“I know you’re big and strong, and I know you’ll survive, but I want more than that for you. I want you to live happily ever after with Frankie.”
Thinking about it tore at him and the pain was made worse by the fact that for a while he’d actually believed it was possible.
“You have a way of making things sound so simple.”
“When two people love each other, it should be simple.” She stared into her empty coffee cup. “It really should be simple.”
They watched the squirrels for a moment and Matt tried to pull himself together. He needed to talk about something other than Frankie. Think about something other than Frankie. He needed to stand up, put one foot in front of the other and go home. Or go to work. He couldn’t spend the rest of his life hiding out in the park. “It’s Christmas in three months. Have you started counting days and hours yet? Normally by now you’re telling me how many days it is.”
“I haven’t started counting this year.”
He glanced at her. “You love Christmas. You start planning Christmas in January.”
“I know. But it’s—” She broke off. “Last year, my first Christmas without Grams—it was awful. I’m dreading it, to be honest. Christmas is for families, and I don’t have family. I’m alone. Alone, alone, alone. I hate that word.”
“You’re not alone. You have us. We’re your family. Mom would love to see you for Thanksgiving if you’re free, and my parents are thinking of coming to New York for Christmas. We’ll probably spend the day with Maria, Jake and Paige.”
“That sounds good.” She was silent for a moment. “I’ll come if I’m not busy.”
“You have plans?”
“Yes. I plan not to spend another Christmas missing Gram and feeling sorry for myself. She’d be so ashamed of me.” She straightened her shoulders. “If Frankie can face everyone on Puffin Island, I can face Christmas. I’m staying in New York City and I’m going to party.”
“Are you planning on partying with anyone in particular?”
“Yes. I will be partying with the hot guy that Santa is delivering for Christmas.”
“Will he be coming down the chimney? Because that might be a challenge.”
“I don’t care how he comes, or where he comes, as long as he comes.”
Matt grinned. “You’re a bad girl, Ev.”
“Not in a while, but I’m going to be.”
“You’d better not tell Santa that until after he has delivered your hot man. Bad girls don’t get gifts from Santa.”
“I’ll keep wearing my good girl disguise until the moment I get my man naked.”
“You’d better write to Santa pretty soon, then.”
“Already done. I thought it might take him a while to find the perfect guy.”
“With abs.”
“And shoulders.” She stretched out her legs and tilted her face to the sun. “He is going to sweep me off my feet and that will be that.”
“That will be what?”
“My happy ending. Right there.”
“Tied with a big red bow?”
“I prefer pink, but red would do.”
Frankie watched from the gate in the park feeling as if she was alone on a desert island, watching a ship sail away into the distance.
Matt and Eva sat close together talking. She saw the moment Matt put his arm around Eva, and saw her lean her head on his shoulder.