Page 101 of Stolen Fate

I adjusted myself a bit as I walked into the kitchen. Thankfully, Elliot didn’t seem to think anything was going on and we surrounded him where he sat on one corner of the kitchen island, mixing chocolate chip cookie dough with his hands.

“Daddy!” He raised his hands up, chucks of the batter clinging to his finger, and when he waved, some of it flew from his hands to my face. Evelyn let out a soft chuckle, and moved toward me, tea towel in hand.

“This is why we shouldn’t leave Elliot alone for so long. You know Ms. Bennett is a sucker when it comes to him. She would let him do anything his little heart desires.”

Just as she was about to step away from me, I wrapped my arms around her waist and held her close. She looked over her shoulder at Elliot, but he was no longer paying us any attention, he was focused on the chocolate chips Ms. Bennett was adding to the bowl.

“Totally worth it,” I said softly, and though the indecision still showed in her eyes, she relaxed against me, and I knew she was pleased when she gifted me with a shy smile.

At least one good thing came out of the whole shitstorm with Camila. Evelyn wasn’t fighting the idea of us as hard.

* * *

Evelyn was upstairs with Elliot,giving him a bath as I uselessly tried to help Ms. Bennett clean.

“You know, I think you are making an even bigger mess than you are helping,” she commented drily as I dropped the bowl into the water-filled sink a little harder than I intended. Water splashed everywhere, but luckily it was only me who got hit.

“Sorry,” I said with a wince.

“Why don’t you sit down? Dinner is almost done, and I’ll finish cleaning this in no time—without your help.”

I offered a small smile and did as she asked, watching her as she wiped down the counter from my spot on the chair near the dining table.

She moved to the fridge and grabbed me a beer, uncapping it with a spoon before handing it to me.

“Thank you,” I said, taking a much-needed sip.

“I don’t know why you suddenly feel the need to help me clean up. I have been looking after you since you were a hot-headed boy, barely out of college with zero life experience. You’ve never tried to help me before.”

“I guess I’m just trying to keep busy,” I said, playing with the label of my beer.

“Hmm,” was all she said. I knew the staff talked. News of Camila’s visit would have made it to her. Ms. Bennett never liked Camila. She didn’t like her when I first brought her home and she certainly didn’t like it when I announced our betrothal. Of course, it didn’t help that I got roaring drunk the night I proposed. I had loved Elijah since the moment I held him in my arms, but admittedly, I didn’t love him the months before he was born. It was the idea of my child under Camila’s care that prompted me to marry her. I needed legal custody of my son, and the only way to get that was to tie myself to her.

I spent Camila’s entire pregnancy resenting the fact that I was married to a woman I couldn’t even stand, and I was ashamed to say, I had resented Elijah’s existence then.

“Do you want to talk about it?” she asked suddenly.

I shook my head. Talking about it wasn’t what I did best. I didn’t see how talking about it would change anything. Camila had wreaked havoc on my family once again, and I hated that there was nothing I could do to get rid of her.

Nothing legal, at least.

“I’m good, thank you.”

“Well, then, can I just say, I like this one.”

I couldn’t pretend I didn’t know who she was talking about. “Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. Anyone with eyes can see how much she loves Elliot. You could do a lot worse than fall in love with a beautiful woman who loves your son with all of her heart.”

I startled a little, the beer in my hand forgotten.

I wasn’t in love with Evelyn, was I?

No, what I felt for her was beyond love—it was a fucking obsession so out of control that my entire focus had been blown to shit since the moment I laid eyes on her. But I didn’t love her.

“What is it, Mr. Reed? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” If I wasn’t so caught up in my head, I would have addressed the hint of amusement I caught in her voice.

I shook my head and looked away from her, staring out at the small window just above the sink. It was almost dusk outside.

---