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I like her enthusiasm. It’s refreshing.
“She can’t just pick up and leave,” Mother says, sending me a knowing look.
“Why not?” Evie asks, her tone innocent. Her question anything but.
“She has responsibilities, and a life here. To put it in
complete upheaval for a man she hardly knows is…ridiculous. Besides, California is so far,” Mother says. “And Susanna has never traveled alone before. She wouldn’t know what to do with herself.”
Ouch. Thanks for all your faith in me, Mother.
“Maybe I could go with her,” Evie suggests, making Mother laugh.
“I don’t think so,” Mother says with finality.
“Over my dead body,” George adds, his enraged tone startling everyone.
Especially Evie.
“Why do you care?” Her tone is snippy.
“You can’t travel all the way to California by yourself,” George says, all blustery and protective. “Something could happen to you.”
“But I’d be with Susanna,” Evie starts, but he shakes his head, cutting her off.
“The two of you traveling alone is dangerous. I forbid it,” George says.
He forbids it? Oh dear, Evie is going to lose it.
“Who do you think you are?” Evie grabs the cloth napkin from her lap and tosses it onto her still mostly full plate. She rises to her feet, glaring at my brother. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“Like hell I can’t.” George stands, the two of them having a furious faceoff across the table from each other.
My mouth hangs open as I watch the drama unfold. Father appears confused, as does poor, innocent Priscilla. Mother, though, she’s taking in this shit show before her with absolute disgust.
“What in the world are you two doing?” she asks, her voice calm, the look in her eyes anything but. “Sit down. Now.”
“No,” Evie and George say in unison.
“Evie,” I whisper, suddenly worried for the fate of my older brother and only heir to the Harwood estate. Mother looks ready to wrench his head from his neck. No one ever tells her no. Evie might be banned from any family function for life. “You should probably sit down. Or maybe even…leave the room until you can cool off?”
She doesn’t respond, doesn’t even look at me. She’s too busy glaring at my brother, and he’s glaring at her in return. They remain quiet for so long, everyone starts to squirm in their seat.
Well, I’m squirming in my seat, at least. I don’t know about everyone else.
Finally, finally George breaks the silence first.
“I don’t want to cool off,” he says, his tone firm, his eyes blazing as he stares at Evie.
Blazing with…passion?
Oh my.
Priscilla appears totally confused, and Evie keeps blinking, like she might be trying to stop herself from crying.
“I should go,” she finally says, her voice cracking.
But she doesn’t move.
