Chapter Twenty-Four
“I’m not sure why you think shewould be here,” Becs told Evan when they walked into the diner.
“She’s looking for someone,” he replied, appearing cool and casual, like this was an everyday occurrence.
“Good mornin’,” the hostess greeted cheerfully.“Just two?”
Was it really still morning?Becs looked at her watch.11:47 a.m.Yep.Still morning.
“Yes, ma’am,” Evan replied to the woman.“By the window, if you don’t mind.”
She smiled and said, “Right this way.”
“Are we really gonna have lunch?”Becs asked, keeping her voice low.
“We really are.”
Rolling her eyes, she sighed and followed the woman to the table for two at the front of the restaurant.She had to admit, this was a pretty good spot to keep an eye on the restaurant as well as the parking lot.
Evan paused at the booth and gestured for her to sit.Before she could disguise her response, her surprise registered, and she knew he saw it.Playing it cool, she forced a smile and took a seat.
When he joined her on the other side, she realized he’d purposely positioned himself so he could see everything, while she was forced to look at him or the wall behind him.Sneaky butthole.
“Have you eaten here before?”he asked.
“Once or twice.”She’d actually been here a few more times than that, but Becs wasn’t interested in sharing that with Evan.She had come here with Atticus a few times for lunch.The diner was the closest to HQ and had better food than the fast-food joints they’d find farther up the road.Plus, Atticus seemed to like it.Or maybe he pretended to for her benefit.She made a mental note to ask him.
She and Atticus had established a friendship after the trip to New York, and she found he was easy to talk to.Not to mention, he was funny, and she didn’t spend the majority of her time wondering whether he liked her.
Unlike Evan.Talking to him required her to get past the butterflies doing the cha-cha in her belly.And every second was spent wondering if her makeup needed to be fixed, or her hair, or whether she had something in her teeth.
They sat in silence for a few minutes while they perused the menu.When the server came around to take their order, Evan had her go first, so she ordered the chef salad and a glass of water.Evan ordered the same.When she left, the silence descended again, though this time it was thick enough to choke.
Sitting there with Evan, sharing a meal, was something Becs had fantasized about more times than she could count.Only in her fantasies, she wasn’t staring out the window or nervous.She usually imagined herself carrying the conversation, making him smile and laugh.
She chanced a glance at him, noticing he was staring at her.“What?”
His expression softened.“Nothing.”
“Then why are you starin’ at me?”
“Because you’re sitting in front of me.”
Look at him being all logical.“Well, stop it.”
He chuckled and she felt the pleasure bubble and fizz in her bloodstream.She loved to hear Evan laugh.He didn’t do it all that much, so when he did, it was a treat.
Reminding herself they were working, Becs shifted gears.“What do you plan to do if we do see Allison?”
“Talk to her.”
“About?”
“Her reason for being in Coyote Ridge.”
“What if she says she’s visiting family?”
“Would you believe that?”
