Pops grinned.“He’s welcome anytime, and he knows it.Too busy with his job and friends to visit the old people.”
Evan looked chagrined.“Sorry.I’ll try to visit more often.”
“Your grandfather is only giving you a hard time, sweetheart,”his grandmother said.“I’m sure it’s hard to tear yourself away from someone as lovely and engaging as Mercedes.”
Evan grinned, then arched his back.She knew exactly how he felt.“Sitting in the car too long.”
Mercedes mimicked his pose.Her mother waved at her and Evan.“Why don’t you two go for a walk and stretch your legs?Unless you want something to eat first.Your father and I ate before you got here.”Mercedes translated for Evan.
“We ate already, too,” his grandmother said, frowning.“But I can fix something up real quick.”
“Better yet,” Pops said, reaching into his wallet, “Go buy your girl a nice meal on me.”
Evan’s face stiffened.“Thanks for the offer, Pops, but I have money to buy a meal.I wouldn’t mind stretching my legs.”He turned to Mercedes.“Would you like to grab something to eat and go for a walk along the harbor?”
She would, but she’d better check to see if she was needed at the moment.“Mom, what do you have planned for me?”
“Nothing right now.When you get back, you can help me cut the rolls for the finger sandwiches.Your brother arranged for the rest of the food.Said he didn’t want me to have to do too much for my own party.”
“Okay, and I’ll help you tidy the house and yard tomorrow morning.”If it was possible, her mom was even neater than she was.There wasn’t likely to be much to do.Smiling at Evan, she said, “I’m all yours.”
They got back in the car and skirted around the harbor until they found a place to park.There was a great little clam shack on the water, so they went there.It had been a while since she’d had good fried clams.Evan got a fisherman’s platter loaded with fries and onion rings.
As she snitched an onion ring from his plate, he scowled at her.It was hardly fierce.“I’m going to charge you for those.”
“Really?How much?”With a grin, she leaned closer to his face.It would be amazing if he answered that he wanted a kiss for each one she stole.She’d pilfer the entire plate.
The way he looked at her was intense, like he was thinking the same thing.Doubtful.He saw her as a little sister.Except that almost kiss last week.The one they’d studiously avoided talking about.Had that all been in her imagination?Had she blown it into something bigger than it was?
His glance flicked to her lips, then popped up again.“I’ll call it even, if I get your coleslaw.”
She sat back and handed over the small plastic container.She didn’t like the stuff and he knew it.Had he said that to avoid the obvious attraction between them, or had she been making that up as well?
By the time they were finished, she was stuffed and more than needed that walk.Placing his hand on the small of her back, he guided her away from the clam shack and in the direction of the harbor.The sound of the water was soothing, and she loved hearing it.She felt bad that he couldn’t hear it, though he never had been able to.One time, he’d told her that you didn’t miss something you never had.Guess that made it a little better.
She held her face up to the setting sun and let the breeze blow her hair around her face.That was something he could experience.Her expression made him smile, and he tilted his head up, too.
“I love being around water.Of any kind,” she said.“It’s so peaceful and relaxing.”
“As long as you aren’t drowning in it,” he teased, his expression ridiculous.
They kept walking, and Mercedes loved how Evan noticed things, often things about her, which sent a flutter through her chest.But he used all his other senses more intently than most.His eyes darted around, taking in everything.He sniffed the salty sea air and smiled at the scent.He walked with the loose confidence of someone who knew where he belonged.When he was in his world, with people who understood him, he stood tall and proud.
As they strolled along the harbor, his eyes caught every person nearby, every movement on the busy worksite ahead.A front loader rumbled as it picked up large chunks of concrete and dirt and deposited them in the back of a huge dump truck.It was too hot to be working a construction site today.She’d bet Evan was happy he was off.
Several families with young children had stopped to watch the large equipment rolling over the dirt.They stood behind tall orange cones, and the boys boisterously waved at the driver.Evan slowed when they got near, his head tilting to one side.Was this the kind of machine he used for work?She knew he got very dirty but had never asked any specifics about his job.Maybe she should.
His hand brushed against hers as they picked up the pace, away from the noise and the dust.Then, he paused again, his eyes examining the machines working in the hot sun.Those eyes narrowed as he stared at the bucket of the machine, hefting the heavy load.
“Stay here,” he growled, not even taking the time to sign.He dashed across the street and grabbed onto the two little boys right as the arm of the machine gave a terrifying pop and the bucket suddenly dropped, dumping the entire load onto the ground.Debris and dust floated up, and pebbles spattered the small crowd.
Her heart beat loudly as Evan crouched just out of harm’s way, his back to the loader, the two boys held in his arms.His broad shoulders heaved with his heavy breathing, but his expression showed him to be calm and grounded, his eyes alert, making sure the danger was over.The shocked parents surrounded him, saying something he couldn’t hear.She dashed over to them, checking that Evan wasn’t harmed.Aside from dirt and some tiny rocks in his hair, he seemed okay.
“Are you all right?”The mom hugged one crying son while the father clung to the other.The boys couldn’t have been more than six or seven.
Mercedes dove into Evan’s arms and squeezed him as tightly as she could.She wanted to scold him.He could have been killed, after all.But if he hadn’t run over here, those boys would have been crushed by the rubble.
The construction crew scrambled around, yelling, cursing each other for being careless.One of them trotted over.
