Chapter 11 #2
“Evie’s an amazing person, and I think you’re good for her. The life she has in Seattle is comfortable for her because it’s all she’s ever known. For all you know, she’s looking to see what else is out there for her.”
“Are you actually encouraging her to leave Milo?” he asked with amusement.
“Not intentionally. I just believe that sometimes people refuse to believe they can do something different from what they’re currently doing.
I know there’s going to come a time when I’m going to have to decide where I really want to be.
Milo’s life is back in Seattle even though he’s got his little remote office here.
But once we’re married and start a family, we’re going to need to settle somewhere, and it might not be here in Harbortown. ”
It was on the tip of his tongue to make a snarky comment about not coming back here to cover for her, but he knew she was being serious.
“You take risks for a living, Slater. What’s one more?” she quietly urged.
“The risks I take can only hurt me,” he said gruffly. “I’m not willing to hurt Evie.”
Nora sighed. “You’re going to hurt her anyway, Slater. Shouldn’t she at least have a say?”
Damn. That hit him like a punch to the gut. But before he could say anything, his phone rang. Picking it up, he saw it was Walker and considered letting it go to voicemail.
“Hang on,” he said to Nora before answering the call. “Hey, Walker. What’s up?”
“Hey, Slater. Sorry to bother you, but I thought I should give you a heads-up.”
“What’s going on?”
“I’m up here at the lodge and…well…your father just checked in.”
The string of curses was out before he could stop them.
“What’s going on?” Nora asked, but he held up his hand to stop her.
“Did he ask for me?”
“No. It’s really just a coincidence that I was near the desk when he got here. I thought I recognized him, and I didn’t comment or acknowledge him. If I hadn’t heard his name, I wouldn’t have thought much of it, but I wanted you to know so you’re not completely blindsided when you run into him.”
“If I run into him.”
“Dude, come on. Why else would he be here?”
Why, indeed.
“You’ve got a point,” he said wearily. “Okay, thanks for letting me know. If you can, please let everyone know not to tell him where my office or cabin is. If I have to see him, it’ll be when I’m ready.”
“I’m on it.”
“Thanks.”
“And Slater?”
“Yeah?”
“We’ve got your back. Whatever you need.”
That made him smile. “I appreciate that. And thanks again, Walker. I’ll see you later.” Hanging up, he looked at Nora. “I’m sure by now you know what’s going on.”
“Your dad.”
“Yup.”
“Yikes. What are you going to do?”
“I have no idea, but I’m not ready to deal with him, especially while I’m still trying to figure out everything you and I just finished talking about.”
“His timing certainly sucks.”
That made him chuckle. “Trust me. You have no idea.”
“So, what are you going to do?”
Great question.
Leaning back in his chair, Slater stared up at the ceiling and wondered when his life had gotten so damn complicated. But he already knew the answer.
When he decided to stand still and stay in one place.
So maybe this was his cue to leave.
Evie stared out the car window as they pulled through the resort gates. As much as she loved it here, she was getting a little tired of carpooling with her boss and not having any real time alone.
Well, she didn’t mind staying with Slater and losing her alone time at night, but it would be nice if she wasn’t practically glued at the hip to Milo from eight to five.
“Nora mentioned that we’re all having dinner up at Axel and Maisie’s tonight,” Milo said as he parked. “Everyone except Connor and Lexi, that is. Are you and Slater coming too?”
This was news to her.
“Um…I don’t know. This is the first I’m hearing of it, so…maybe?”
“No pressure. It’s the same time as always, so…” He paused and shut the car off. “Can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
“Are we okay? Did I make things super awkward for us after I went off on Slater the other day?”
“We’re fine, Milo,” she assured him. “And really, I appreciate that you were worried about me. I think all this time together is just starting to be a bit much.” The soft laugh helped ease a little of the tension.
“You and I have worked closely together for years, but now we’re working and practically living together. There’s no separation.”
He nodded. “I never really thought of it like that, but now that it’s out there…”
“It’s a lot. I’ll be leaving in a week and then we’ll have to figure out what that’s going to look like.”
Studying her, he asked, “Is this what you want to do? Keep working for me as my assistant? Or is there something else you’ve thought of doing?”
Evie felt herself frown. “Why would you even ask that?”
“It’s been on my mind a lot lately. And not only about you, but in my own personal life as well.
After Nora admitted to me several months ago that she didn’t think she wanted to keep doing the activity guide thing much longer, it made me think about my own life, and then that led to me thinking about everyone else’s.
Plus, Jayce and I even tried to figure out what Slater was going to do once he left here. ”
“Okay, this is a little off topic but…why does he only like to be called Slater? I have wanted to ask him that like a hundred times, but…”
“To distance himself from his father,” Milo replied. “He’s a junior, so…”
“That makes sense. Sorry. You were saying?”
He shrugged. “I was genuinely curious if there’s something else out there that you’re passionate about.”
Just Slater…
“Not really,” she admitted. “I’m good at organizational stuff, and I enjoy being helpful and working someplace where I learn something new almost every day. It may not sound exciting, but I’m actually quite happy where I’m at.”
That seemed to please him. “We should get going. I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to not think about work for the rest of the night.”
Evie grabbed her satchel and climbed out of the car. “Same. I’m just going to run up to the lodge to grab those files I forgot this morning.”
“Why don’t you just get them tomorrow?”
Laughing softly, she shook her head. “Because I could possibly forget them again. Plus, I’m really in the mood for one of those giant snickerdoodle cookies. I’ve been thinking about it all day.”
“Then I won’t stop you,” he said. “And maybe I’ll see you at dinner?”
“Maybe. I’ll see what Slater has planned.” And with that, she waved and turned to head up to the lodge. The incline always felt like so much more at the end of the day, but she was determined to get her work and the cookie.
Stepping into the lobby, she quickly made her way across it and then went down the hall to Milo’s office.
The files were exactly where she left them, and she slid them into her satchel before turning and going out to the bakery kiosk.
A cup of coffee would be awesome right about now, but she thought that maybe she could make one when she got down to the cabin.
There was a short line, and she got behind a guy who was chatting up the women in front of him.
“You ladies should join me for dinner tonight,” he was saying. “I’m preparing for a big award ceremony and maybe one of you lovely, lovely girls can be my date to the big event.”
Wow…someone thinks highly of himself…
Apparently, the women were eating the attention up because they got all giggly and started asking all kinds of questions.
“What kind of award?”
“Are you going to be in the Hall of Fame?”
Hall of Fame? Evie paused and tried not to be too obvious, but it would be one heck of a coincidence if this guy was who she thought he was.
“Someday,” he said. “But it’s going to be quite a thrill to have an entire day dedicated to me! Wouldn’t you love to come to Cal Slater Day?”
She froze, and the gasp was out and louder than she intended, so loud that Cal heard. He turned around and smiled at her.
“Well, hey there, darlin’. Are you a baseball fan too?”
Evie turned her head slowly and found herself staring up at a man who looked like Slater if Slater had been built entirely out of ego and old leather.
Cal Slater.
“Oh, um…” It felt like the temperature had gone up about twenty degrees, and she had no idea what to say.
He got disrespectfully close. “Don’t be shy, sweetheart,” he cooed, pulling her in like they were old friends. “I’m Cal,” he added, flashing a grin that probably charmed entire stadiums.
Evie didn’t smile back.
The man clearly couldn’t take a hint because he just kept talking on and on and on about himself, practically right in her ear. Her stomach literally lurched as his warm breath hit her cheek. Evie made to move away, but his arm went around her. Without her permission.
Oh. Absolutely not.
Maybe it was a reflex, or maybe she was feeling some sort of something on Slater’s behalf.
Or maybe she was just tired of guys who thought it was okay to touch women without being asked.
“So tell me, what’s a pretty girl like you doing vacationing here at this resort? You look a little more like a city girl than a rustic one. Although I bet you look good in a pair of snug blue jeans.” His hand squeezed her waist even as his arm stayed exactly where it was.
Still.
On her.
Without a flicker of hesitation, she drove her elbow sharply back into his midsection, right into the soft spot beneath his ribs.
Cal’s grin collapsed into a startled wheeze. “Oh!” He staggered half a step back, clutching his side, blinking at her like she’d just broken some universal law of admiration.
Evie took a calm step forward, smoothing her sweater as if nothing had happened. “Hi,” she said politely. “You don’t know me well enough to touch me.”
He stared at her, stunned, breath hitching once more before he straightened with as much dignity as a man who’d just been elbowed by a five-foot-something woman could manage.
“Well,” he coughed, adjusting his jacket, “that’s… a first.”