“Shanti!” Evie hollered.
“Just messing with you,” she said. “Turn the paper over. There’s a whole list just for you.”
Evie had just finished setting up the Guess the Number of Dog Treats in the Jar booth when she turned and spotted Bryson entering from the side entrance. Her entire body flushed cold and hot at the same time.
He’d spent the past week working fourteen-hour shifts. Two of the surgeons at the hospital came down with stomach bugs, so the others were picking up the slack. Evie had surprised him with lunch on Wednesday, but he’d been called into an emergency surgery after one bite of his shrimp po’boy.
“Hey,” he said as he approached her, a fatigued yet alluring smile curving up the corners of his mouth.
“Hey,” Evie answered. She wanted to kiss him, but there were way too many eyes around.
She was most concerned with one set of eyes that belonged to her best friend. She knew she couldn’t keep this relationship she wasn’t ready to call a relationship from Ashanti and Ridley for much longer, but she wasn’t ready to discuss it right this minute. She needed to get through this carnival first.
Bryson looked around. “This is… something.”
“Welcome to Ashanti Wright’s world. We’re just participants in the production.”
“Based on the line of people with their pets waiting to get in, she knows what she’s doing.”
Evie looked down at her watch. “But the carnival doesn’t start for another half hour.”
He shrugged. “They’re ready.” Bryson leaned over until his lips brushed her ear. “By the way, you left your underwear on the floor in my living room. The cleaner put it with my laundry.”
Her face turned into an instant campfire. All it would take was a single look from Ashanti, and Evie wouldn’t have to tell her anything about her relationship with Bryson.
“Dammit, Evie Williams,” Bryson said in a teasing voice. “Why are you so damn cute when you blush?”
She took a step back from him and held up a finger. “Stay back. You go over there somewhere. Today is too important and I will not have anything distracting me, including you.”
He lifted both hands in surrender. “You don’t even see me. Actually, you won’t see me for very long. I have to get back to the hospital in about an hour, but Derrick Coleman will be here to help out.”
She wasn’t surprised Bryson couldn’t stay, but she was still hurt that he would miss so much of the event.
However, once the carnival officially started, Evie didn’thave time to think about Bryson or anyone else. Barkingham Palace went from being a doggy daycare to a madhouse. Evie never anticipated having to turn people away, but they reached capacity within twenty minutes of opening the gates. Ashanti instituted an on-the-spot time limit for each booth and agility apparatus so they would be able to get as many people to come through as possible.
It took another hour for things to calm down enough for Evie to take a bathroom break. When she returned to the Guess the Number of Dog Treats booth, Ashanti and Kendra were waiting for her.
“Ken is going to take over this booth for a few while we chat,” Ashanti said. She grabbed the hem of Evie’s shirt and dragged her behind the ticket booth. “Okay, are you going to tell me what’s going on between you and Bryson, or do I have to bring you to my torture chamber?”
“You don’t own a torture chamber,” Evie said.
“I will create one for the sole purpose of forcing you to tell me what’s going on.”
“What makes you think something is going on?” Evie asked.
“That man could not keep his eyes off you the entire time he was here. It was even worse than it was back when we were at LSU.”
Oh, goodness. Really, Bryson?
“You’ve got it all wrong,” Evie tried. She didn’t sound at all convincing. She was never good at lying.
Ashanti plopped her hands on her hips. “Evelina Williams, how long have I known you? You can’t hide anything from me, woman.”
Evie blew out a breath. She shouldn’t have even tried.
She leaned over and whispered, “What do youthinkis going on?”
Ashanti gasped. “I knew it!” She batted Evie’s arm like she was trying to kill a mosquito. “I knew it! I knew it! I knew it! This is phenomenal. This is exactly whatshouldhave happened eight years ago. Is he good in bed? What am I even asking, of course he’s good. I’m so happy for you!”
