Evie
Evie
E vie had slept in late that Saturday morning and loved being able to lay in bed until her cat insisted that she get her ass out of bed to feed him. Toby was a real jerk when he was hungry, but she couldn’t blame him. It was almost eight in the morning when she rolled out of bed to give him his breakfast.
While Toby ate his kibble, she brewed herself some coffee and sat at her kitchen table. She was excited about game night, but more than that, she was excited to see Tyler and Doug’s new place. They had bought their first house together just after Nova and Alex’s wedding, but she hadn’t had a chance to run over to see it yet.
Evie spent the rest of the day vegging in front of the television, watching sappy rom-com movies, and eating popcorn and ice cream until it was time for her to get ready for game night. She decided to go with a casual look tonight and donned her favorite jeans and sweater. Tyler would never let her live it down if she showed up in sweatpants again. She had made that mistake last month and she’d never do that again. They were merciless with their teasing.
Evie checked her reflection and decided that it was as good as it was going to get, grabbing her keys and purse, and slipping on her shoes, she opened her front door and walked right into Rod, his hand up ready to knock.
“What are you doing here?” she asked.
“We need to talk,” he breathed.
“Well, have you finally come to break up with me?” She had been trying to get him to break up with her at work for two days now. He had insisted that it was too early in their fake relationship to start fighting and eventually, break up, but she disagreed. The longer they let this disaster go on, the more chance that they’d blow their cover and Nova would find out. She wanted to stop lying to her friend, but more than that, she wanted this tension between her and Rod to dissipate. She was tired of arguing with him. Evie actually liked the guy and she had a feeling that they could become friends if they could just get past having to lie to everyone about being together.
“No,” he said. “But Alex knows.”
“What?” Evie asked. She was about to invite him in to have their conversation but decided against it when he blurted out what he’d come to talk to her about.
“I didn’t tell him—Tyler kind of did,” he said.
“Tyler kind of did? How is that possible?” she asked.
“It’s a long story,” he said.
“Well, I’m about to go to Tyler’s for game night, so give me the abbreviated version of the story,” Evie insisted.
“Tyler invited me to game night,” he said.
“When did he do that?” Evie asked.
“After you left him stranded for dinner, we both got takeout and he let me buy him a drink. That’s when he asked me to attend,” Rod said. “Just a reminder—you were the one who told Tyler about our little lie.”
“Right, I remember,” she assured.
“Well, Tyler apparently told Alex that he invited me to game night and Alex showed up in my office asking why Tyler had to invite me and why I wasn’t just coming with you.”
“And you told him about us lying to Nova,” she said.
“No, he guessed that we weren’t being completely honest with them, and I can’t lie to my brother,” he said.
“While I find that admirable, Rod, I’ve been lying to a woman who I consider a sister for almost a week now, and you didn’t think twice about asking me to do that. I can’t believe this. You are such a hypocrite,” she shouted, “we’re telling Nova tonight. I’m done with this stupid game.”
“This isn’t a game, Evie,” Rod said. “I honestly thought that I was doing the right thing. I’m sorry.”
She pushed her way out of the door and locked it behind her, just about shoving him out of the way. “Let’s go,” she said, grabbing his hand. She pulled him along to his SUV and jumped into the passenger side. He slipped into the driver’s side and looked her over.
“What the hell are you doing?” he asked.
“I’m making sure that you don’t back out of this. We’re going to Tyler’s for game night, and you are going to tell Nova everything—including the part where this whole thing was your idea and that I was against lying to her from the start,” Evie said.
“You honestly don’t trust me to show up at Tyler’s?” he asked.
“Nope,” she said. “I think that you’ll find a way to get out of it. If I go with you, then you won’t have the chance to back out on me.”
“Won’t showing up together look like we’re actually together?” he asked.
She shrugged, “I don’t care, really. We’ll just sit Nova down and tell her that you made the whole thing up.”
“And then what? We sit around and play board games like nothing happened?” he asked.
“Well, that’s what I plan on doing. You are welcome to leave if you don’t want to stick around,” she insisted.
“I don’t think that you’ve thought this through, honey,” he drawled. He turned onto Main Street, and she knew that they were almost to Tyler and Doug’s. “If I leave you at Tyler’s place, you won’t be able to get home since I’m your ride.” Shit—he was right.
“I’m sure that Nova and Alex will give me a ride home,” she countered.
“Sure, after we spill our guts to Nova, she’s going to be kind enough to run you home after game night.” She knew that he was right about that too, and she wanted to tell him to just shut up. She hated that he was right. Hell, she hated this whole situation.
“What would you have us do then?” she asked. “I mean, you obviously don’t want to come clean with Nova, even though it’s only a matter of time before her husband tells her. Tyler can’t keep a secret to save his life. If he’s already hinted to Alex what’s going on, he’ll do the same with Nova. Then what will we do? Telling her ourselves before anyone else does is the only way.”
“No,” Rod said, “it’s not the only way, honey. We could actually not lie to her another way.” She was trying to keep up with him, but Rod wasn’t making much sense.
“I’m not following,” Evie admitted.
“If we were really together, then we wouldn’t be lying to anyone,” Rod said.
“You can’t be serious,” she said. “You and me?” she asked.
“Sure,” he agreed. “Why not?”
“Because we can’t have one conversation with each other without it ending in a fight,” she said. “Plus, you know my situation, Rod, and don’t pretend you don’t. I know you overheard Alex and me talking about my um, status,” she said. God, she usually had no problem telling a guy that she was a virgin. Why was it so hard to say that word to Rod?
“You mean, the fact that you’re a virgin?” he asked. He parked in front of Tyler’s new place and turned off the engine. She couldn’t look at him, but she knew Rod was staring her down as if daring her to give him the words.
“Yes,” she breathed. “I’m a virgin. I’m betting that you don’t date many of those, Rod.” He pulled her hand into his own and she still couldn’t look at him.
“Evie,” he whispered, “look at me, please.”
“I can’t,” she croaked.
“Please,” he said again.
She was never one to cower at one of his demands but looking at him and having this conversation wasn’t something that she wanted to do. Still, she found herself turning to face him. Rod leaned in and gently kissed her lips.
“What are you doing?” she stuttered, breaking their kiss.
“I’m just seeing something,” he said.
“Seeing something?” she asked.
“Yeah, be quiet and let me figure this out,” he ordered. He smiled and pulled her in for another kiss, this time, she didn’t pull away or want him to stop. If he was seeing that they were compatible, she’d give him his answer—they were.
“Wow,” Rod breathed. “Tell me you didn’t feel that,” he said.
“Do you mean that spark?” she asked. She felt it but telling him that might not be her best idea. What option did she have—he’d just keep kissing her until she admitted that she felt the same thing as him.
“I felt it,” she admitted. “The sparks, I mean.”
“Thank fuck,” he growled.
“It doesn’t change anything,” Evie insisted. “We still lied to Nova and she’s still going to find out.”
He cupped her jaw in his big hand and she couldn’t stop herself from leaning into his touch. “Just give this a chance, honey,” he said. “Please.”
She shouldn’t have agreed to it, really. Evie should have told him that she wasn’t going to jump into a relationship with him just so she could claim not to be lying to her best friend, but she wanted what he was offering. She found herself nodding her agreement to his plea, and before she knew it, she was practically on his lap. Rod pulled her across the center console and wrapped her in his arms.
“Thank you, honey,” he said.
“We still have a lot to talk about, Rod,” she warned. “But Nova and Alex just pulled up and now isn’t the time.”
She watched as her best friend got out of Alex’s car, smiling ear to ear, walking to Rod’s SUV. “We need to go in,” Evie said.
“All right but promise me that when we get back to your place, you’ll ask me in so that we can talk,” he said.
“Talk?” she asked, “just talk?”
“Sure,” he agreed, “unless you have a better idea.” She could come up with about a thousand other things she’d like to do than just talk, but they weren’t ready for that next step. Technically, they had only been together for a matter of minutes now, so talking was going to have to be enough.
“Just talking,” she grumbled. Rod chuckled and helped her out of his SUV.
“You guys beat us here,” Nova said, pulling her in for a hug. “I’m so excited that we’re all here tonight.” She released Evie and tugged Rod down for a quick hug. Evie noted the way Alex looked between the two of them with a knowing smirk on his face.
“How’s it going?” Alex asked his brother.
“Great,” Rod insisted. “Ready for game night.”
“What did you bring?” Evie asked Nova nodding to the casserole dish.
“Well, I made some mac-n-cheese. I’ve been craving it like crazy.” She smiled up at Alex and he took the dish from her. Evie wondered why Nova had stressed the word, “Craving” the way she had, and then it all seemed to click.
“Wait,” Evie said, “are you pregnant?” she asked.
Nova smiled and nodded, her eyes welling with tears. “I am,” she croaked. “I just found out and we’re not really telling many people—just you guys and Tyler and Doug. I want to be further along before we make a big announcement.”
“Does Jack know?” Rod asked.
“Not yet,” Alex said. “He’s one of the ones that we’re going to wait to tell when we’re further along. But I’m betting he’s going to be pretty excited. He’s been asking for either a little brother or a puppy.”
“Yeah, I’m betting that a puppy might have been easier, but at least this way, I won’t have to walk a dog,” Nova teased.
“We can still get him a puppy if you’re still not sure,” Alex offered.
“Right because we need a newborn and a puppy,” she sassed. “I think we should figure out the newborn first and then, maybe when Jack’s older and can help with a puppy, we’ll revisit that plan.” Hearing the two of them talk about their growing family and everyday little things like getting a puppy, made Evie long for those things in her life. As if he could read her mind, Rod reached for her hand, giving it a squeeze. She looked at their joined hands and then up to him, to find him smiling at her like a loon.
“Should we go in?” he asked. “I’m ready to kick my brother’s ass at some board games.”
“I’m betting that they don’t play Candy Land, Rod. That’s more your speed, so don’t get your hopes up,” Alex teased. Evie followed the three of them to Tyler’s porch, never letting go of Rod’s hand. She was trying to not think about all of the things that could possibly go wrong, but Evie knew that a million things could. All they had to do was get through game night and then, she’d sit down with Rod and come up with some rules for whatever this thing was that was happening between them.