Page 15 of Waiting for You (Balsam Cliffs #3)

“Seriously? You bet against your own brother-in-law?” I throw my hands in the air feigning anger with her.

“Sure did. Have you met her? I will always take the bet that she wins.”

“Thanks, Vi. I appreciate the confidence. I haven’t chosen violence though, yet.” Eve looks over to me on that last word.

“Whatever. Did you find our pumpkins yet?” I ask, already knowing where they are, but wanting to surprise Eve.

“Oh, yeah! They’re right up there, two racks over and shelves three and four!”

“Thanks Vi. See you soon?” Evelyn asks.

“Yup! Gran is on her way.”

I guide Evelyn to the racks, my hand on the small of her back and I count it as a win when she doesn’t push me away. Small victories, keep going.

“Oh I see mine!” She runs right over to hers.

The moment she sees the pumpkin next to it though, she does a double take. “Is this one yours?”

I nod. The perfectly carved Princess Peach with a heart and the initials HK and ET in the middle. I’d never been so thankful about Granddad’s lessons in woodworking. None of us took to it like Liam did but the skill still came in handy today.

“It’s… You made this for me?”

“You’re the only ET I know and love.” Our eyes lock and she steps toward me.

“What are we staring at?” Wyatt slaps my shoulder, ruining whatever was about to happen.

Is it a worse felony if I kill him because he’s in uniform? The better question, is it worth it?

The answer to both is yes .

Shaking her head, Eve finally answers. “Just looking at all our pumpkins.”

“I can’t believe Cooper submitted his. Asshole.”

“Aww, are you still butthurt that he made fun of your dick size?” I rib him.

A familiar busty blonde swings around Wyatt and I. “Trust me, no one should be giving him shit for his dick size.” Tiff winks as she continues walking, but keeping her eyes trained on Wyatt. “That uniform really does it for me, Wy. Are you going to call me tonight?”

“No. Absolutely not. Find a tourist, Tiff,” he yells back.

“You’re no fun, Wy baby.” She pouts but doesn’t stop to aggravate us any more.

“Well. That was fun.” Evelyn eyes him suspiciously.

“No, that was the biggest mistake of my life.” Wyatt shakes his head going back out on patrol.

Walking up next to Evelyn, I chuckle again at Cooper’s carving. If you can even call it that. I notice some writing on it when I get closer, For Officer Keaton.

Shit. Wy is going to be so pissed at him later. Coop better watch his back because the payback on this one is going to be good.

“Thank you.”

“For what?” I ask surprised.

“Carving that for me. Making it known you’re actually thinking about me.” She bumps me with her shoulder. Something she does when she doesn’t actually want to get vulnerable with you.

“Did Neil not think about you?”

“Still not going there!” She spins around, ready to move on to the next thing. “Come on. I want a cider from my brother.”

I follow behind her like the lost puppy dog that I am.

Not wanting to push my luck after my win at the pumpkins, I hold back, searching out my sister instead of following her to the bar.

“Merry Christmas to me.” I whisper leaning on the table next to Emma.

“I told you. And you tried to argue with me. Did it work?”

“Among other things that I had already planned.” I sit with Emma.

Evelyn interacts easily with her brother.

Despite their parents constantly trying to pit them against each other whether it be about their grades, or the fact that Rome left the family business to open his brewery, they became close.

She really started coming back around Balsam Cliffs when Roman found out he had a baby.

I wouldn’t be surprised if Olivia was a big reason behind her moving back.

The rest of the crew joins us for Willow and Gunnar’s set and as everyone takes a seat, I notice Evelyn has willingly chosen the seat next to me. A smile tips up at the corner of my mouth.

Willow comes out on the small stage welcoming everyone and thanking them for being here. Gunnar comes out to make some terrible fucking Dad joke where people laugh, spurring him on.

Leaning down to Eve’s ear, “Do you need another?”

“Are you asking to buy me a drink?”

“Sure am, Peach.”

“Are you expecting to get lucky tonight?” She raises a brow.

“Nope. Just want to buy a pretty lady a drink.” I smirk.

“Hmm. That’s disappointing.” Her eyes rake up my body once again. “But I’ll still take a drink.”

Ah, shit. She’s feeling spicy already after just one drink. She’s always been a lightweight.

I add a little swagger to my walk knowing that her eyes are glued to my ass right now.

“I see my sister is thawing out toward you. What did you do?” Rome asks while filling beers.

“Your wife actually told me Eve needed a ride.” He hands me two drinks, a cider for Eve with a shot of whipped cream vodka and his new pale ale for me with an orange finish and a hint of cranberry.

“Of course she did.” He grabs two new cups for the people behind me.

“The mobile bar came out great. I bet people are loving the tap beer.” Before I knew about Emma he had asked me to build him a mobile bar that could accommodate a few kegs and taps.

“Yeah, it’s been a real hit tonight. I think I need an addition though for some small chillers instead of using these old coolers all the time.”

“Actually it’d be easy to build an addition that could fold in, we could have spaces for the chillers underneath and a big tub to keep ice and a few cold ones on top as easy access.

” I pull out my phone to tap in some ideas.

But when I do I have a text from a number that hasn’t graced my phone in a long fucking time.

Peach: I really hope this is still your number. Your ass looks phenomenal.

“How many of these did Eve have up here earlier?”

“Why? What happened?” Rome’s eyes narrow at me.

“She just sent me a text is all. Being nice.”

He lets out a deep belly laugh. “Two actually. She downed one and sipped one while talking to Em.”

I groan. I’m going to have to cut her off after this one. And find her food. Three ciders and three shots of vodka? I grimace and Roman picks up on it.

“I’m going to tell Ems to run over to the burger truck.”

“I’ll go. You guys need anything?”

“Nah. I ate before I came over here.” He winks at me and I get the innuendo.

“You know she’s my sister, right?”

“You know those letters you wrote my sister are still burned into my memory?”

“Fair point.” I tap the bar and head over to Eve with our drinks to get her order. Even though I’m pretty sure I already know it.

When I get back with food the beer garden is packed with people dancing to Willow and Gunnar.

Dropping our food on the table, I text Gunnar.

Me: When Eve is done eating, play Ends of the Earth by Ty Myers.

I watch as G reads the message and gives me a thumbs up and a smirk through the crowd.

The opening chords start to play about fifteen minutes later. I down my beer and stand, extending my hand out to Eve.

“Can I have the honor?”

She smiles big before jumping out of her seat and taking my hand. I pull her in close, flush against me, and swing her to the edge of the grass dance floor.

Swaying with her in my arms is something I never thought I’d have again. And her smiling while doing it is the absolute last thing I’d expect from tonight.

“Truth or Dare?” I ask her. A game we used to play on the phone late at night in the barracks.

“Truth.” I’m rewarded with a grin.

“Are you actually having fun with me tonight, Peach?”

A major eye roll is rewarded to me before she answers. “I am actually having fun. And I didn’t expect to. Truth or Dare?”

“Truth.” I’m not ready for an Evelyn Thomas dare.

“Why are you being so nice to me today?” A sadness passes over her features, making me feel like shit.

“I told you. I’m tired of pretending to hate you. It’s exhausting. I just want to love you out loud for the rest of my days.” I kiss her forehead. I need to touch her, need a moment of peace with her. “Truth or Dare?”

“Truth.”

“I’m probably going to regret this, but, what happened with Neil?” I ready myself for her to fight back.

Stiffening in my arms, I lose faith that she’s going to answer me.

“You were right. He’s not right for me. It just pissed me off that you had to point it out.

Like, how do you have that right? Ya know?

” I nod. “Anyways, he couldn’t get off his phone long enough to have a conversation with me.

And now he thinks I’m just doing this to get you out of my system. ” She laughs half-heartedly.

I freeze. “Me? He thinks you just need to get me out of your system.”

Her eyes widen, as if she’s suddenly realizing what she just let slip. “Yeah. He knows how I feel about you, Hunt. He found the box I had saved with all of our letters. So he thinks you’re something I just need to work out of my system. And even though I fucking hate it, it’ll never happen.”

Reaching under her chin, I tip her face to mine, but stop myself from kissing her.

“Truth or dare, Hunt?”

I hold her stare, waiting to see where she’s going with our old game. “Dare.”

“Kiss me.”

I blink slowly, letting her words register. Her tongue darts out, licking her bottom lip while she waits. I slide my hands around the back of her neck, gripping tight before pulling her face to mine and kissing the lips I’ve been desperate for.