“Hi Evelyn,” Nick said, stepping out from around the door. “Didn’t think I’d see you out this way.”
“Neither did I, sugar. But when I heard your husband got hurt, I knew just the thing that might help.” She lifted the casserole dish. “Y’all had dinner yet?”
I watched Nick’s entire body relax at the sight of her, his shoulders dropping as he let out a breath I hadn’t realized he’d been holding.
“No ma’am, we haven’t,” Nick said, stepping aside to let her in. “That’s real kind of you.”
Evelyn bustled through the door, her eyes immediately finding me standing in the kitchen like an idiot who’d been prepared to shoot a sweet old lady bearing food.
“Dante! Look at you, up and about already.” She set the casserole on the counter and turned to give me a once-over that reminded me uncomfortably of my grandmother. “How are those ribs treating you?”
“Better every day,” I said, forcing a smile despite the lingering adrenaline still coursing through my veins. “Thank you for asking.”
“Well, you boys need to keep your strength up. Can’t run a ranch on an empty stomach.” She pulled back the foil, revealing what looked like some kind of chicken and rice dish that smelled incredible. “This is my mama’s recipe. It’ll stick to your ribs—no pun intended.”
Nick moved past me to grab plates from the cabinet, and I caught the way his hand brushed against my arm as he passed. Intentional or accident? I couldn’t tell, but the brief contact sent a spark through me that had nothing to do with danger and everything to do with what had happened between us last night.
“You didn’t have to go to all this trouble,” I said, watching as Evelyn started serving up portions like she owned the place.
“Nonsense. That’s what neighbors do out here.” She glanced between us, and I saw something knowing in her eyes. “Besides, I wanted to check on you boys. Make sure you’re settling in alright.”
“We’re managing,” Nick said, accepting the plate she handed him. “It’s been an adjustment, but we’re figuring it out.”
“I’m sure you are.” Evelyn’s smile was warm but her eyes were sharp. “Marriage is always an adjustment, especially in a town like this. But you two seem like you’re making it work.”
I felt Nick stiffen beside me, and I reached out without thinking, placing my hand on the small of his back. He didn’t pull away.
“We are,” I said, meeting Evelyn’s gaze. “It’s different from what either of us expected, but... yeah. We’re making it work.”
The look she gave me then was approving, almost maternal, and I felt something in my chest tighten. When was the last time someone had looked at me like that? Like they were actually rooting for me?
“Good,” she said firmly. “Now sit down and eat before it gets cold. I want to hear all about how the ranch is coming along.” She took a seat. “Oh, and Jesse wanted me to extend an invitation to you both, when you’re feeling better, to come out to the ranch for dinner one night. It’s not like there’s a lot of other gay couples in this town to socialize with.”
“Gay?” I said, choking on my first bite of her delicious casserole.
“Well yeah,” she laughed. “What else would they be?”
“Jesse isn’t short for Jessica?”
Both Evelyn and Nick looked at me and then began to laugh. It was the first time I’d seen Nick really smile like that since… Well,ever.
Maybe we were gonna be okay. And maybe we weren’t nearly as alone in Hell Creek as I thought.
Chapter 16
Nick
Dante’s eyes were always on me now. Ever since our midnight romp, things had changed. He was more intense now, the heat in his gaze palpable as it raked across my skin. It was easy to see that he wanted more, wanted me to give in. It would’ve been easy to resist if he didn’t actuallytryto be better. If he’d just continued to act like the monster everyone thought he was, I could ignore him with ease.
But he wasgoodto me, and that was hard to turn a blind eye to.
Still, I couldn’t help being a little spooked after the gun incident. Don’t get me wrong, I’d been around guns my whole life. That wasn’t the issue. What scared me was the idea that Danteexpectedtrouble that might require a gun to deal with every time someone unexpected knocked on the front door. Up until now I’d had ideas of what mafia men’s lives were like, most of them shaped by movies and television. But I suppose I never really expected them to be true.
It made me wonder. If someone in Hell Creek crossed him, would they go missing? What if I pissed him off? Or decided I’d never sleep with him again? Would I be the one buried in a shallow grave in the mountains? There was nothing in ourprenup to guarantee the safety of me or my family. We were at Dante’s mercy.
And the part I hated most of all? I didn’t think Dante would hurt us. I was beginning to trust him even. But his family? I wasn’t so sure about that.
“Hey boss!”
