“Yes.” She returned to her cooking. She whisked the batter and poured it into the hot pan, waiting while the surface bubbled.
After a few moments she flipped the pancake, timing it perfectly.
Finally she slid it onto a plate, added the bacon and handed it to him along with a bottle of maple syrup. The color reminded him of whiskey.
The pancakes were soft, golden and delicious, the sweet drizzle of warm maple syrup a contrast to the crispy perfection of the bacon.
He took a mouthful. “You asked me about my favorite food. This is my favorite food.”
“You said you didn’t have a favorite food.”
“Now I do.” He cleared his plate, wondering why he was suddenly so hungry when for so long he hadn’t cared what he ate. “So you seem to spend plenty of time with my grandmother. Why not spend that time with your own?”
For the first time since he’d hauled her off the floor of his apartment, his words were met with silence.
“Eva? Why
not just spend more time with your own grandmother?”
“Because she’s dead.” Her voice thickened and without warning tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her cheeks.
Seven
In times of crisis, keep your lipstick red and your mascara waterproof.
—Paige
“I’m sorry. Ignore me.” Eva grabbed a napkin and dabbed her eyes but it was as if she’d developed a leak, as if her emotions had swollen and grown, pressing against the outer layer of her self-control until gradually it had cracked, allowing her feelings to escape.
Through the scalding blur of tears she was vaguely aware of Lucas watching her.
She expected him to make his excuses and escape faster than a gazelle trying to outrun a lion, but he didn’t move.
“Eva—”
“It’s perfectly fine.” She blew her nose hard. “This happens sometimes. I think I’m doing great and then it hits me from nowhere like a horrible gust of wind, and it blows me off my feet. I’ll bounce back. Don’t look so alarmed. Ignore me.”
“You want me to ignore the fact you’re upset? What sort of person do you think I am?”
“You’re a horror writer. And a woman in tears is probably your own personal idea of horror.” She took a ragged breath and got herself under control. “I’ll be fine.”
“But you’re not ‘fine,’ are you? Talk to me.”
“No.”
“Because you don’t know me? Sometimes it’s easier to talk to a stranger.”
“It isn’t that. I don’t want to be the dark cloud in anyone’s day. It’s better to be the sunshine than the rain.”
“What?” Dark brows came together in a frown. “Who the hell told you that?”
“Grams.” Tears spilled over again and he sighed and spread his hands in a gesture of apology.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to hurt you but, Eva, everyone gets upset sometimes. You shouldn’t feel you have to hide it.”
“You do. Isn’t that why you haven’t told anyone you’re here?” She scrubbed her hand over her face and he gave a faint smile.
“Good point. Since you’re now hiding here with me, why don’t we agree that we don’t have to hide how we feel, for the moment at least?”