Page 82 of Sugar Coated Lies
That woman isn’t making it easy for him, which delights me to no end.
“No,” Everleigh says. “It counts as reheating only.” She hands me the pot, and I dry it with the dish towel before hanging it back on the massive pot rack above the island.
Everleigh dries her hands on the towel at the sink. “Can you get the pie out of the fridge?”
“Sure.”
Being here in this kitchen gives me images of our future and how it’d be if we were a married couple. I can see it as clear as day. Problem is, I don’t know if she can. She loves me. I can tell in the way she looks at me and in the way she loves me in the bedroom. The woman is a well of passion and compassion. But she’s skittish. She fears being loved, even more after her grandfather died.
I need to be careful with my approach, let her know we can have an extended engagement if she wants, even though I’d prefer to race down the aisle. When you know, you know. That saying never made sense to me before. I knew I was good at life: education, sports, people, business. I didn’t know what Iwantedout of life, though. Now, I do. I want Everleigh, and I want the farm for us, and the family I hope to have with her.
I set the pie on the tray Everleigh has on the counter. She adds cloth napkins, silverware, and plates. I grip the handles, about to follow her into the dining room, when she touches my arm, stopping me.
“They’re quiet,” she murmurs on her way to the butler’s pantry that leads to the dining room.
“Maybe they left.”
“Maybe they’re making out.” Her wide eyes connect with mine.
“I didn’t get the impression that Sadie was that easy.” I lift the tray, curious to get back in there. “Let’s go see.”
Everleigh grabs my arm again. “Wait,” she whispers. “Maybe we should leave them be.”
“Do you really think they’re making out?”
“Maybe. Sadie wants a man identical to you. Easton is as close as that gets. And for all Sadie’s bark, she’s more protective of her friends than she is of herself and caves easily.”
“Hmm?” I lower the tray to the counter. “What do you want to do?”
She stares at the doorway, her blue eyes a striking match to her sundress under the bright lights of the kitchen. “I’m going to spy. Stay here.” She touches my arm, then tiptoes to the butler’s pantry.
Do I want to see Easton making out with anyone? No. But I don’t want to be left out either. I chase after Everleigh and find her discreetly peering around the corner into the dining room.
She lurches back and almost smacks into my chest. I catch her arms. She slaps a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. I drag her back into the kitchen, dying to know what she saw.
She lowers her hand and lets her laughter flow once we’re in the kitchen.
“What?” I ask.
“He was showing her his abs,” she says between giggles.
“Why?” I scrunch my nose. Have I taught my brother nothing about being smooth when hitting on a girl?
“Sadie was petting them.” She laughs harder and glances in the direction of the dining room. “I think we should skip dessert. I think they’re making their own.”
“Text her,” I say.
“Why?”
“Just make sure she wants to be alone with Easton.”
“I’m pretty sure she does. Sadie isn’t the kind of girl to do something she doesn’t want to, but I’ll text her if it’ll make you feel better.” She gives me an amused yet appreciative grin before taking her phone from her pocket.
The device is small and old with a cracked screen. It’s something I plan to upgrade when she agrees to marry me. I’m going to give her a million gifts. She can’t refuse gifts. Asking is the wrong approach with Everleigh. She’ll either say she’s fine and doesn’t need it or find a way to buy it herself. If I shower her with gifts, she won’t have the heart to reject me. Problem solved.
She sends the text, and we wait. Several minutes pass. We put the pie back in the fridge.
Finally, her phone dings with a reply.
