Chapter Ten #2
“Steven,” Evie said sharply, turning away from his grandmother. “That’s not going to happen.”
“I’ll do it with Steven,” Violet said from a few chairs down. She wore a long, flowing pink skirt and beneath which Hayden was willing to bet were high heels. “I’ve always wanted to try, and Charlie isn’t here today.”
She’s up to something.
“See? I’ve got a partner. You and Eve can give it a go against us,” Steven countered. “Unless you aren’t up to it, Hayden.”
Hayden smiled. “I say we do it.”
“I vote no.” Evie frowned at Hayden over her shoulder. “This is supposed to be a family day, not a test of testosterone between you two.”
Although Hayden agreed, he wasn’t going to back down.
“I, for one, would like to show my baby girl that I’m a winner.” Steven was like a dog with a bone. “You and Hayden don’t stand a chance, Eve. And I think your man knows it.”
Hayden scoffed, his competitive spirit wide awake and itching for action.
But first, a put-down was in order. “When does a trial lawyer have time to become proficient at something like a piggyback egg carry or a pedal car race?” He’d passed the sign for the obstacle course on the way to find Evie.
There was also a three-legged segment, and something called an inner tube race, none of which sounded like they were in Steven’s city boy wheelhouse.
“Shush, they’re about to start.” Evie faced forward.
The preschool kids were now all on stage, waving what looked like green stems with paper bumblebees attached.
Hayden lifted his black cowboy hat and waved to capture Katie’s attention. The unicorn-loving sprite waved back with her paper bumblebee, smile widening.
“Hey.” Gran sat up taller and pointed at the stage. “I think I know that girl.”
“That’s your great-granddaughter, Katie.” Evie beamed at Gran. “You recognized her. That’s great.”
“Sure is,” Hayden added, his competitive streak distracted as he realized Gran had just remembered someone new in her life.
Her progress was slow, but at least she was making some.
Hayden rocked Evie from side to side. His progress on his perception of that shocking argument he’d had with Grandpa was slow to move forward, too.
“I don’t know why you two are making such a fuss,” Gran grumbled, making both Hayden and Evie chuckle.
The kids began to sing about pollination and bumblebees.
Hayden didn’t pay much attention to the words. He was making plans to show Steven why he was the better man for Evie.
*
“Good luck,” Mom told Eve and Vi. “Irene and I will keep an eye on Katie.”
Irene and Katie buzzed by, pretending to be bees.
“Good luck?” Eve muttered, easing the tension cramp in her neck with one hand. She was going to need it. All because Vi had given Steven an opening by offering to compete with him. If that wasn’t annoying…
Vi’s laughter filled the air.
Eve drew her sister from her circle of friends, moving far enough away that they had a small measure of privacy. “Why are you doing this? To get back at Hayden for something? I can’t imagine what.”
Katie buzzed around Vi before flitting away.
Vi stared at Katie lovingly. “Do you know how much I love Katie?”
“I know.” Some of Eve’s frustration drained.
Gaze still on Katie, Vi looped her arm around Eve’s shoulders. “I never want to see Katie suffer because of a jerk of a father figure. Whether that be Steven or Hayden.”
“Hayden adores her,” Eve was quick to say. “He treats her like she’s the rarest of gems.”
“And you?” Vi continued to follow Katie’s progress around them. “How does Hayden treat you?”
“I have no complaints.”
“Yet,” Vi said softly, knowingly. “You haven’t encountered any difficulties yet.”
Oh, yes, we have.
Not that Eve could share what they were. Guilt over lying to her sister returned in a heated rush. The need to tell Vi the truth pressed against her tongue. She waved at some residents she knew from Oak Hill instead of spilling her guts.
“And that’s why I wanted to see you compete today,” Vi went on. “I’ve seen couples go at each other and separate over what color to paint their kitchen cabinets. If a relationship isn’t strong enough, it’ll break.”
“Hayden and I will be fine. Win or lose.”
“That’s what I’m here to see.” Vi faced Eve, expression determined. “I want to make sure my sister and niece are going to be well cared for and happy. With any luck, by the end of the race, I’ll be welcoming Hayden to the family.”
Eve moved her sister’s blond hair off her shoulders. “If you wanted to see how we worked together in a stressful situation, you could have run along the sidelines.”
“You wouldn’t have done the obstacle course if Steven wasn’t.” Vi was right, of course.
“I appreciate that you care about us, Vi.” Eve stopped Katie as she ran past, whispering a simple request, “Give your Auntie Vi a hug, bug.”
Katie sweetly obliged, earning a teary smile from Vi.
“If you’re going to run this race, Vi,” Eve said in a quiet voice. “You might want to switch shoes with Mom. Those heels are going to sink in the grass.”
Vi grinned. “You’d be surprised at what a woman can do in heels.”
“When it comes to you, Vi…never.”
*
“What’s your game here, Steven?” Hayden asked as they walked back after registering for the obstacle course. “You lost Evie once. Then again when I married her. You should give up while you’re ahead.”
“You don’t give up on love.” Steven’s tone was snobby lawyer all the way. “You’ll screw up your marriage. I give it six months before Eve leaves you.”
Hayden walked faster, trying to outpace the truth Steven was laying down.
Steven ran-walked to keep up. “All I have to do is stay available and make sure Eve knows I’m the one for her. She appreciates a winner.”
Annoyance had a foot race with jealousy in Hayden’s veins.
Evie came into view, catching Hayden’s eye with a warm smile.
And that’s all it took to slow Hayden’s racing heart, slow his steps, and slow the urge to pound the snot out of Steven in this obstacle course. There was one thing to be learned from Steven’s egotistical rant—Evie is what matters.
Hayden laid a heavy hand on Steven’s shoulder. “I hate to throw a wrench in your plans. But I’ve never let go of anything I—” Love “—want to keep.”
Steven’s eyes narrowed. And then he brushed Hayden’s hand away, laughing.
“What’s so funny?” Hayden widened his stance, prepared for a fight.
“You didn’t say love.” Steven backed away, rolling his fists as if punching a feedbag. “I’ve got your number. Six months, my man!”
*
Eve was nervous.
The obstacle course sprawled from one end of Central Park to the other.
The course was run in heats by age. Cones marked crooked lanes designed to avoid picnic tables and playground equipment.
It had been set up in four segments. There was a table at the starting line with cartons of eggs and stacks of spoons.
Burlap bags were stacked on a table at the second station.
Rusty red wagons were hitched to rustier pedal cars at the third station.
And inflated inner tubes lay in unruly piles before the last leg.
They’d already eaten lunch and watched younger competitors run the course. Nothing Hayden said or did so far had won Vi over. There was more than Hayden’s pride riding on this obstacle course. And no way was Eve telling him that.
“Mama, are you and Hay-Hay going to win?” Katie held a cup of hot chocolate in one hand and a pink kitty cat cake pop in the other, her bribe for getting ready today. “Daddy says he and Auntie Vi are going to win.”
“It’s about fun, not winning,” Eve said with false cheer when their heat was finally announced. She wasn’t happy as a contestant. A denim dress and ballet flats weren’t the best uniform to compete in. At least she wasn’t wearing kitten heels like Vi. “We’re going to laugh all the way to the end.”
“But we’ll win,” Hayden told Katie, setting his black cowboy hat on her golden curls. He took hold of her cake pop and bit off an ear. “Chomp. Chomp.”
Katie giggled.
“We’ll root for both teams,” Mom promised.
“I’m rooting for Hay-Hay,” Irene said firmly.
Eve pulled Hayden aside. “Promise me you aren’t treating this like some sort of grudge match with Steven. I don’t think it’s good for Katie to see so much…aggression.”
“I won’t disappoint any of us.” Hayden brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear. “We’re competing in the spirit of the festival. It’s been a long winter. We’ve got energy to burn. No grudge matches allowed. It’s just you and me.”
Eve might have believed Hayden if his gaze hadn’t shifted toward Steven and hardened.
Steven bounced on the balls of his loafered feet a few yards away, grinning like he’d already won.
Violet hovered at his side, her smile brittle.
She wasn’t the first person to run the obstacle course in heels, but Eve imagined Vi hadn’t considered her footwear when she’d volunteered to partner with Steven.
“I need teams at the first station!” the announcer boomed. “Piggyback egg carry! Ladies, hold the spoon. Gentlemen, get ready to carry your partner. If the egg drops, you go back to the start and get a fresh egg.”
Eve selected an egg and a spoon.
“Shoot,” Vi said, having dropped her egg as she tried to climb onto Steven’s back. She hurried back for another egg, long skirt swirling about her ankles.
“Don’t worry, Evie.” Hayden crouched low in front of her. “I’ve got you,” he said quietly, as if this weren’t a spectacle but something private. “Just focus on the egg. I’ll go slow.”
“Like a turtle.” Reassured, Eve hitched up her skirt, wrapped an arm around Hayden’s collarbone, and leaped on, very nearly dropping her egg.
“That’s it.” Hayden wrapped his arms beneath her legs and stood a little higher until Eve’s face was next to his ear.