“That is Angela Barry in the emerald sequined gown. She owns a popular chain of artisan coffee shops. Whelan is the Artistic Director for the Tremaine Huxley Theater. Aja thinks they’re having an affair.”
Evelyn gasped, her hands shooting up to cover her mouth that still hung open in shock.
“Parker, I would have never guessed you were interested in small-town gossip.”
I bumped my shoulder with hers playfully. “The twins feel the need to catch me up on what everyone is doing, regardless of whether I want to know it or not.”
She giggled and took another sip of her wine.
“I have to admit, for me, it's pretty entertaining—even though I have no idea who they’re talking about.”
“How about a little game then?” I said, wiggling my eyebrows at her.
“You love your games,” she said, scrunching up her face.
“Ah, don’t give me that face. I’d like to think we’ve been having fun so far. Am I such a terrible date?” I said, covering my heart like I’d been wounded.
The sight of her blushing was becoming one of my favorite things. Just the slightest reaction made me feel like a boy with a high school crush.
She rolled her eyes, but a laugh slipped through her annoyance. I knew she was just as intrigued as I was excited. “What is this game you want to play?”
“It’s simple, we each take a turn picking a person, and we reimagine their lives. Let’s see who can come up with the best story.”
She rolls her eyes again but nods to a grey-haired Black man in a tuxedo and a younger dark-haired Latina woman swaying on the dance floor.
“These two met at the gym. He’s a champion bodybuilder, and she’s an heiress to an off brand laxative fortune, who cannot resist a salt-and-pepper beard.”
The man had a cane in one hand and the other on the woman’s hip. I was pretty sure the woman was the principal of the high school of the new high school.
I almost spit out my drink. “Willow, are you always this funny?”
She looked at me strangely.
“When it’s just you and me, I’d like it if you just call me Evelyn.”
My heart did backflips in my chest. I didn’t want to read into things. Evelyn was closed off for the most part, and every now and then, I would get a little glimpse behind the walls that she kept up, seeing who she truly is.
For some reason, this felt like more, like she wanted something just for us.
We played our game of people watching, and I pointed out all the people I could recognize and what they did in Oakland Ridge. I was about to make a joke about Ashley Farnsby's pursuit of the stuffed mushrooms being passed around by the waiters when I noticed Evelyn’s body language had changed. The wine glass she’s holding trembled in her hand as she looked with laser focus out into the crowd.
“Evelyn,” I said to her softly as I tried to figure out what caught her attention, my body already on high alert.
Her body turned toward mine as if she were preparing to flee, her eyes set on a tall blond man with his back turned to us. When he turned around, Evelyn moved on autopilot, stepping back in the opposite direction. She stumbled, bumping into a cocktail table.
I reached out to steady her, my hands landing on her waist, and firmly pulling her toward me before she could fall. Her eyes finally flit from the man to mine, wide with terror. She took one last glance at the man before shaking her head and stepping out of my arms.
What was that?
Searching around the ballroom, I checked for William, Nate, and Gerard, our guards for the evening. If there was a threat to be neutralized, they would be the first to act. But everything seemed fine. I was about to question Evelyn when my fatherstepped into my line of vision, walking towards me with my mother in tow.
“You look very handsome, my son,” my mother said as she cupped my cheeks in her hands. Turning to Evelyn, she went in for a hug. “Oh, my dear, this gown looks absolutely gorgeous on you, doesn’t it, Jonathan?”
My father barely gave Evelyn a full glance before he gritted out, “Yes, very nice,” and quickly directed the conversation to me. “Parker, I’d like to introduce you and your mother to Jerome Finley and Desmond Reese,” he said before ushering my mother off in their direction.
He doesn’t look back to see if I'm following.
“I’m fine, Parker. Don’t worry about me. Come find me when you’re done,” Evelyn said, busying herself with the fabric of her dress.
