It took all of Evangeline’s restraint not to stay with her parents in the hotel room, but they did need to rest. They both looked tired and she was concerned about her father. He wasn’t used to traveling and exerting himself as much as he had during the trip. If she stayed, neither her father nor her mother would rest. They would all stay up talking and catching up.
Drake must have sensed her reluctance to leave because he took her hand and pulled her against his side as they walked to the elevator. He kissed her temple.
“You’ll get to visit with them plenty before they return home,” he said comfortingly.
“I know. It’s just hard to let them go even for a few hours when I haven’t seen them in so very long,” she said wistfully.
“They seem like wonderful people. Just like their daughter.”
“You are a wonderful person, Drake. Thank you again so much for making this happen. This is the best present anyone has ever given me.”
She threw her arms around his neck as the elevator doors closed and they zoomed toward the bottom floor, and then she drew his head down to hers and pressed her lips to his.
They were still locked together when the elevator slowed its descent. Reluctantly Evangeline pulled away, her eyes half lidded and heavy. They got off the elevator and walked to the side street where Jax waited with Thane in a car to take them back to Drake’s apartment.
“Do you suppose Maddox would mind going shopping with my mother and me in the morning?” Evangeline asked as they slid in. “I need to go to the grocer and get all the stuff for Thanksgiving. I thought she could go with me, and Dad could hang out at your apartment until we got back.”
“I thought I’d take off work tomorrow, so I’ll keep your dad company. That will give me the rest of the week off with the holiday.”
“You don’t mind?” Evangeline asked.
“Of course I don’t mind spending time with your father, Angel. You go and spend time with your mom. I’ll call Maddox and ask him to be there in the morning to take you.”
With a contented sigh, she settled into Drake’s arms for the ride back to the apartment. For the next five days, she had the three most important people in the world all to herself. Life was, she thought with hazy mellowness, absolutely . . . perfect.
19
True to Drake’s word, Maddox arrived the next morning along with Silas to take her and her mother shopping. Evangeline was delighted that her mother would get to meet the two men she felt the closest bond with. She had a feeling that neither man would quite know what to do with her mom.
And she had a surprise up her sleeve that she hoped went well. She’d approached Drake with her request that morning and when she’d revealed that she’d very much like to invite Maddox and Silas to eat Thanksgiving dinner with them, he’d been surprised but had told her that he had no problem with her inviting them.
He’d looked . . . pleased . . . that she’d thought to include them.
Maddox and Silas were currently in the living room with Drake and her father while Evangeline was whipping up a quick breakfast and her mother was in the bathroom.
“Maddox? Silas?” she called.
They appeared in the kitchen a moment later and she flashed them a welcoming smile.
“Want to help me set the table? I made enough breakfast for everyone. It won’t take too long and then we can hop over to the market with my grocery list.”
Maddox sniffed the air appreciatively. Then he clutched his chest dramatically.
“Will you marry me, Evangeline? Let me take you away from all of this. Oh wait. This is exactly what I want you to do at my place. But it’s the only thing I’ll ever ask of you. Well, and sex of course. If you cook for me every day, I’ll make sure you never want for anything for the rest of your life.”
Silas rolled his eyes and began taking plates down from the cabinets. Evangeline laughed and blew Maddox a kiss.
“As a matter of fact, the real reason I called the two of you in here is because I have a special request.”
Both men came to attention and Silas probed her with his stare.
“Everything okay, doll?” Silas asked in concern.
“Oh yes, everything is fine. I wanted to ask the two of you if y’all would do me the honor of having Thanksgiving dinner with me, Drake and my parents?”
Maddox looked poleaxed and Silas’s expression froze on his face.
“Thanksgiving is a time to be with family,” she continued softly. “And I consider the both of you family. It would mean a lot to me. That is if you don’t have other plans already.”