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I could be the bigger person when I wanted to be. “Fine. One minute.”
“Actually, I wanted to use that one minute to invite you to my home. I felt terrible about what happened at the church, and I’d like to make it right. I really do want the input of people who live in Saint View and know the area the way you do. I’d like to talk to you about it, and how we can work better together.”
I raised an eyebrow in surprise. That was a turnaround. And well overdue, but not an opportunity I was going to refuse. If I could just get in his ear, maybe I could convince him that his plans for the strip were misguided. There were so many other bigger, more pressing problems in Saint View that needed his attention. “Fine. When? Where?”
“Are you free now? Have you eaten? Come to my place for a late dinner, and we’ll talk.”
My stomach rumbled at the thought of food I didn’t have to prepare and cook first. I’d bet William had people who did that for him. “Fine, text me your address and I’ll be there in twenty.”
“Great. Thank you, Eve. See you when you get here.”
I tossed my phone onto my couch, marveling at the strange turn of events. “Didn’t see that one coming,” I mumbled to my empty house. Then sighed. It was so quiet here sometimes. It was why I spent so much time at the club. Maybe I should consider getting a dog. At least then I wouldn’t be talking to myself. I did have a cat, but the animal barely tolerated me and had probably retreated to her favorite spot beneath the spare bed, where she didn’t have to deal with me. Could hardly blame her.
A moment later my phone binged with an incoming message, and I grabbed my bag and keys from the hook by the door. I checked the message as I walked outside and got into my car. Of course, he lived on one of the fanciest streets in Providence. It was just around the corner from the church.
Without bothering to search it up on the map, I took the familiar back streets through Saint View and then crossed into Providence where the houses grew bigger and more lavish with every passing mile. I drove into William’s driveway a few moments later, parking behind a Porsche, and stared up at his big house.
His big, completely dark house. “Geez. Thanks for the warm welcome. Could have left the front light on for me.”
I got out, closing the door behind me, and fumbled through my purse for my phone. It was near pitch-black with only the stars and moon for light, and I was wearing heels. I wasn’t interested in twisting an ankle. A busted-up leg would have me off the pole for weeks. I didn’t need that. I switched on the flashlight function on my phone, and at least that gave me enough light to make sure I wasn’t going to step in a hole and break my neck.
I passed a small, neat garden of roses and tried not to jump as my flashlight beam bounced over a creepy garden gnome. I shuddered. “Ugly little critter, aren’t you?”
The gnome didn’t reply.
“Rude bastard, just like your owners, huh?” Jesus. I was losing it. Was I seriously talking to a garden gnome?
I shone my light around the doorframe, searching for the bell, and put a finger to it.
Nothing happened. I didn’t hear a ring, but perhaps this house was so big that the internal speaker was far away from the door. There were no footsteps, and no lights coming on. I pushed the button again and then shined my phone’s light through the window. A beautiful sitting area, with couches, and an armchair atop a plush rug sat beyond the glass. But no owners in sight.
There was obviously no one home.
“Well, that’s fucking great, isn’t it? Invite me over, then don’t show.” I stuck my middle finger up at the door and swiveled on my heel, ready to march back down to my car and leave a nice black tire mark down the center of William’s driveway as a parting present. “Prick.”
I paused as headlights blinded me, another car pulling into the driveway behind mine. I put one arm up to cover my eyes, muttering, “Better late than never, I guess. Still fucking rude.”
The lights turned off, bright splotches floating in front of my eyes while I blinked rapidly, trying to adjust to the darkness once more.
“Eve?”
I squinted. The deeper rumbling roll of his voice was one I’d been dreaming about for weeks now. “Boston? What are you doing here?”
He stopped a few feet away from me, flashlight of his own in hand but pointed at the ground. His was brighter than the one on my phone, so I tucked mine away and left the two of us standing in the dim glow with just enough light to make out his expression.
He wasn’t happy.
Oh well. What else was new? Immediately defensive at his scowl, I crossed my arms beneath my breasts, squashing the strap of my bag slung across my chest.
He tapped the flashlight against his leg impatiently. “I think that’s supposed to be my question. I had a report of a suspected break-in at this address.”
My mouth dropped open. “A break-in? What? No, William called me. He asked me to come over here.”
A muscle ticked in Boston’s jaw. “The call said he’d had an argument with a woman earlier in the evening and she’d threatened physical violence. He moved his family out of the house and then asked for the police intervention.”
I couldn’t have been more stunned if he’d punched me in the gut. “That isn’t true! He called and asked me to come over here. He said he wanted me to be the voice of Saint View. He said we would try to work things through and work more harmoniously.”
Boston sighed heavily.
