Page 47 of Hustle

And I’m right that they need to restore the mural he’d painted, too, so Evi has to close up shop.

Just for a week though, while they do the initial demolition of the exterior wall and then evaluate structural integrity.

Integrity is everything, after all.

She, and unfortunately Hank, are staying with me while this happens.

I park outside her loft, and before I can go upstairs to help carry her luggage, she’s already at the door with a giant roller bag, an overnight bag, and a carrier with a very petulant cat in it.

I’ve borrowed my brother Owen’s SUV for this trip, so if the cat pukes, it’s Owen’s problem and not mine. My sports car doesn’t have room for much luggage and Evi’s not a woman that travels light. For some reason, I like that and I grin as I pack her things into the back. She buckles Hank’s carrier into the back seat.

“Goodbye, shop,” Evi says with a sigh. “I’ll see you when you have one less wall up.”

I grin at her. “It’s going to look really amazing when it’s fully restored. You know the original painting looks a lot like you, only with much bigger, longer hair.”

She looks annoyed, but I like her hair much better, and tell her so. This appeases her, and we begin the short drive to my place.

“It was so satisfying seeing the look on the honorable mayor’s stupid face when we showed up with the historical society representative,” Evi says dreamily. “Not as satisfying as how good you fuck me, of course, but a close second.”

“Thanks, I guess?”

Her laugh is more of a giggle. Hank is beginning to wail sadly in the background like a sailor lost at sea.

“Poor Hank,” she says, turning to look back at him. “I hope he doesn’t destroy your apartment.”

“About that,” I say, clearing my throat. “I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind if Ronan watched him for a while?”

“Ronan? He likes cats?” Her head snaps back in my direction, her eyes on my face with the intensity of a crazy cat lady. “Besides, I’ll be watching him.”

“Ronan loves cats,” I say quickly. Hopefully not too quickly. “I was hoping you’d come on an adventure with me while the work was being done on your building.”

She lets out a whistle. “An adventure!” she says. “Seamus, you wild man. What about your clients?”

I’m quiet for a moment, and Evi knows why.

“What about your dad?”

“It’s only a week, and he wants me to lighten up. It’ll make him happy.”

“Seamus.”

Evi’s voice is more serious than I’ve heard it since before we’d saved her shop. She’d finally come around to the value of librarians, or at least, to Julia.

“You’re perfect the way you are. I tease you a lot, and I always will.” She reaches out a finger to trace my hair gently. “And yes, I want you to relax more, but the core of who you are? You’re incredible.”

We pull into my parking garage, and I throw the car into park. Her eyes are on my mouth, but slowly pull up to my eyes.

“I love you, Seamus. Who you are, and not who people think you should be.”

She looks almost shy as she says it. I understand what a gift this is, and kiss her deeply, slowly.

Hank’s angry meows break the moment, and Evi pulls away, her face lit up with a beautiful smile.

“Ronan is going to love Hank,” she says, reaching into the back seat to comfort the cat through the mesh of his carrier. “Where should we go?”

“Let’s just drive north until we can’t drive anymore,” I say, already feeling ten years younger at the thought of the open round. “We can go to Nova Scotia. It’s gorgeous up there.”

Hank growls.

---