Page 49 of The Overtime Persuasive

A hand pops to her hip as she spins to face me. “Am I wrong?”

I look over at her. “No.”

I say it softer than I expect, and Eva doesn’t make a big deal of it. She simply nods and keeps walking beside me, her shoulder close enough to brush mine every few steps.

“For what it’s worth,” she says after a moment, “I think you’d be good at it.”

“You’ve never once seen me play. How do you know how I am with a hockey team?”

“Huh.” She looks up at me, shock registering as she thinks about what I said. “You’re right. I’ve never seen you play, but I have seen Lucy play. And I have seen you talk to your sister and motivate her when she’s been at those games and having a hard time. You’re the one she always goes to whenever she, or someone she knows, has a problem. Heck, she practically dragged me to see you when I got that fine. I think you need to give yourself some grace, Liam. You already are the guy people come to.”

Something in my chest moves, shifting like tectonic plates prepping for a big quake. Before I can decide what to do with that, she looks toward the next decorated house and points.

“Now that is just so over the top.” Pale ghosts glide across the brick façade, disappearing through the upstairs windows only to reappear along the roofline. Eva squints at the yard. “They have to be using a projector, but where did they hide it?”

I don’t look at the house. “Eva.”

She takes another step before realizing I’ve stopped. When she turns, the smile on her face is a little too bright.

“What?”

“How do you do that?”

“Admire seasonal decorations?”

“Simultanouesly see right into the heart of me, like no one ever has, but then deflect and move on like nothing happened?”

Her eyebrows lift. “Excuse me?”

“Just now. You say something real, then point at the nearest distraction before anyone can answer.”

“It’s a twelve-foot skeleton climbing a balcony, Liam. I would hardly call that a distraction.” She looks back at the house. “I seriously have no idea how I would get that thing on my building.”

I cock my head to one side. “You’re doing it again.”

She opens her mouth, but nothing comes out.

I move closer, stopping in front of her. “I’ve never told anyone what I just told you.”

“What?” The brightness in her expression fades. “You haven’t told anyone, not even Lucy?”

“No.”

“Your dad? Or your brother?”

“Definitely not.”

“Okay, then.” She glances back at the skeleton, but this time she doesn’t point. “Well, while I appreciate you’ve chosen me to confide in, I’m not sure if I’m the poster child for ‘success in challenging times.’”

“E-va.” I drag her name out, lengthening both syllables. “You make yourself the joke whenever something matters.”

The words come out gently. I’m not trying to corner her. I’m not even sure I should be saying any of this. But I’ve watched her do it with Lucy, with the store, and every time the conversation between us gets within touching distance of something honest.

“That’s not what it is.” Her arms fold across her chest. “Maybe I’m funny.”

“Cannot argue with that, but you’re not only funny.” I decide to risk a little more. When her arms loosen, I reach for her hand and thread my fingers through hers.

She falters for half a step. Her gaze drops to our joined hands before lifting to mine, and the soft catch of her breath sends my pulse skidding.