Chapter 4 Eve
EVE
The lobby felt quieter after lunch, the dining room noise fading behind them as Eve walked with Mia and Lila toward the staircase.
William had left with Julie as they were going on a dinner and theatre date.
They were halfway to the stairs when Jack appeared from the office, his smile warm and purposeful.
“Before you head up,” Jack said, gesturing behind him, “I want you to meet some people.”
Eve felt Mia’s hesitation beside her, a subtle shift in posture that spoke of exhaustion barely held at bay. But Mia’s smile stayed in place, polite and practiced, as a woman came through the front entrance, her energy filling the space around her.
“Holly,” Jack said, his voice softening in a way that told Eve everything about how he felt. “Come meet William’s friends.”
Holly moved with confidence, her smile genuine as she crossed the lobby. Behind her came a younger woman around Mia’s age, her features delicate and kind. A man followed, tall and hobbling on crutches, as his leg was in a boot, with a young girl who looked to be around twelve years old beside him.
Two dogs bounded in after them. A Great Dane, all legs and enthusiasm, nearly knocked into the desk before a sharp whistle from the man brought him back. The second dog, a Belgian Malinois, moved with controlled grace, her attention tracking everyone in the room.
“This is my fiancée, Holly Bennett,” Jack said, pride clear in his tone.
He gestured to the younger woman. “This is my daughter, Jane.” Then to the man.
“Her fiancé, Gabe. Who is also Holly’s son.
” His hand dropped to the girl’s shoulder.
“And this is Trinity, Gabe’s daughter.” He glanced at his family.
“Everyone, this is Dr. Eve Reynolds, Dr. Mia Gray-Duncan, and her daughter, Lila.”
“It is so wonderful to meet you all,” Holly said, stepping forward to shake Eve’s hand first, then Mia’s, then Lila’s.
Jane’s smile was open and welcoming. “It is nice to meet you. My dad said you were arriving from California today. That is such a long trip.”
Gabe nodded in agreement. “Welcome to Anastasia Island. I hope the flight was not too rough.”
“It was fine, thank you,” Mia said, her voice steady but thin. “The Inn is beautiful. It has a lovely, warm, welcoming atmosphere.”
“Thank you,” Jack took that one. “It’s been in the Christmas family for generations.” His eyes swept over them. “You three must be tired after your long journey.”
“Right.” Holly’s brows shot up, and she smiled warmly. “I’m sure you would like to get settled in your rooms and rest for a bit.”
The Great Dane decided at that moment that Eve looked like someone who might pet him. He ambled over, sat beside her, leaning into her. Eve reached down automatically, her hand finding the dog’s massive head. His tail wagged hard enough to create a breeze.
“That’s Duke,” Gabe said with a laugh. “He thinks everyone is his new best friend.”
“And this is Brandy,” Jane added, gesturing to the Malinois who sat perfectly still, watching everything with intelligent eyes. “She is a little more reserved.”
Lila dropped to her knees immediately, her face lighting with the kind of joy that had been missing since they’d left Los Angeles. “Oh my gosh, they are gorgeous. Can I pet them?”
“Of course,” Jane said. “Duke will be thrilled. Brandy might take a minute to warm up to you.”
The conversation continued, voices overlapping in the way big families did, everyone talking and no one minding the interruptions. Eve kept one eye on Mia, who stood with her fingers worrying at the locket around her neck.
Jack stepped around his family with a key in his hand and turned toward Mia. “I have something for you.”
Mia’s eyebrows lifted. “We already have our room keys.”
“I know,” Jack said. “Eve’s and the one you and Lila are sharing have interconnecting doors, just like William requested. But there is another room on the other side of yours and Lila’s room.” He smiled warmly at Mia. “I hear you are a top trauma surgeon in Los Angeles.”
Mia gave a tight smile, her shoulders stiffening slightly. “I wouldn’t say top.” She swallowed. “But yes, I am a surgeon.” Her brow furrowed, concern flickering across her features. “Why? Is everything okay?”
Eve sighed internally. Trust Mia’s brain to go straight to something being wrong, to someone needing medical help, to responsibility landing back on her shoulders.
“Everything is fine,” Jack assured her, holding the key out. “This is the room on the opposite side of yours and Lila’s room. It’s the only one with a large spa bath. My mother and I thought you could have the room. At no extra charge, of course.”
Mia’s eyes widened, genuine surprise breaking through the careful composure she’d been holding since they’d arrived.
Her eyes misted slightly, and Eve felt her chest squeeze.
No one ever really did things like this for Mia.
She was always the one taking care of everyone else.
Always the one carrying the weight. Always the one holding the pieces together.
“Are you sure?” Mia reached out slowly, her fingers closing around the key like she was afraid it might disappear.
“Trust me,” a female voice said from the doorway.
They all turned.
A tall, beautiful woman walked in, her presence commanding without being overwhelming. Behind her came another teenager, around Trinity’s age, and a tall man who moved with the quiet confidence of someone who knew exactly who he was.
The woman’s smile was warm and genuine as she looked at Mia. “It is the best room in the inn. I’ve stayed in it a few times and that bath...” She put her fingers to her lips for a kiss. “To die for. It literally melts all the stress away.”
Jack gestured to the newcomers. “Isabella, Christopher, meet Dr. Eve Reynolds, Dr. Mia Gray-Duncan, and her daughter Lila.” He smiled at the teenager. “And this lovely young lady is Maddy, Isabella’s daughter.”
“It is lovely to meet you,” Isabella and Christopher said in unison, their voices blending in a way that suggested they were a couple.
Maddy smiled shyly and moved toward Trinity, showing they were good friends.
“Likewise,” Eve, Mia, and Lila chorused back.
Eve stepped forward slightly. “But please, can we drop the doctor titles? It is just Eve.”
“And Mia,” Mia added, her smile becoming more relaxed, the warmth radiating from this big, extended family clearly reaching something inside her that had been cold for too long.
“Well, we’ll let you get to your rooms,” Holly said, stepping forward. “Welcome, and we hope you enjoy your stay.”
“Thank you,” Eve, Mia, and Lila said. Lila gave Duke and Brandy another pat before she followed Eve and Mia up the stairs.
The second-floor hallway was quiet, the carpet muffling their footsteps. Jack had given them rooms twelve, thirteen, and fourteen, all in a row.
Lila stopped outside the middle room, staring at the number like she couldn’t quite believe it. “I get my own room?”
Mia unlocked it and pushed the door open. “You do. But the adjoining doors stay open, so either Eve or I have eyes on you at all times.”
Lila stepped inside, her face glowing. “Deal. I cannot believe I get my own room.” She immediately pulled her phone from her pocket. “I have to message Angie. She is never going to believe this.”
Mia took her luggage into the other adjoining room, leaving Lila in the middle room. Eve and Lila stood at the door of Mia’s room, looking inside as Mia set her suitcase on the bed and looked at the door to the bathroom.
“I’m not going to lie,” Mia said, turning back to Eve and Lila with the first genuine smile Eve had seen in days. “I am going to check out that tub.”
“You do that, sweetheart,” Eve said, warmth filling her chest. “You deserve it.”
“Yeah, Mom,” Lila agreed, snapping pictures of the rooms with her phone. “Go have a good soak and...” Her eyes widened suddenly. “Oh shoot. I don’t have deodorant and need new heads for my electric toothbrush.”
Mia groaned, exhaustion creeping back into her expression. “Okay, well, let me get my luggage into my room, and we can go find a store.”
“I’ll take Lila,” Eve offered quickly. “I need some things as well.”
“Are you sure?” Mia asked, relief shining in her eyes.
“Of course.” Eve nodded and then smiled at Lila. “We’ll leave in ten minutes?”
“Cool,” Lila said, disappearing back into her room.
Ten minutes later, Eve and Lila climbed into the rental car, a nice silver SUV that William had insisted on renting for them after fetching them at Jacksonville International Airport.
The drive from the airport had been full of William’s stories about St. Augustine’s history, his love for the city evident in every word.
Lila buckled her seatbelt and looked at Eve expectantly. “Do you know where you’re going, Aunt Eve?”
“I think so,” Eve said, pulling the directions Jack had given her from her pocket. “Jack gave me directions to a store in St. Augustine and one here on Anastasia Island.” She smiled at Lila. “Which one do you want to go to?”
Lila didn’t hesitate. “As I’m sure Mom needs some alone time, I think you and I should go and explore St. Augustine. It looked so interesting when we drove through it earlier.”
“I’m with you there,” Eve agreed, starting the engine. “Maybe we can check out William’s store he is always talking about.”
“Yeah!” Lila’s enthusiasm was infectious. “I’d like that.”
The drive into St. Augustine took twenty minutes, the late afternoon sun casting golden light across the streets.
The city unfolded around them like something out of a postcard.
Historic buildings lined the roads, their architecture spanning centuries.
Christmas lights were strung everywhere, draped across storefronts and wrapped around lamp posts.
Garlands hung from doorways. The cobblestone streets gleamed in the fading light.