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Evangeline clutches the door handle, but she’s got a big grin on her face so I push it a little harder. “Feel how smooth that ride is?” I ask. “It’s got a V6 engine.”
She nods. “I don’t know much about cars, so that sounds fancy to me,” she admits. I chuckle, enjoying how innocent she is to the world.
Once we get into town, I pull up in front of one of my favorite local bookstores, The Book Emporium. It’s crammed and cozy in the best way, a treasure trove in a town of commercial chains.
We park in front of the shop and I get out, opening the door for Evangeline. She gives me a smile that sends a flutter to my heart and takes my offered hand as I guide her inside.
She’s grown bigger in the short time since I left. I can see the subtle beginnings of a baby bump now, especially when she rubs an unconscious hand over it. Protective instincts surge forward inside me, and I swallow them down. Whatever is going on with her is none of my business.
Her eyes are wide and sparkling as she takes in the sight of the shop, wandering up and down the narrow rows of shelving looking at each area in turn.
“Take your time,” I tell her, settling onto a squashy armchair and picking up a coffee table book on the history of cats.
I pretend to read while keeping an eye on her, trying to stifle the instinct to lurk around and scare away strangers. I don’t know why I’m feeling so anxious or protective. I have no claim on this woman, no right to act like she owes me any part of her.
When she’s done, she comes back over to me with a stack of books that seems to be nearly half her height, a worried look on her face.
“Is this okay?” she asks, trying to keep the stack from toppling. I grab them from her hands easily and carry them over to the register.
“It’s completely fine,” I say, refusing to let her pay a cent for them. She beams as we exit the bookstore, all but skipping over to the car. I hold the door open for her, and she climbs in, already rifling through her purchases as we head back to the manor.
On the way, an idea rears its head and I decide to show her the library. It was partially destroyed in the attack, so we haven’t been in there in ages, but I figure if anyone could appreciate it, she would.
“Come with me,” I say, ushering her along to the closed-off section of the house. She follows, a curious look on her face as we pass some broken windows and singed paneling.
Her brows furrow as I push open the library doors, the rusty metal hinges groaning under the force. The double doors fall open, and Eva gasps at the sight.
Half of the library is completely wrecked, with plaster and paneling debris covering the large, ornate bookcases. The books themselves are burned beyond repair, countless expensive tomes lost forever to the raging inferno that took our father’s life. Water damage is streaked across the walls on that side from when the firemen put out the fires.
The other half is dusty but still fine, the fire having been put out before it could consume the entire room. It’s still just as grandiose as it was before, with bright, pastel walls and gilded paneling standing proud behind tall, deep bookcases that are lined floor to ceiling with an innumerable quantity of books.
As Evangeline takes it all in, she looks back at me with a sad smile. “I didn’t realize how much the fire messed everything up for you guys,” she says softly. “It destroyed so much, didn’t it?”
“It took a lot away from us,” I agree, thinking about my father. “We haven’t really come in here because… well, it’s hard to see the lingering effects of the fire. Theo wouldn’t let Fitz touch this room, or any of the burned sections. It was too hard.”
“Did anyone else die?” she asks, lingering on a painting of our father, covered in grimy dust.
I give her a tight-lipped smile. “He was the only casualty,” I tell her. “But a lot of the staff were too scared to come back to work in case the DeLucci Family tried to finish what they started. They all quit. Only Fitz stayed loyal and continued on. Theo didn’t want anyone hired back, but I think Fitz is tired of letting this place fall further and further into disrepair.”
Evangeline lets out a slow breath, walking around to look at the books that were unaffected by the fire.
I step back, giving her space, and pull out my phone to send off an email. As she walks the room, she gives little exclamations over books that she finds or gives little sad sighs when she sees more of the ruined stuff.
There’s something about her that is so addicting, so appealing. She’s like a breath of fresh air in this stuffy place. I wonder if I hadn’t been taught by my father to despise those on a different level than myself, I could have become friends with Evangeline sooner.
We messed up, badly. Instead of learning about her, we wanted to force her to become the image we had of her in our minds.
Perhaps this is an opportunity here, a chance for a fresh start. I can get to know Evangeline without prejudices clouding my judgment.
Who knows what the future will hold, but I’m hoping that we can turn things around at this point. As long as it’s not too late.
15
THEO
As I prepare to leave for my meeting with Declan, my mind abuzz with the weight of our impending discussion, a sight catches me off guard.
Glancing out the window of the front doors, I spot Oliver guiding Evangeline toward his car. An unexpected pang of jealousy stirs within me, my curiosity piqued.
