Chapter 10 Evangeline
EVANGELINE
Evangeline carried a wiggly and wide-awake Leo out of the dining room and back through the inn’s formal lobby to the parlor that was on the other side. The front windows looked out onto the porch and Leo was as fascinated with the twinkly lights as she had hoped he would be.
“Gah,” he announced, thunderstruck. “Ah.”
“Yes,” she told him. “They’re so bright and so pretty.”
His limbs were so expressive, she couldn’t help smiling at how he practically marched in place as he admired the lights.
Seeing the world through Leo’s eyes simplified everything and made her feel more grateful herself for the simple comforts—a warm bath, cozy clothing, a good meal when you were hungry, the wonder of stars in the sky, or lights to celebrate the birth of another little boy, so long ago.
“He’s an angel,” Trudy said softly from the doorway.
Evangeline looked up at her and smiled.
“Yes,” she said, gazing back down at the baby. “I feel really lucky to take care of him.”
“You wouldn’t want to let me have a turn, would you?” Trudy asked with a gentle smile. “I asked his father and he said you’d probably appreciate the break.”
“Oh,” Evangeline said. “Okay. Leo, do you want to go see Mrs. Sullivan?”
Leo had no idea what she was saying, but when she turned him to face the sweet lady who had her arms out for him, he kicked his little feet like he was going to swim through the air to her.
“Oh, my goodness,” Trudy said, laughing with delight. “Why don’t we go into the library and see my Christmas tree?”
“The library?” Evangeline echoed.
“Oh, yes,” Trudy said with a smile. “My first husband, Phillip, he knew how much I loved books. And he made sure the shelves were never empty. Would you like to see?”
“Of course,” Evangeline said.
She followed her hostess back through the dining room, where everyone seemed to be talking about the highway except for Grayson and Phoebe, who were still deeply involved in a conversation about birds.
It warmed Evangeline’s heart to see how sweet the big man was with the little girl.
That’s how he’ll be with Leo one day, she thought to herself. Maybe he’s just better with kids than with adults.
He nodded to her, as if to let her know it was fine for Trudy to have the baby, and she instantly felt good about everything.
They passed the door to the kitchen and headed out through the other side into a great big room that was lined with bookshelves. Not a single shelf had an inch of space on it, and some shelves seemed to have books two deep with others laying on top.
An enormous Christmas tree had been set up in one corner, and its colorful lights reflected in the wall of windows that overlooked the lake.
“Oh, Trudy,” Evangeline breathed. “This is amazing.”
“It’s my favorite spot in the house,” Trudy said, carrying Leo right over to the tree. “What do you think of that, young man?”
Leo had a lot of thoughts about the tree, and he voiced them with squeaks and panting and a lot of kicking and gesticulating with his chubby little hands.
“Why don’t you go sit with the others?” Trudy offered. “If he fusses, I’ll bring him right back to you.”
Evangeline agreed. When she got back out to the dining room, everyone was talking about the big news that a former Trinity Falls girl who’d gone away and become a big soap opera star was back in town.
Evangeline was lost, since she’d never been much for soap operas, but it sounded like they were all very excited about it.
She loved the way everyone in this town took so much pride in all the accomplishments of its residents, no matter how big or small.
As the conversation went on, Evangeline couldn’t help noticing all the dirty dishes still on the table.
Eager for something to do, she gathered them up as surreptitiously as she could and carried them into the kitchen. When she had everything on the counter, she filled the sink with warm, soapy water and got to work.
Though Trudy had said she didn’t want help, Evangeline was pretty sure that after cooking such a big dinner and spending time with the baby, Trudy would be happy not to have a kitchen full of dirty dishes to contend with.
And after all, washing up wasn’t creative work like cooking. Hopefully, it wouldn’t hurt Trudy’s pride not to have done it all herself.
As she washed, the window over the sink showed her a view of snow falling onto the lawn and trees, and she lost herself in the beautiful vista and the gentle sloshing of the warm water.
“There you are,” a deep voice said suddenly from the doorway, taking her by surprise.
“Sorry,” she said, almost dropping the plate that was in her hand. “Trudy was really enjoying her time with Leo, so I thought I would just take care of a little bit of clean up.”
“Looks like you took care of a lot,” Grayson said with a half-smile, eyeing the counter, which was now covered in clean, wet dishes. “Why don’t I dry?”
“Only if you want to,” she said carefully.
He moved beside her in silence, grabbed a Christmas towel that was hanging from the oven door, and began drying the dishes and putting them away as she washed and rinsed them.
“You know where everything goes,” she said, surprised.
“Well, we spent a lot of time here when I was little,” he told her.
“I guess your mom was allowed to help out in the kitchen,” Evangeline guessed.
“All Trudy’s girlfriends hung out in the kitchen,” he said with a fond smile. “They would be in here baking or sitting around the little table with their coffee and muffins, gossiping up a storm.”
Evangeline glanced over at the round table. Unlike the beautifully kept antique furnishings in the rest of the inn, this was a simple pine table, its top was stained with rings. She could easily imagine a thousand cozy cups of coffee shared around it.
“When I was really little, I would sit under the table and play with my toys,” he said.
“That must have been really nice,” Evangeline said, picturing little Grayson curled up with his cars or dinosaurs.
“It was,” he said with a faraway look in his eye.
She figured he was probably missing his parents. She certainly missed hers.
They continued washing and drying in silence for a while more, the clink of dishes and the low hum of conversation from the next room the only sound.
After a few minutes, she ventured another glance up at him.
“What?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said, turning her eyes back to the platter in her hands. “You get so quiet sometimes.”
She caught his hand twitching out the corner of her eye, like it wanted to go to the scars on his neck, but he was holding it back.
“I’m… not the kind of guy who belongs here,” he said suddenly.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“I’m not a good man,” he said, his voice flat and empty.
“Of course you’re a good man,” she said, turning to him. “You care about people. You gave me a job and clothes to wear. You could have left me at home with your son tonight, but you brought both of us here to have a nice evening. And look at you.”
He frowned, and she gestured at his rolled-up sleeves and the water on his shirt.
“You could be sitting and relaxing, and instead you’re in here doing dishes,” she said. “You see a need and you fill it, Grayson. You’re the best kind of man.”
This time his hand did move for his neck.
Evangeline reacted without thinking, grabbing his hand before it could reach that angry stretch of skin and holding it firmly in her own.
His eyes flashed to hers and the next thing she knew he was pulling her close, crushing her body to his as he leaned in, his eyes sliding down to her lips, the wild hunger on his face causing her heart to beat like it was trying to escape her chest.
Evangeline waited, craving his kiss more than she had ever wanted anything.
“Are you washing up?” Trudy’s voice trilled scoldingly from the next room.
Evangeline stiffened in Grayson’s arms and he let go of her, stepping back as if she were on fire.
“Oh,” Trudy said, her eyes moving between them.
Leo slept on her shoulder, his pillowy cheek smushed against her sweater.
“Yes,” Evangeline said quickly. “We had such a wonderful dinner, and we wanted to just tidy up a few things so you wouldn’t have so much to do tonight.”
“I see,” Trudy said, looking around the kitchen, the corners of her mouth pulling up slightly. “Well, it looks like you did more than tidy up a few things. Thank you both.”
“No problem,” Grayson growled.
Evangeline felt her cheeks heat and she wished she could sink into the center of the earth.
But Trudy seemed not to have noticed a thing. She began energetically getting out dessert plates and the next thing Evangeline knew, she and Grayson were counting out forks and coffee mugs and Chad was striding in triumphantly with a truly enormous container of vanilla ice cream.
It wasn’t until they were back out at the table and Trudy was having everyone pass down plates of warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream melting on top that Evangeline finally caught Grayson’s eye.
She’d been worried that maybe he was disgusted with her, or with himself, for what had almost happened tonight.
Does he feel like a bad boss for trying to kiss me?
Does he think I’m a gold digger because I was going to let him?
Instead, when she passed him a plate of pie and his eyes finally met hers, his blue gaze was filled with warmth and humor.
He’s not mad, she realized.
He actually seemed to be the opposite of mad, whatever that was for Grayson Ward. And that idea sent heat flooding through her chest.