Page 24 of Wish You Faith (Christmas Sweethearts #1)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

A whole morning of meetings this Friday, five days before Christmas, made Evan long for his delivery truck job.

As menial as that might be, he was able to spend his workday with Rosie, and that had made all the difference.

Also, he slept better in Savannah and woke up refreshed every morning and eager to go to work to see Rosie.

It would be selfish of him to ask Rosie to consider moving to Seattle.

It would mean inviting her mother as well.

Evan wasn’t sure if Sonya could adjust to a city she had never lived in before at this stage of her life.

Perhaps it was best for her to stay in Savannah, where she was among friends.

If so, then Rosie would no doubt stay with her.

Maybe it was a good thing that Evan and Rosie were apart at this time. Both of them needed time to think through their long distance relationship.

Still, Evan’s heart was miserable. He missed holding hands with Rosie, hugging her, kissing her.

How could making others happy be so hard on him?

This was the last meeting before lunch, and Evan was mentally done for the day.

He hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep since he returned from Savannah, and it showed at the office.

People avoided him and said little at meetings because they were afraid to cross the already irritable Vice President of Operations.

Truth be told, Evan would rather not attend any meetings at all. But this morning, he had to fill in for Connor, who had been called away to an offsite meeting with Dad.

He had gathered his iPad and was exiting the conference room when she came up to him and tapped his shoulder. Oh, he’d forgotten about Ximena, who had attended this last meeting.

“Lunch with me?” She sidled up to him, her too-tight stretch skirt drawing curves where Evan didn’t need or want to see. “You know, to seal the deal?”

“We already signed the contract.” Evan held his iPad between himself and Ximena. “You knew that today’s meeting was unnecessary.”

“Your brother didn’t think so.” She folded her arms.

Evan did everything he could not to scan her from head to toe. He’d already glanced at her once when she entered the conference room an hour ago, and felt downright guilty for doing so—even though Rosie was five hours of flying away on the other side of the continent.

Ximena was the project manager for a new freight project between her father’s company in San Diego and Cavanaugh Shipping in Seattle. They had met two years ago and went out to dinner one time.

One dinner, okay?

Evan didn’t like her personality. At dinner, he realized that he didn’t want to spend another moment with her. He actually found an excuse to leave dinner early. She was furious when he walked out of the restaurant without finishing his steak.

She had cried when he turned her down for future dates. She erroneously assumed that Evan thought she was overweight. She wasn’t at all, but it was in her mind for whatever reason. She was a fitness fanatic, and there was not an ounce of fat on her body—not two years ago, and not today.

Rather, her weight was psychological and Evan couldn’t handle it. She was clingy and made up stories about their non-existent relationship, to the point that Mom thought he was engaged.

Even without anyone else to date, Evan wouldn’t have chosen Ximena.

Now two years later, she was back.

This morning, she was going for modesty as her new modus operandi.

Her skirt covered almost all her legs, so it wasn’t like she was flaunting skin in front of him, but the skirt outlined her shape from hip to ankle.

She had long and model-like legs. Wearing a pair of four-inch platform sandals, she was tall enough to see eye to eye with Evan.

Her green eyes were penetrating and would probably be enticing to a tired man who’d let his guard down.

But…

She wasn’t Rosie.

Now if Rosie had worn this skirt…

Then again, no.

Rosie wouldn’t wear that. She was modest and had self confidence. She didn’t have to keep up with anyone else’s fashion style. Evan smiled as he recalled the first time he had met Rosie. She had fallen on the floor in the greenhouse. Her sweater was blindingly bright and colorful.

“You have to eat anyway,” Ximena crooned.

Evan cleared his throat.

“Sorry. I have plans.” He stepped into the hallway and wished for somebody to walk by whom he’d recognize.

No one.

Not a soul.

They had all gone to lunch or had returned to their desks downstairs.

Evan made a mental note to never be alone with another person—except for Rosie—ever again. Especially with Ximena and the likes of her.

“Plans? Don’t you need to eat?” Ximena walked alongside him. Sounded like she wouldn’t take no for an answer.

“I have another meeting to go to shortly after lunch that I need to prepare for, so if you would excuse me, Miss Dewey…”

“No, you cannot be excused.”

The gall of her.

Evan didn’t want to ask her what she wanted. He already knew what she wanted.

He speed-dialed security. “Please come to the third floor and escort Miss Ximena Dewey to her vehicle outside. Now, okay? Our meeting has ended.”

“Evan!” Ximena stomped her sandals—probably name brand—and it made her entire body shake, especially her chest. It seemed that she had thrown the mock tantrum on purpose to show off her assets.

Lord, save me. Don’t let Rosie misunderstand.

Evan knew what he had to do: flee!

How could he get out of there? His office was at the other end of this floor, overlooking the port in the distance, but he didn’t want to go there right now, knowing that Ximena would follow him.

He walked toward the elevator. Ximena followed closely behind him. Evan tuned her out. He had no idea how Connor dealt with this woman. He also wondered what Connor’s wife thought of the crazy situation the brothers had found themselves in.

Yes, Ximena had started off going after Connor, but then he married someone else. Evan felt sorry for her, being rejected, and only went out with her for that very reason—a mistake he had regretted ever since.

The elevator door opened. A man in a security uniform appeared. He carried an umbrella.

“It’s starting to rain outside,” he said.

“Next time give me an executive parking pass,” Ximena snapped at Evan. “I don’t want to always park by the curb.”

Her glare scared him a bit.

“We have limited parking spots in the basement since we turned part of it into office space. Sorry.” Not sorry.

Reluctantly, Ximena went with the security guard.

“See you later, Evan.” She waved with her manicured and bejeweled nails.

Evan ignored her.

No, I don’t want to ever see you again.

Evan hurried to his office. In a small refrigerator near the sitting area, he retrieved his lunch bag and a bottle of sparkling mineral water. He sat down in an armchair and called Rosie on speed dial as he unzipped his lunch bag.

Rosie didn’t answer.

He got worried.

He called her again.

No answer.

He prayed for God to bless his Cuban sandwich and a Fuji apple, and asked that God would keep Rosie safe.

His phone rang as soon as he said, “Amen.”

Rosie’s face showed up on the screen. Evan answered the phone and put it on video.

“Hey. We were moving soil and fertilizer. I couldn’t get to the phone. Whassup?” Rosie sounded unhurried. On FaceTime, her fresh face—no make-up—looked clean and calm.

“Don’t lift anything heavy.” Evan took a bite of his sandwich.

“No worries. Lorenzo operates the forklifts. I just direct traffic.”

Evan knew Rosie did more than just give instructions.

Rosie pointed to the screen. “That looks good. Is it lunch time over there?”

Evan nodded. “Short lunch because I have another meeting to go to in half an hour.”

This afternoon’s meeting was with his parents, the owners of Cavanaugh Shipping. Connor and Evan worked for their parents. The outcome of the meeting would determine his future—whether he continued working in the family business or whether he left and explored the world on his own.

Evan recognized the colorful hammock behind Rosie. It was empty. “Is your mom at SSLR?”

“She’s rounded up a few new friends there, and they’re all volunteering at the warehouse today. Can you believe it?”

“The warehouse?” Evan’s jaw dropped.

“I know, right. I was equally alarmed.” Rosie shook her head. “Thankfully, they’re not going to let her do any heavy work. She’s mainly there to socialize with the other retirees from our church’s Super Seniors. I wouldn’t put it past Mom and her friends to look for new boyfriends.”

Evan laughed out loud. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t laugh.”

“No, you shouldn’t. So I can have a boyfriend but Mom can’t?”

Evan cleared his throat. “You’ll have to vet those potential boyfriends.”

“If you keep going in this direction, I’m hanging up.”

“No! Don’t hang up. What do they do at the warehouse?”

Rosie shrugged. “I’ll find out tonight when I get home. Mom’s getting a ride after work, so I don’t have to go pick her up.”

Sure, these were everyday activities in Rosie’s world, but Evan longed for them. He didn’t want the corporate pressure that followed him everywhere he went at Cavanaugh Shipping. However, the trade had been made, and he had to deliver, as promised.

Evan wondered when he could finally tell Rosie why he had to move home to Seattle. He decided to wait until after the meeting this afternoon.

If it went well, then he’d have a decent job that he could use to support a family—both Rosie and her mother.

If they couldn’t agree to his terms, then Evan would quit his job at Cavanaugh Shipping and never look back.

Either way he’d be back in Savannah by the first week of the new year.

Evan took a sip of the sparkling water. “I miss you, Rosie.”

“It’s only been a week though.”

“Yeah. A very long week.”

“You know how busy we’ve been since you left.” Rosie sat down on the hammock. “I’m still amazed that Roger called us and told us about the private scholarship. It was all so sudden.”