Evan’s head shot up, her eyes widening as they met mine from across the table. “Really?”
That tiny bit of praise turned the heat up on my girl’s cheeks, giving them a warm, pink flush, and she looked so surprised she could have been knocked over with a feather, and it hurt like hell. My mom was right. Just because things were rough going lately didn’t mean it all had to be bad. I could make the conscious effort to do something besides yell and scold.
“Absolutely, baby girl. I think you might have even topped your grandma in best mashed potatoes.”
That flush grew even deeper and her smile widened as she scooped green beans onto her plate.
Maybe, just maybe, everything would work out after all, I thought as I dove into my meal with more gusto than normal, especially when it came to the mashed potatoes. I was actually starting to feel hopeful that Evan and I were close to turning a corner.
I should have known better than to think we were in the clear, because things went right back to how they’d been roughly halfway through dinner.
We were talking about our days, like we’d done my whole life growing up, and the conversation turned to my law practice. “Word through the grapevine is that you still haven’t found an assistant yet.”
I looked over at my mother as I chewed the bite I’d just taken and swallowed. “How in the world is something as boring as that considered grapevine worthy? Is there nothing better to gossip about in this town?”
Mom simply shrugged. “Not quite yet. You two are still the newest arrivals.” She paused and pointed her fork Evan’s way. “Well, she is. You’re the mysterious boy who left, only to come back years later as a dashing man.”
Evan made a retching sound and followed it up with a dramatic. “Oh, gag.”
My mother carried on like she hadn’t said anything while I cut my girl an evil glare that made her giggle. Just the sound of it was enough to warm me from the inside out. “Anyway, if you’re still in need of an assistant, I think I’ve found you the perfect one.”
Oh hell.
Before I could interject, she was off like a rocket. “She’s smart and efficient; I know this for fact because she’s working at the general store right now.”
My dad looked up, finally seeming to cotton onto the conversation taking place around him. “You talking about Luna?”
Mom nodded. “Sure am. She’s got a great head for organization, and she caught our books up in no time flat.”
There had to be a catch. There was always a catch. “If she’s so great, why would you risk losing her to me?”
“Oh, I’d be happy as a clam if she’d stay on with us forever, but a woman like that’s meant for bigger and better things. As much as I love the store, as proud of it as I am, and I am proud, don’t you get me wrong, a woman like Luna is meant for something more. And I’m telling you the God’s honest truth, you won’t find yourself a better assistant in all the world.”
“She’s not wrong about that,” Dad said in solemn agreement.
“It’s just icing on the cake the woman’s got the kind of looks that’ll knock a man flat on his rear end.”
Well shit, there was the catch.
“Not to mention, she’s smart, funny, and has a heart bigger than the whole state of Oregon.”
“Not wrong about that either,” Dad interjected again.
“Come on, guys. Don’t start.”
“What?” Mom gave me a look dripping with innocence that was as big a lie as my ex-wife’s blonde hair. “I’m not starting anything. I’m just telling you about your new assistant is all. What you choose to do with that information is strictly up to you. That said, any man who doesn’t fall over their tongue for Luna Copeland is either blind or just plain stupid.”
“For Christ’s sake,” I grunted, reaching up to pinch the bridge of my nose. “I’ll interview her for the job, but that’s it,” I added quickly and firmly when it looked like she was about to expire with joy. “Only the job, you understand?”
“Whatever you say,” she said with a grin, thinking she was sly.
“I’m serious, Mom. Dating is the furthest thing from my mind right now.” However, that didn’t mean I wasn’t fantasizing about a certain nameless redhead so often my dick and my palm had gotten extremely acquainted with each other over the past several weeks. But that wasn’t about a relationship. That had just been sex. Fucking incredible sex.
But until things with Evan were on more solid ground, splitting my attention between her and someone else wasn’t an option. When I’d filed for divorce two years ago, it hadn’t been with any sort of idea of remaining a bachelor for the long haul. That relationship might not have worked out, but that didn’t mean I wasn’t willing to try again, truth was, I didn’t mind the thought of another committed relationship. I’d even started thinking of putting myself back out there, maybe try my hand at a couple dating apps. But when things with Evan started rolling downhill at lightning speed, the thought of dating left my mind completely.
“Now that that’s settled, who feels like some dessert? We’ve got homemade apple cobbler and vanilla bean ice cream.”
“That sounds great. Evan loves apple pie, so that’s right up her alley.”