I happen to like new things,” Alyssa replied, hoping she didn’t sound lame.
They walked in comfortable silence until they reached the edge of the garden, where the city’s noise faded to a dull hum.
They returned to Evelyn’s building, Bug padding contentedly behind them, and rode the elevator up to the Evelyn’s floor. Neither spoke much; the city lights outside said enough. At Evelyn’s door, they hesitated—caught between the night’s momentum and the awkwardness of real life.
“I’ve got tea,” Evelyn said.
“Sounds good,” Alyssa replied.
Evelyn shed her coat, then stood there, suddenly shy. “I don’t usually do this.”
Alyssa smiled, stepping closer but maintaining a respectful distance. “That makes two of us.”
They spent the next hour on the sofa, sipping tea and sharing stories—about their families, about their favourite holidays, about everything and nothing. At some point, Alyssa’s hand came close to Evelyn’s, hovering just near enough to feel the warmth between them.
Eventually, the conversation wound down. Bug curled at their feet, sighing with contentment. Alyssa watched the city lights flicker through the window, and for the first time in a long time, didn’t feel the need to be anywhere else.
13
Caravans, Confessions, and Clarifications
Evelyn
The first week in December was the only time Evelyn could carve out some space for a visit to Four Paws.
The night in the pub still played on a loop in Evelyn’s mind. Normally, she would have made every excuse under the sun to stay in the office and get a little more work finished—Maggie could attest to that. But when someone like Alyssa Fox invites you for a drink, there is no other answer than yes. Knowing there would be other people there had been a tad disappointing.Evelyn wanted to continue their chats. Getting to know Alyssa was Evelyn’s favourite thing to do now, apart from looking after Bug.
Ah, Bug, that little charmer!
Bug had a way to let Evelyn know it was time to take a break. People would think she was a sandwich short of a picnic if they heard her thoughts, but Evelyn was sure of it: Bug had special powers. He was the only creature that had got her to take a step back in months. Even Maggie had commented.
In just a few weeks, Evelyn had gone from workaholic, hell bent on spending every waking hour chained to her desk to something…different. It was hard to put a finger on what exactly had changed, but one thing was for sure, Evelyn found herself taking more breaks—even if it was just to stare out of the window with her furry friend. The pressure to be perfect and do everything herself had lessened.
That’s why Evelyn knew she had to make time for the tour around Four Paws. Like Bug, the sanctuary was special. Evelyn felt it in her bones. Plus, she would get a little one-on-one time with a certain raven-haired beauty.
A solid frost clung to the ground. Evelyn’s car tyres crunched loudly as she made her way down the winding gravel driveway to Four Paws. The clock read seven-thirty, which was a hideous time to be awake on a Saturday, but Alyssa had asked her to arrive early.
