Page 18

“I saw you signed up to help with meals.”

“Yeah,” I said, blowing out a breath at the subject change. “I had a good time. Everyone was really nice.”

“I’m glad. It’s actually my turn to cook this week. You might have to rescue me.”

I smiled. “Really?”

“I’m hopeless.”

“I don’t know, you seem like the kind of guy who knows his way around a kitchen.”

He chuckled. “I can feed myself, but it won’t be fine dining.”

“Simplicity is good. Underrated, in most cases.”

“That bodes well for me,” he said. “It means I might be able to impress you with my mediocre cooking skills.”

“I’ll keep an open mind.”

I’d rolled on my side to face him, and he’d done the same, like a mirror. We were so close now that we could touch if we wanted. Lucas could lean closer and kiss me without a second thought.

The world spun, and there was suddenly no air. Close. Too close. Why had I let him get this close? “I think I’m tired enough to sleep now. Thank you.”

I sprang to my feet so quickly that I stumbled and nearly fell again. Lucas reached out to catch me, but I stopped him. “I’m fine. I’m fine, I promise.”

“Evelyn—”

“Thank you for showing me this,” I said. “It was lovely.”

He stared at me in that way that made me want to sprint toward the mountains and not come back. The way that told me that he saw too much and I couldn’t hide anything from him.

Finally, “Goodnight, Evelyn.”

I kept my steps slow until I reached the stairs and gave into my instinct to sprint. I’d let him get so close, and I hadn’t noticed. My guard was slipping. I couldn’t afford to let that happen. Not with what was at stake.

The fact that I wasn’t afraid of Lucas was what made me afraid. I couldn’t remember a time when I hadn’t been afraid of a man or of coworkers I knew were safe. There was always an undercurrent of worry.

Not with Lucas. He made me feel... better. Like I could breathe and everything was easy.

But just because I wasn’t afraid of him didn’t mean that he could be trusted. I was the last person who should be called on as a judge of character. In spite of all that, as I hurried back to my house and crawled into my bed, regret clung to my skin like mist. It wouldn’t leave.

I shoved it down with the rest of everything that was buried. Regrets were something I could survive. And that was all that mattered.

Chapter 8

Evelyn

The crystal chime rang above the door, and I looked up as Grace entered the store. She was smiling, and her whole demeanor was lighter than the last time I’d seen her.

“Hey,” I called.

“Hi.” Her eyes flicked to Lena coming out of the back. “See? You didn’t have to come out to the ranch to drag me into civilization.”

Lena laughed. “I’m so proud.”

“What will you have?” I asked.

“Coffee, and one of the chocolate chip cookies if there are any.”