Low’s sharp intake of breath was followed by an, “Ohmygod.”
“The guy I thought she was engaged to turned out to be her fiancé’s twin. They’re just good friends.”
“But she still wears the ring,” Low whispered. “How incredibly sad. When did she tell you this?”
I wondered if she ever would tell me this. Last night, even though it had sent her running, that had been one helluva kiss. Even before the kiss we’d talked and she’d laughed. Not just smiled but she’d laughed.
“She didn’t. Jeremy did.”
“Jeremy? He’s her fiancé’s twin?”
“Yeah.”
“That just breaks my heart, Cage.”
The ache that throbbed in my chest when I let myself think about Eva’s pain returned. “She isn’t the bitch she appears to be. She’s really a lot of fun if you can get past her walls of steel.”
Low cleared her throat and shifted in her seat. “Do I take it this means you got past those steel walls?”
“A little. I made her smile and laugh. Jeremy said she hadn’t smiled since the day before Josh’s death.”
Low reached over and patted my knee. “If she’s smart enough to let you in, the real you, not the one you share with the females whose panties you just want to get in, then she’s a smart woman.”
“It ain’t about her panties.” I replied, reaching down to squeeze her hand.
“No, Cage with you, it is about her panties at least a little bit. But I think that maybe this time you want more.”
Did I want more? Was it just because she was so damn hard to get? Or did I really want more?
“Yeah, you’re right. The panties are always on my priority list.”
Low shook her head and laughed. “I’ve missed you this week. Live Bay isn’t the same without you there with us. I even think Preston may have shed a tear when you weren’t there to sing Kid Rock’s part of Picture when they played it over the speakers while the band was on break.”
“Did he sing Sheryl Crow and Kid’s parts all by himself?” I asked.
“Yes, unfortunately he did. Standing on the table with some random stranger’s brush in his hands as his microphone.”
“Bet that was funny as shit,” I replied.
“Or nightmare-worthy. Depends on how you look at it.”
~*~
The one-hour trip with Marcus was easier this time. He wasn’t pissed off the entire trip. Probably because Low was so damn happy I hadn’t been fired yet. After he dropped me off, I thought of stopping by the house and talking to Eva. Her dad’s truck was still gone. She probably wouldn’t be real thrilled about me showing up at her door at nine o’clock at night. Might just need to wait until she came to me.
Before I could get to the far end of the house, I heard the gravel crunch in the driveway as a car pulled in. Turning around, I checked to make sure it was Wilson. I didn’t want just anyone showing up with Eva alone in the house.
The passenger side to Jeremy’s truck swung open and Eva jumped out.
“Cageisback!” she slurred happily. Her hand was gripping the side of the door to steady herself.
“Eva! Dammit, I told you to wait on me. You’re gonna fall down on the gravel and get hurt.” Jeremy ran around the front of the truck and quickly wrapped his arm around Eva’s waist.
“She’s drunk?” I asked in amazement as I walked back toward the driveway still not sure I was seeing what it looked like.
“Hammered is more like it. She went out to the damn honky-tonk with Becca Lynn. I got a call from Nelly, the owner, about an hour ago. She said I needed to come get Eva. Becca Lynn was passed out on the top of the bar. She’d already called Becca’s daddy.”
“Itwasfun,” Eva said with a sloppy grin and stepped out of Jeremy’s arms and into my chest. I wrapped my arms around her quickly to keep her from face-planting on the gravel.