“Yes, baby. Why wouldn’t I?”
“Because I’m not pretty like Brylee and Larkin. I’m not smart, and there’s something inside of me that’s not right.”
“This is what your father has told you?”
She nodded.
“Listen to me, love. Your father is wrong. There is absolutely nothing wrong with you…”
“You don’t know me,” she interrupted.
“I know enough from being with you for the last few hours and what the girls have told me about you. Your father said those things to keep you with him. If you felt good about yourself, there was a chance you’d leave him.”
She was skeptical.
“I know you won’t believe me right now, but I guarantee you will as we spend time together.”
Patrick helped her off his lap, stood, and pulled out the chair to his right. “You will always sit here when we’re home.”
She nodded and sat. Then she turned when the group came back and took their chairs around the table. Brylee was next to her, and then her guy was on her left. Larkin and her daddy sat across from them.
She was startled when two young women came from the door to the kitchen. Both of their arms carried a tray filled with bowls and a basket of bread.
She watched as everyone started eating. The talking and laughter continued, keeping the atmosphere light and fun. She flinched when Patrick’s hand landed on her arm.
“Eat, sweetheart. Everything will be okay.”
Eve nodded and picked up her spoon. She almost groaned as the flavor burst on her taste buds. Her father didn’t believe in indulging. He said the food was to sustain the body and nothing else. She did the same things every week. Baked chicken on Sunday and Thursday. Beef roast on Mondays and Fridays. Fish on Tuesday and Saturdays and pork chops on Wednesdays. The meals were always served with bland potatoes and peas.
Breakfast always consisted of one egg and one piece of toast, and lunch was always a ham sandwich or soup. On the rare occasions he’d take her to a restaurant, he’d order her a hamburger with no bun and a side salad while he always got the prime rib or a filet.
Patrick set a hand on hers to get her attention.
“Hey, aren’t you hungry?”
Eve looked down at her bowl. She’d only had the one taste before the memories of her life with her father pulled her in.
“No, I’m sorry. I am hungry, and it’s delicious.”
Patrick nodded and continued with his own soup.
Eve caught snippets of everyone’s conversation but stayed quiet unless one of them asked her a direct question.
After the soup, a type of beef casserole was served. It was unlike anything she’d ever had before.
Eve’s eyes widened dramatically when plates of rich chocolate cake were placed in front of every one of them. Everyone but she picked up their forks and started eating.
She looked up to see Patrick watching her.
“Are you sure it’s okay for me to have this?”
The table became quiet.
“I’m very sure, baby. I want you to eat to your heart’s content.”
She cleared the emotion from her throat, lifted her fork, and picked up a bite of the cake. She hummed, and her eyes closed as the sweetness hit her taste buds.
“Have you ever had cake, baby?”