Page 131 of Fall Into Temptation
Donovan tilted her chin up. “Are you okay? Where did you hit your head?”
Eva laughed nervously. “I didn’t hit it that hard. So, what do you think of the place?” she asked, sweeping her arm out. She smacked an empty Bloody Mary cup and sent it to the floor.
“Are you sure you’re all right? You’re clumsier when you’re nervous,” he asked, picking up the cup.
“What are you nervous about?” Joey asked, with her mouthful of pizza. “We already went through your nightstand drawers.”
Eva’s ears turned pink.
“On that note,” Donovan said, taking Eva’s hand and towing her toward him. “I’d better get out of here so you can discuss my sexual prowess.”
To the cat calls of her friends and sisters, Donovan bent Eva over backwards and kissed her until she couldn’t breathe. “I’ll pick you up tonight.”
“Tonight?” she echoed.
“Ellery’s wedding? The Halloween Carnival?”
The idea of a Baby Cardona had blanked her memory. “Right. I knew that,” she nodded.
He kissed her again and headed toward the door.
“Wedding starts at six. Can one of you remind Eva, please?”
An affirmative chorus rose up from the pizza-eaters.
Six. She could sneak out, drive to Cleary, pee on a stick, and be back in time for the festivities with the peace of mind of not being pregnant.
Easy peasy.
Emma shoved a piece of pizza in her direction. “Here. Eat. You look a little pale. You want some wine or something?”
“No! I mean. No thanks.”
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR
Ellery’s house was a study in the spooktacular. Newcomers might think that the decorative gargoyles and cauldron planters overflowing with orange mums were Halloween decorations. They would be wrong. Ellery’s house looked like an homage to Halloween all year-long.
The front yard was filled with black folding chairs all facing the front stoop which was now under the cover of a black and silver tulle arch. Jack-o-lanterns with flickering candles lined the aisle and orange string lights wrapped around tree trunks. Elevated pine coffins were scattered near the sidewalk for the cocktail reception that was to follow, giving the guests the perfect front row seat to the evening’s Halloween parade.
Guests, nearly all familiar faces including the entire Pierce family, milled about the yard enjoying the complimentary gin and tonics and corpse revivers from the bar. Everyone was in costume. With the exception of Donovan who donned a Lone Ranger mask with his uniform. It was as in the spirit as he was going to get this year.
The best part? There were no protestors.
Today’s therapy session had taken up Eva’s entire afternoon, successfully blocking her from driving out of town to procure a certain test to determine her entire future. The therapy session had consisted of a private showing for one of a PowerPoint called “Moms Worse Than Yours” at the movie theater between actual show times.
Mama Fratelli fromThe Goonieswas particularly disturbing. However, the only thing Eva could think about during the entire presentation was what kind of mother she might be. It was a waste of time and energy to worry about an unknown—okay, a huge unknown—until it was known.
“You okay?” Donovan asked, nudging her chin up to look at him.
“Me? Sure. Everything is great.”
“You’ve been staring at that gargoyle for a full minute.”
Eva blinked. She needed to tuck this worry away. Compartmentalize. Detach. Ellery was getting married. Emma was surprising Niko tonight with their baby news. Donovan was facing a long night managing mischief. The last thing anyone needed was unplanned pregnancy drama.
“I’m just nervous about my costume. I hope it’s, uh, Halloween-y enough.”
Donovan gave her a long, hard look. “You’re dressed like Little Red Riding Hood,” he reminded her. “I may not be dressed as the Big, Bad Wolf, but I wouldn’t mind eating you.”
