Chapter 5
Chapter
Five
EVIE
“How dare he!” Posy seethed, later that evening as she paced the polished wood parquet floor of the huge, rambling home Evie once again shared with her parents.
While her friends ranted around her, Evie clenched her fingers into fists to stop them shaking as she fought back the tears of frustration and helplessness that still impacted her hours later.
Both her parents and Asher were congregated in the massive lounge area, as well as Posy, but despite the generous size, the walls seemed to close in around her, amplifying the tension in the room.
She could feel Posy's anger radiating like waves of heat, see the concern etched on her parents' faces, hear Asher's restless shifting.
"I should have done something," Evie whispered, her voice barely audible. The guilt gnawed at her insides, twisting her stomach into knots. "I just stood there and let him take Ollie."
"Sweetheart, there was nothing you could have done," her mother soothed, reaching out to squeeze Evie's shoulder. The gentle touch sent a shudder through Evie's body, threatening to unravel her fragile composure.
Asher stepped closer, his familiar scent of leather and pine momentarily cutting through Evie's distress.
"Your mom's right, Evie. Legally, Adrian was within his rights to take Ollie, even if his morals are lacking.
Fighting him would have only made things worse and upset Ollie even more.
You handled it with as much grace as you could under the circumstances. "
Evie shook her head, unable to accept their reassurances, even though she knew Asher was a trained lawyer, albeit not practicing, so what he said was absolutely accurate.
But that didn’t prevent the image of Ollie's tear-stained face as Adrian carried him away from still haunting her.
She should have fought harder, said something more.
But what could she have done without making a scene and traumatizing Ollie further?
The one thing she never wanted to do was allow him to witness the growing rift between herself and his father.
"I just feel so helpless," Evie admitted, her voice cracking. "He's my baby, and I couldn't protect him."
She sank back into the worn sofa, the cushions sagging beneath her.
The festive outfit she still wore felt like a mockery now, the cheerful costume at odds with the ache in her chest. Evie twisted her hands in her lap, fighting the urge to call Adrian again.
She'd already left three voicemails, each more desperate than the last, as she needed to find out if Ollie was okay.
"That bastard knew exactly what he was doing," Posy fumed, her pacing becoming more erratic.
"He waited until you were busy so you couldn't stop him, and when you tried, he all but pushed you over. Would have if Shepherd hadn’t stepped in.
It's manipulative and cruel, just like booking a Christmas vacation without telling you, so you’d look like the bad guy if you refused. "
Evie flinched at Posy's words, even as a part of her agreed. She'd known Adrian could be selfish, but this level of callousness surprised even her. The room suddenly felt stifling, the concerned faces of her loved ones only amplifying her sense of failure.
Her chest tightened as she struggled to draw a full breath.
The cheerful jingle of her elf costume's bells mocked her with each shuddering inhale. She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the sympathetic faces surrounding her. She was surrounded by people who loved her, but she’d never felt more alone.
Evie's fingers dug into the soft fabric of the sofa cushions. Damn, she was selfish. These people were worried about her, and really, all that had happened was her son was spending time with his father. She needed to pull up her big girl panties and get a life. This wouldn’t be the last time she missed birthdays or holidays because Adrian had as much right to celebrate those things with Ollie as she did.
A warm hand settled on her shoulder, and Evie flinched before recognizing Asher's touch. She opened her eyes to find him crouched in front of her. "Evie," he said softly, "I know you're hurting, and I know everything that’s happening is a big change for you.”
She sucked in a deep breath and looked around the room. “I’m sorry,” she apologized to them all. “I’m being pathetic. I know I need to adjust, it’s just… hard.”
“And made harder by your asshole ex.”
Posy clearly wasn’t ready to forgive Adrian, but Evie knew she had to. This was her life now. Shared custody was a reality, and that meant trying to get along as well as they could together, for Ollie’s sake.
She shrugged. “It is what it is. Whether I like it or not, Adrian is Ollie’s father, and he’s equally entitled to spend time with our son.”
Posy muttered some more under her breath, and her parents shared a concerned look, but Evie knew she was right. She couldn’t allow animosity to sour the relationship with her ex-husband and make things even more difficult. Ollie was only five - they had a lot of co-parenting ahead of them.
“I just think…”
Whatever Posy thought was interrupted by a knock on the door, which Asher went to answer.
Evie's breath caught as Shepherd filled the doorway, his broad shoulders nearly brushing both sides of the frame. His larger-than-life presence seemed to make the room shrink even further. She felt a flicker of warmth at his concern.
“Just came to check you’re okay,” he said gruffly, eying the others like he’d rather be anywhere else.
"I'm fine," she said, her voice sounding hollow even to her own ears. The lie tasted bitter on her tongue. "Really, you didn't need to come."
Shepherd's dark eyes narrowed, clearly not buying it.
He ran a hand through the dark hair that touched his shoulders, leaving it more disheveled than before, and giving him a rakish look.
"Right," he grunted, shifting his weight.
"Because you always look like you're about to shatter into a million pieces. "
Evie flinched at his blunt assessment. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words died in her throat. What could she say? He wasn't wrong. She felt brittle, like the slightest touch might break her.
“Shepherd!” Sally admonished, and for a moment, Evie thought Posy might take her anger out on the man.
“Sorry,” he grunted, stuffing his hands in his pockets and looking uncomfortable.
Evie threw up her hands. “Well, you’re not wrong. I just need to grow a pair, which is why I’m going to ask you all to leave. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, truly, but I need some alone time so I can lick my wounds and get out of this damn costume."
She injected as much positivity into her voice as she could, knowing Posy and Asher would want to stay if they suspected she was as close to breaking down as she really was.
Sally searched her face and must have been content with what she saw there. “Okay, sweetheart. Your father and I have a dinner to attend with the Cauldwell’s, so we’ll give you some space, but you know where we are if you need us.”
“Take care, Shnookums,” her dad said, bending down to kiss her on the cheek.
“I’ll phone you tomorrow,” Posy declared, letting her know there was no room for argument.
Finally, they all filed out, and Evie heaved a sigh of relief. Living with her parents at the age of twenty-nine brought its own pitfalls, and lack of privacy was one of them. They meant well, but all she wanted to do was wallow in her own misery. She was entitled to that, wasn’t she?
Peeling herself out of the elf costume, she threw it into the laundry and thanked the heavens she’d been given more than one outfit.
Young kids were sticky little creatures.
Then she climbed into the shower and attempted to wash away the shadows of the day.
And if she cried in here, it didn’t count, did it? Since there was so much other water.
After getting out and drying herself off, Evie dressed in a pair of cozy fleece pajamas with a giant cupcake on the front and small ones dotted all over the bottoms and curled up on the sofa with a blanket.
That’s when it truly hit her that she was alone.
What the heck was she supposed to do with herself?
Evie stared at the blank TV screen, feeling lost. The silence of the empty house seemed massive. She was used to the constant chatter and energy of a five-year-old boy filling these rooms. Now there was just... nothing.
Her fingers itched to grab her phone and call Adrian again. Maybe this time he'd actually pick up. But what good would that do? It would probably just lead to another argument.
She hugged a rocket-themed throw pillow to her chest, inhaling the faint smell of Ollie's little boy scent that still clung to the fabric. Tears pricked at her eyes. God, she missed him already. How was she supposed to get through the next two and a half weeks without her son?
A knock at the door startled her out of her spiraling thoughts. Evie frowned, wondering who it could be. She'd made it clear she wanted to be alone.
Reluctantly, she padded to the door and cracked it open. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in Shepherd's hulking form on her tiny porch, a paper bag clutched in one large hand.
"Brought you some food," he grunted, avoiding her gaze. "Figured you might need something to eat since your parents are out,” Shepherd said, thrusting the bag towards her.
Evie blinked, caught off guard by his unexpected appearance. The savory aroma of her favorite Thai food wafting from the bag made her stomach growl, reminding her she hadn't eaten since breakfast. She hesitated, torn between her desire for solitude and the sudden realization of how hungry she was.
"I... thank you," she managed, stepping back to let him in.
Evie hugged her arms around herself, acutely aware of her cupcake-covered pajamas and damp hair. She hadn't expected company, especially not Shepherd's gruff presence.