“I can help with both those things.”He lifts the blankets from us and sets me aside long enough to add more wood to the fire.
I have to admit that the fire pit design is genius.It’s producing some heat and the hole in the ceiling draws the smoke out.But it’s just too damn cold out here for it to make much of a difference.
“Here, baby.Lie down.”Evander slides around behind me and I stretch out on my side, facing the fire.It’s the way we slept in the shack.I know he did it then to provide as much warmth as possible for me.
It’s why he’s doing it now.
He pulls the blankets over us once more and curls his big body around me.
“I’m trying to decide if I should apologize,” he says.
“For…?”
“Proposing to a nurse while under the influence.”
I chuckle.“Yeah, well, I thought it was cute.And it inspired me.”
“To do what?”
“One, to break up with Rick.And two, the dress.”
“Tell me all about this dress.”
“I’m not sure I should.I wanted it to be a surprise.See, I hired a seamstress to make a custom-made dress for me to wear to wear to Finn and Emma’s wedding.”
“Oh,damn.What color is it?What’s the fabric?Is it a black-tie thing or a party-girl-in-a-limo thing?”
“I don’t want to tell you, Evander.It’s supposed to be a surprise.My plan was to walk into the wedding and watch the expression change on your face when you finally realize that little Phoebe Travis has itgoin’ on.”
“I see.”His voice is soft.
“But now…maybe Ishouldtell you about it.I mean…” I have to pause or I’m going to cry because all I can think is that he’ll never get to see me in my dress.That I’ll never get to see Evander’s knees buckle or his head whip around so he can do a double-take.
Maybethisis that moment, for both of us.
“Not another word, Phoebe.”
His voice isn’t soft anymore.
“Tell me nothing about the dress because I want to be surprised.I want my eyeballs to pop out.I want my mouth to hang open.And I want to watch as you strut through Finn and Emma’s winter wonderland glitter fest owning everything you are.”
I feel myself laughing.I’m so grateful to him.I grab his gloved hand with my gloved hand and squeeze as hard as I can.
“Phoebe, I have no doubt that we’ll make it out of here.”
“Thank you for saying that.”
Ugh.I hope I’m not coming off as whiny and weak or pessimistic, butshit.I’m feeling all those things at the moment.
“You’ll be fine.I’ll be fine.And I’m going to tell you a story about why I know this to be true.”
“That would be nice.”
He sighs.“Sorry, but this isn’t me trying to make you laugh with a story about barn cats and goats.This is a story about my mom, and why you’re alive.”
My eyes fly open.Everything about Evander just changed.I can’t see him, but I can hear him and feel him trembling, and it’s not because he’s cold.
“I was a bitter kid, Phoebe.Being the middle of five boys sucked, and I was always looking for the next slight, the next bit of proof that I wasn’t special enough for my mom to love me.My hand-me-down wardrobe was my first clue.”
