Or should she even bother wear makeup and do her hair?
There were way too many choices! The thought of meeting his kids that day meant she needed to leave a lasting impression. And now suddenly, she felt her outfit looked like crap. One more closet raidleft her throwing all sorts of clothes on to the bed until Teddy meowed. She turned around and saw he had moved to lay by the beautiful blue sunflower dress that Pawpaw had bought her. She had thrown it on Teddy again. Everything in her life slowed as she approached it, smiling wide in blissful memory. She picked it up and examined it. Even though she couldn’t fit into it anymore, she kept it.
Evie clutched it close and closed her eyes. “Oh, Pawpaw. I wish you were here. I promise I met someone good. You’re never gonna believe who it is.”
Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of Caleb’s truck pulling up the driveway. She had no choice but to be satisfied with what she wore and how she looked.
The doorbell rang and she went flying in a mad rush to grab snacks to put in her purse for the kids and gave one final look at herself in the mirror by the door.
She answered it and saw his handsome face sporting a Chiefs’ hoodie and gray sweatpants. She smiled and they kissed.
“Damn,” he said smiling. “You look hot in that stuff.”
She raised a brow playfully. “I wonder why.”
He grabbed her hand and led her down the stairs. “I know this has gotta be hard for you, but…it’ll be okay.” He smirked and said sarcastically, “I’ll whoop their butts if they get outta line.”
She laughed. “Sure, you will.”
“Oh no, I’m serious.” His playful antics kept making her laugh. He smiled looking away. “I’ll make them do ten hours of horse lunging. Especially little Olivia. She’ll do it for twelve.”
Evie grinned up to him. “Poor horses.”
“Not the horses. For a few hours, Zack will be on the lead and Olivia can lunge him and then they’ll switch.”
Evie laughed again and playfully slapped his chest. As they walked to the truck, Caleb warned with a grin, looking at the yard, “Don’t get outta line with me either young lady, or you’ll do the weed-eatin’.”
“Gotta teach me first. Unless you want a ruined weed eater,” she taunted.
They smiled at each other.
Caleb took her around to the side where Olivia was and orderedZack to get out of the back. He unlatched his little girl from the child seat. “Alright, lil’ Liv. Time to meet Evelyn!”
He whistled for Zack who replied sluggishly, “I’m coming.”
Evie could hear him kicking the gravel as he came around the truck. Caleb ordered in a nervous smile, “Hey, don’t be givin’ that ‘tude little dude. Evelyn is a really nice lady, okay? I promise you’ll love her! Remember how we act in the presence of a lady?”
He put Olivia down who just looked up at Evie, who was vibrating with nerves. Oliviastaredat up at her, and it made Evie uncomfortable. She took a deep breath and casually offered her hand. “Hey, Olivia! I like your name. It’s really pretty! It’s nice to meet you.”
Olivia smiled with a missing tooth and shook Evie’s hand hard with both of hers. It jostled her when the kid hopped up and down. “Wanna see my drawlings?”
“Drawings,baby girl,” Caleb corrected.
Olivia asked again, “Drawlings? They’re in the back in my book bag!”
Evie snickered, “Of course! I’d love to see them!”
But Caleb’s masculine dad voice came in, “In a minute, sweetie. Let Zack meet her.” He then put his hand around his son’s back. “Zack bud, this is Evelyn, but you can call her Evie.”
She could tell he didn’t like her at all, but Evie knew damn well that with her brother’s kids, that kids could take a bit of warming up to someone. She smiled and pulled a few stray hairs behind her ears. That damn Midwest wind. “Hi, Zack. I hear you like Batman a lot. I love Catwoman! Your dad has told me a lot about you,” she said in a quiet and tender voice.
“He hasn’t told me anything about you.”
“That’s okay. I understand.” Evie paused for a moment. “But I’d like a chance to be friends with you. Is that okay?”
“You don’t need to talk to me like I’m five.”
Caleb rubbed Zack’s back. “Be nice. She’s done nothin’ wrong.”
