Chapter 21
Chapter
Twenty-One
EVIE
There was no opportunity to confront Gabe about the way he’d staked his claim in front of Adrian… and also in front of Ollie, although the little boy seemed mercifully oblivious. But Evie wasn’t having that conversation while her son was around.
“You should have woken me,” she murmured, even while she gratefully sipped at Shepherd’s amazing coffee. And boy, did she need it!
“Evie, you were so tired, not even the three of us getting up and dressed woke you,” Gabe remarked, keeping his voice low enough that Ollie couldn’t hear.
“And besides, Shepherd delivered all your baked goods to the stall, and Asher is watching it like usual. Jane is taking over this afternoon when you take your last twirl as Santa’s helper, so there’s no rush at all.
Enjoy having Ollie back and let us do the heavy lifting. ”
“Not that I don’t appreciate it,” Evie grumbled. “But you’re spoiling me and making me feel kinda useless.”
Gabe stepped forward and cupped her cheek, and the warmth that spread through her made Evie wonder how she was ever going to give him, all of them, up.
“Evie, you’ve been strong forever. Since long before Adrian left.
You think I didn’t see it? You think I didn’t get angry at the way he treated you like he did?
Like everything you wanted was secondary to his own needs.
You think I didn’t want to punch his lights out for giving that bimbo he’s taken up with all the things he denied you? ”
Evie sucked in a breath, his words hitting her in the feels. Damn it, he wasn’t playing fair.
“The only thing stopping me was that I was doing a mental fist pump when he left, because it meant I finally had a chance with you.”
This man!
She shook her head and opened her mouth to say what needed to be said, but once again, he beat her to the punch.
“Don’t you dare say what’s on the tip of your tongue, Evie, because I’m telling you right now, I won’t accept it, and neither will Shepherd and Asher.”
“How do you even know what I’m going to say?” she demanded, jamming her hands on her hips, while a part of her subconscious automatically checked Ollie was otherwise occupied.
“Because it’s written all over your face, darlin’.”
Impossible! How could he know her so well after such a short time, when Adrian had been oblivious even after eight years together?
A nasty thought wormed its way into her brain. Or maybe Adrian always knew, but just didn’t care…
“Look, we can’t do this with Ollie here,” Evie declared in a low voice. “And if you have any real feelings for me, you’ll respect that.”
Gabe pursed his lips, and Evie knew he wanted to argue, but instead, he gave a perfunctory nod and held his tongue.
“Just don’t imagine this conversation is over, Evie,” he warned.
After arranging for Posy to watch Ollie while she donned her elf costume for the last time, Evie got much the same spiel from Asher.
“Evie, look at me.” He took hold of her arms in the makeshift changing room behind the grotto.
She tried to shrug him off. “We don’t have time for this, Asher. “Kids and parents are already starting to line up since this is our last day.”
“You think I can’t feel you trying to pull away, Evie? Trying to freeze me out? It won’t work.”
She looked at him then. Saw how serious this usually bright and cheerful man was.
Evie frowned. “Come on, Ash! This is completely unorthodox. Even you have to admit it’s unsustainable.”
She meant it, even if it broke her heart to say it.
Asher was militant. “What we have is special,” he argued, grabbing her hand. “And we all deserve a chance to see where it leads.”
“I’m a mother,” Evie hissed, leaning in to get her point across and to ensure nobody outside heard. “I don’t have the luxury of playing hard and fast with my son’s well-being.”
Asher reared back, and she hated the hurt that wreathed his expression. “You really think we’re a danger to his well-being?” he asked in disbelief.
Evie threw her hands in the air. “You know what I mean! This is not a normal situation, and people, kids, can be mean. Ollie will be the kid with three dads - four if you count Adrian - and I’ll be the slut who’s sleeping around.”
She knew she’d said the wrong thing as soon as the words were out of her mouth.
“You will be getting a spanking for talking about yourself that way,” Asher’s tone was positively arctic, and Evie didn’t think he was talking about a fun spanking.
But the thought still caused her panties to dampen embarrassingly, and she had to look away.
Asher wasn’t letting her get away with that, either. “And this is Frostvale. We’re a community in the very best way. Everyone knows and supports everyone else, so no one is going to think that way.”
Except for Victoria, Evie thought irritable. Not that she was bringing Gabe’s ex into this already difficult conversation.
“And Posy would never stand for any of the kids in school making fun of Ollie for his home life. The kids in this town are brought up to be broad-minded and accepting.”
Damn, if he wasn’t on a roll. It was kinda hot.
“Hell, Carly Peterson’s parents separated, and now her mother has a girlfriend. Peter and Molly Macintyre split their time living between two sets of grandparents. And Thomas Carter was born through surrogacy and has only ever known two fathers. You ever heard anyone disparaging any of them?”
Evie shook her head mutely. Asher was right, they did have a varied and eclectic neighborhood. Nobody threw any shade, and if they did, they’d be slapped down by any number of people. You didn’t want that in a tight community like this, but still…
"I hear what you're saying, Asher. I really do. But this is my son's life we're talking about."
"And ours," Asher countered softly. His thumb traced circles on the back of her hand, and that simple touch made her want to cry. "Evie, we're not asking you to make some grand announcement tomorrow. We're just asking you not to shut us out. Not to make this decision alone."
She pulled her hand away, needing the distance to think clearly. "I have to make decisions alone. That's what single parents do."
"But you don't have to be single." His voice was gentle but firm. "That's the whole point."
Evie turned away, fussing with her elf costume even though it was already perfectly arranged. She couldn't look at him right now, not when her resolve was crumbling like under-baked cookies. "This is crazy, Asher. You know it is. Three men? How does that even work long-term? What happens when…”
"When what?" He moved closer, not touching her but close enough that she could feel his warmth.
"When - when one of you gets jealous of the other?”
“I think that was more likely to happen at the outset, don’t you? We already made our decision to share you, rather than lose you.”
“What about if it affects our businesses?”
“Why would it? The people who live here would know and accept our situation, and those who visit would be ignorant of it.”
Evie bit her lip.
“What’s really worrying you, Evie? Because I know it’s not really anything you’ve just suggested.”
How could he read her so well?
“What happens when one of you gets tired of me?” she whispered, realizing perhaps this was the crux of her issue and the rest were just excuses.
The silence stretched between them, and Evie watched his jaw work, like he was physically restraining himself from saying something he'd regret. When he finally spoke, his voice was rougher than she'd ever heard it.
"Tired of you?" He let out a harsh laugh.
“Evie, are you hearing yourself right now?
" Asher's hands clenched at his sides. "Do you have any idea how long I've been waiting for someone like you to walk into my life?
Someone who makes me laugh, who challenges me, who doesn't try to change who I fundamentally am?
" His voice cracked slightly on the last word, and Evie's chest tightened.
“You think Gabe will? After he’s waited for you since before you were even a free agent? You think Shepherd hasn’t thought long and hard over this decision after what he went through in his past? You think any of us are doing this lightly?"
She turned back to face him, and the raw emotion in his bright blue eyes nearly undid her completely.
"Asher..." Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
"We're not Adrian," he said firmly, and the name felt like a slap.
"None of us are. We see you, Evie. The real you. Not some idealized version we want you to become, not a convenient placeholder for when we’re bored or lonely.
We want all of you—the stubborn, impulsive, big-hearted woman who stress-bakes at three in the morning and wears reindeer sweaters unironically. "
Evie's throat burned, and she had to blink repeatedly.
“We just need you to give us a chance to prove it.”
He was saying all the things she’d ever dreamed of from a man. How could she say no to that?
“Now come on… I see Ollie in the queue, waiting to finally see his Mama as Santa’s helper.”
He took her hand and squeezed it. “In the meantime, just think about it without making any knee-jerk decisions. Can you do that?”
Evie nodded, mutely.