Page 25 of Known By You
I hadn’t worked with him directly like others had, but every interaction I’d had with him had made me like him more. Now, being reassured he wasn’t the source of Evie’s injuries, I was finding myself compelled to like him even more.
They didn’t seem to be related, or he likely would’ve said as much. They were also sleeping in different rooms, which could mean they were together romantically and taking things slow, but their interaction didn’t feel romantic in any way. There was no tension between them when they got close, no heated glances… nothing. As a lover of love and observer of my fellow man, I dared say I’d notice.
“Please don’t.”
Evie’s words were so quiet I hardly heard them. When I looked up to see her eyes imploring Jack and Jack almost scowling at her before he nodded, my instincts kicked in.
“Did you guys know I grew up not far from here?”
I said it like it was the most interesting fact in the world. It was not. But I needed something to change the subject because the heaviness between Evie and Jack had felt like a black hole and I didn’t want them to retreat to their rooms just yet.
“In Vegas?” Jack asked.
“No, a town a few hours from here. I’m a desert child.” I dramatically tucked a non-existent lock of hair behind my ear.
Evie chuckled, Jack cracked a smile, and Liz coughed into a napkin as though she’d choked.
“Interesting. I’m from New Hampshire, but I’ve lived inLA for the last twenty years.” His vision seemed to tunnel as he stared down at his food. “I think I’m finally ready for a change.”
“Really? Going to take your place in The Ridge?” The ritzy neighborhood in Silverton was home—or second home—to the likes of billionaire Julian Grenier, famous rock star Jamie Morris, renowned former tech CEO Madeline Reynolds, multiple other A-list celebrities and musicians, and more.
Jack wiped his fingers on a napkin. “I’ve done some longer visits for the film fests, but much to Julian’s dismay, I hadn’t bought a place until recently.”
My brows perked up. “You’ve been visiting a lot, so I hadn’t realized you didn’t own a place there yet.”
He shrugged. “It was time.”
Though he appeared to be low key, I’d never gotten the sense Jack was quite that laid back. He seemed strategic with which movies he did and which events he attended. Maybe I had him all wrong, but something told me he had a reason for moving to Silvertonnowand it wasn’t simply because the time had come.
“I’m from California. I can’t imagine living anywhere else…” Evie’s words had started out plucky, almost, but faded a bit as though she’d just realized she’d be moving.
My heart sank for her. I didn’t know how long she planned to be gone from her home state, but I wondered if maybe the idea was for this move to be permanent. The need to reassure her—to do anything that might make her burden lighter—surged up in me.
“I’ve lived a few places, but I can easily say Silverton is my favorite. It’s given me a sense of home and community I honestly never dreamed I’d love so much. I don’t know if that’s how it’ll feel for you—probably not at first—but I can tell you there are good people in that town, and I know you’ll be welcomed with open arms.”
Her eyes shot to me, and she blinked away a few tears. “Thanks,” she said, voice watery. “What about you, Elizabeth? Where are you from?”
Liz had been quiet, but she spoke up immediately. “Born and raised in the Seattle area, then moved away for college and have only been back to visit once or twice.”
She didn’t mention how she’d lived in Europe for the last decade, maybe more, or that she was only with Saint temporarily. No need to tell people she didn’t know all those details, but it seemed significant now that I thought about it.
Did she miss Europe? Or had she missed the US while living there? She’d missed guacamole, she’d said so. Was she so far down the expatriate trail she’d never want to live in the States permanently again? Could she even choose that, or did the agency dictate such things? Why this made my chest pinch, I couldn’t have said.
“Do you like Silverton?” Evie asked.
There was a pause before Liz said, “I do. It’s a unique place and…”
Her pause made me look at her just in time to see her say, “It feels more like home after just a few days than any place I’ve ever been.”
The small victory those words brought perplexed me because why did I care how she felt about Silverton?
Oh, fine. Of course I cared. I liked her. I was struggling to keep thatlikeunder wraps.Of courseI liked that this incredibly talented, extremely intelligent, ridiculously beautiful woman liked the little town I’d chosen as my home. The fact that she was saying she liked Silverton was, I hoped, true, but she’d been so gentle and thoughtful withEvie, maybe it was for the woman’s sake. It was just one more thing in thepro Elizabethcolumn in my head—she was tough and self-directed and a bit intimidating, but she was a helper. In her gut, at her heart, she was, and I… man, I liked that.
Evie excused herself so she could get ready for bed and Jack followed suit, thanking us both before he shut his door.
“You sure you want to take first shift?” I’d suggested I take the first shift since she was still adjusting to the time change, but she’d assured me she’d had too much caffeine late in the day to sleep.
“All good. Enjoy your rest.”
