“That’s one giant freaking mustache,” I say, proud of myself for holding back my tears and clearing my mind of Keller.
Evan chuckles. “My mum combs it for him at night.”
“Stop, no, she doesn’t.”
“She does,” he says. “I walked in on them once. It was horrifying.”
That makes me laugh, easing the growing tension in my chest. At least Evan can put a smile on my face. And at the end of the day, that’s all I need right now.
* * *
“When areyou coming back to Torskethorpe?” Evan asks as we make our way back to the table we were standing at. A server brings around glasses of champagne, and Evan snags one for each of us, as well as some petit fours that have been passed around the room.
“Probably in the next day or so,” I answer. I’d prefer to stay in Marsdale where I feel safe, where the memories of Keller don’t flood me, but I also know that Theo is unwell, and that means I need to be there for him. Me being gone has probably added more stress to him.
“You say that as if it’s a bad thing,” he says. “Do you not love Torskethorpe?”
“No, I do,” I say quickly. “But, you know, returning to a place where you’ve spent time falling in love with your ex-fiancé can pose obstacles.”
He nods in understanding. “I get that. My girlfriend of five years broke up with me right before I deployed for my last mission. It was brutal coming back and reliving memories.”Five years. Does that make me a wuss, missing Keller so desperately?We were only together months. Should I feel thankful that there aren’t years of memories?Perhaps.I cannot imagine the pain Evan experienced, especially while he was serving his country so honorably.
“Did it get easier after a while?” I ask.
He nods. “It did. It took some time, just like every breakup, but it got easier. And you know what? Her loss, she could have been Lady of Sotherby.” He smirks and picks up a pink square cake from the plate we’re sharing.
“Huge mistake,” I say. “Plus, the daughter-in-law to the grandest mustache in Torskethorpe. Ooof, what a missed opportunity for her.”
“I’m glad you see it that way.” The music dies down, and everyone starts clapping. “Looks like the evening has come to an end.”
“Really? Well, that flew by.”
“Always does when you’re in good company.” His smile spreads wide, and he really is quite attractive. “Which leads me to my question.”
Uh-oh . . .
“What question would that be?” I ask, growing nervous.
“If you would like to have lunch some time, when you’re back in Torskethorpe.” Before I can answer, he holds up his hand and adds, “No pressure. I know things are complicated for you, but if you need some company, I’m there.”
I mentally sigh, because thank God he added that.
“Thank you,” I say as I stare at my champagne. “I’m just . . . I’m not sure.”
“That’s totally fine,” he says, bending at the knees to catch my attention. “Just figured I’d put it out there. And if you get bored or need someone to walk the streets to see thelittleshops, I’m only a phone call away. Just ask for the future lord of the Sotherbys.”
I chuckle and look him in the eyes. “I’ll keep that in mind for sure. Thank you, Evan. And thank you for taking my mind off everything for the evening.”
“Anytime.” He bows before me and says, “Good evening, Princess Lilly.”
And just as quickly as he appeared, he disappears, leaving me confused and sad at the same time.
It was such an easy night. There wasn’t any drama, there wasn’t any fighting, it was just simple conversation, and I honestly can’t remember the last time I had that with Keller.
They are two very different men. Evan seems very relaxed, maybe a touch guarded, but I’d blame that on his profession. He wasn’t here to command or control me, but to have a good time. If I had spent the night with Keller, he’d have reprimanded me for saying something inappropriate, he’d have worried about what people thought of him as the man who stood by my side, and even though he likes to control everything in his life, I would have relished in having him hold me against his chest as he moved me around the dance floor.
And why is that?
Was our relationship really based on our physical attraction to each other? Was that all it ever was? Because if I’m honest, our problems began when we entered the month of celibacy. When Keller wasn’tmy kingand we didn’t have that aspect of our relationship to fall back on.To rely on. Would we have actually gone the distance if sex was what held us together?
