“If you want to be with someone else,” he’d told her, “You owe it to everyone, including yourself, to end what you’re in. Dragging it out is cowardice.”
They spent the rest of the hour-long drive catching up. Evie talking about her courses, Tommy about his latest project: a new smartphone design he swore would be affordable for almost everyone. After a quick stop at the florist to pick up the bouquets of Christmas roses he’d ordered, they reached the cemetery, parked on Sassafras Avenue, and started down Viburnum Path toward the Sloane family vault.
“You know, if you ever want help with your courses, I’m just a phone call away,” Tommy said, pulling out the key as he led the way.
Laughing, Evie hurried to match his longer stride and tucked her hand into the crook of his arm. “That would bean unfair advantage, having Tommy Sloane, CEO of Sloane Technologies and resident computer genius, as my tutor.”
“Should I take back all that Sloane Tech I gave you when you switched from law, then?” he teased, flashing a wicked grin. “Or is that not an unfair advantage?”
“No!” She looked up at him, horrified. The computer he’d given her could handle every program and simulation her classes demanded, letting her ace projects with ease. “You know I’ll call if I need you.”
“I’m just saying, I haven’t heard from you much since September.” His grin softened into a playful pout, but she could tell there was a trace of hurt beneath it.
“You’ve been busy and out of the country a lot,” she pointed out. It was true, but also a little excuse; she’d thrown herself into her studies, determined to prove that his investment in her hadn’t been wasted.
“Do you have that international plan on your phone just for decoration?” Tommy asked, giving her a look.
Evie winced and shot back quickly, “Do you?” She smiled, and he laughed. He wasn’t wrong, they’d both let the months slip by with only the occasional text or call.
“Alright, fine,” he said as they reached the vault. “We’re both guilty of not keeping in touch. So, we’ll fix that.”
“Sure, Casanova.” Evie smiled, squeezing his arm as they came to a stop. He handed her his bouquet of flowers and stepped forward to unlock the vault. “You’re still coming for Christmas, right?” she asked.
Her mother had already called, begging her to come home, promising her father would behave and wanted her there as well. Evie hadn’t bothered asking if he planned to apologize for kicking her out and cutting her off, she knew he wouldn’t.Oscar Stanley was incapable of admitting he was wrong, even when the truth was staring him in the face.
“Ah, well, actually…” Tommy pushed the door open and turned toward her, his expression sheepish. “I was hoping you and I could get together on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day for a few hours.”
“Are you and Dad still fighting?” Evie frowned. No one had given her the full story, but she knew it was about more than her father being upset that Tommy had stepped in to pay for her tuition and expenses. “What’s really going on with you two?”
“We just had very different visions for the direction of Sloane Tech,” Tommy said with a sigh. “He’s been pigheaded about the fact that I’m in charge. He hasn’t been ranting about me to you?”
Evie could tell by the way he avoided her eyes that he wasn’t telling her everything, but she let it go - for now. “A) He knows better. B) I haven’t been home since the semester started. And C) we haven’t talked since the last blow-up about me switching majors.”
Tommy nodded, looking pained, and gestured for her to step inside first. He took one of the bouquets back as she passed, and together they tidied up the vault, replacing the old flowers beside the two urns and lighting fresh candles. They stood in silence for a few moments, heads bowed, before turning to leave.
Tommy locked the door and offered his arm again as they started back toward the car. “Can I buy you dinner?”
“Absolutely.”
They grinned at each other, happy to steal a few more hours together. Evie was especially glad; she hadn’t realized how much she’d missed him until now.
They were almost to the car when a mountain of a man stepped out from between the trees and blocked their path. Arms folded across his chest, he looked down at them with a faint, unreadable smile.
Evie froze. Despite his good looks and the calm expression on his face, something about him screameddanger.
“Tommy,” she murmured, tugging at his arm as he kept walking.
He was looking around at the snow-covered grounds, not paying attention to the path in front of them and hadn’t noticed the man.
“What is it?” Tommy followed her gaze and froze. In an instant, Tommy stepped in front of her and pushed her back, shielding her with his body. “Can I help you?” he asked, backing up just enough to keep her hidden behind him.
“Mr. Sloane.” The man inclined his head politely, his voice low and carrying a faint Eastern European accent. “I have been asked to pick you up and bring you somewhere. No harm will come to your friend, but I suggest you do so quietly.”
He smiled again, his cold blue-green eyes flicking over Evie with quiet curiosity. Despite every instinct in her body screaming to run, she found herself momentarily caught, drawn to something about him that she couldn’t name.
“Tommy. No.” Evie gripped the back of his jacket. She didn’t know how she knew, but if he went with this man, she would never see him again.
“Evie.” Tommy turned, his expression calm, almost gentle. He cupped her cheek with one hand, pulled his car keys from his pocket with the other, and pressed them into her palm. “I’ll be okay. I’ll see you over Christmas.” He pulled her into a hug and kissed her forehead. “I promise.”
