But that’s bullshit.
I had a gut feeling that it wasn’t the right time, and when it was, those words came flying out of my mouth like the most natural thing in the world.
Because that’s what Evie and I are. Natural. Easy. Right.
Different people who mesh together somewhere in the middle. We don’t want to change each other, just explore each other.
Glass of wine in hand, Evie wanders through theminefield blueprint that is our future house, her eyes and her glass reflecting the string lights above her. She grins and tells me she wants her office on the other side of the house, because she’ll get distracted looking out over the sunflower fields if that’s right outside her window.
But when I tell her we can just switch offices, that doesn’t quite appease her. “Well, that’s not fair thatyouget to look at the sunflowers all day!”
I only grin. “Well, maybe we can just add another office on the far side of the house, and we’ll share the one with a good view when we feel like it. And maybe we can put a Christmas tree in there over winter—you’ll probably be able to see the lights from the sunflower farm.”
She bites her lip to hold back her grin. “We’re going to have a really big Christmas tree, aren’t we?”
“As big as you want,” I say, nudging her elbow.
She snorts, stepping into the living room. With one hand on my shoulder, she hoists herself back onto the large log and looks out over the sunflower fields.
“I really love this,” she says.
“Me too.”
I kiss her cheek again because I can, and we stand for a few moments in silence, the valley below us lit only by Evie’s kitchen light and the lamps outside the barn.
“Do you think Reed is screwing over other people?” Eve asks, her voice low.
My gaze shifts to her face, wondering what she’s thinking.
“Probably, if that little restoration scheme was any indication.”
She nods, pursing her lips. “Do you think we should have reported him or something?”
I turn to her, eyeing her expression. “I already did.”
She raises her eyebrows. “What?”
“I’m just praying the investigation will take some time. I don’t think anything will happen before he signs the cabins over tomorrow, but I’m pressing the architect as hard as I can to get a draft for the development done before this week’s town council meeting. Once that’s done, we’re home free, and Reed is in for a lengthy legal battle.”
Evie’s jaw drops. “You double crossed Reed?”
“Double crossing implies we were working together. I gave him a deal he couldn’t refuse, but I never promised secrecy.”
Evie raises an eyebrow. “Well, let’s just hope I can stay on your good side, huh?”
I turn to face her fully, resting my hands on her shoulders. “I would never double cross you. If you murder someone, I’m helping you bury the body. Bonnie and Clyde, remember?”
“Why am I the murderer out of the two of us? Definitely seems more like your speed.”
“What about me screams murderer?”
She shrugs. “No qualms about skulking around an abandoned cabin in the middle of the night?”
“Thatsays murder to you more than pushing someone in the stream? Twice?”
She rolls her eyes. “Will you let that go? It’s a shallow stream. It’s not like you would have died.”
“What if I didn’t know how to swim?”
