11. Chapter 9
Chapter 9
Evie
I try to open my eyes, but the bright light beaming through the curtains makes me shut them tight again. I place my hand over my eyes trying to block the ridiculous light, as I attempt to will my eyes to just open again.
As soon as I’m able to peek through my lashes, the ache and thump starts to build behind my exhausted eyes.
I realize that I’m still in the living room and the fucking sun came up, peaking through the curtains that no one closed last night.
I grumble, moan, and roll off of the couch, still covering my eyes as I stumble to the window to shut the fucking curtains.
“Shh, quietly. My head is killing me.” Emily groans from the recliner.
“Okay, pain reliever and Gatorade, drink up bitches. Remind me to get some red bull for your house.” Lily walks in from the kitchen looking as much like a zombie as we do. She gives us each a bottle of Lemon-Lime Gatorade and two brown pills.
I take the little round tablets and down half of my Gatorade as I plop back down on the couch.
I hear the front door creak open and watch as all three of our boys come into view carrying coffee cups and familiar brown to go bags with the logo of, The Original Pierre Maspero’s.
My mouth waters when the smell of the cinnamon and sugar from the best gooey breakfast in the quarter hits my nose, making me actually want to get up.
“Okay girls, time to get to work. We got you some breakfast and coffee to nurse your hangovers while we go through what you found last night.” Liams voice is softer than usual.
Smart man.
I sit up when Brix brings me a Styrofoam container containing my favorite Louisiana Lost Bread, then hands me a cup of coffee before running back to the kitchen.
The other two boys bring my friends their breakfast as well. I see the hint of shock on Lilys face when Noah hands her a cup of coffee as well, then turns on his heel, heading back towards the kitchen with Brix.
“Well, this is something no guy has ever done for me before. I didn’t even sleep with him last night.” Lily whispers before taking a sip of her coffee, “Fuck, this is perfect,” she says as she opens her container, “He even got my favorite breakfast! Ham, bacon, and cheese omelet, with hashbrowns and biscuits. How did he know I prefer blackberry jelly?” Her eyes soften as she takes her first bite and moans.
“I’m sure it was just a lucky guess.” I say as I bite into the large strawberry on my fork.
I lick the whipped cream off my lips as the combination of sweet flavors explode on my tongue. I smile as I get another bite ready with the sweet bread dipped into the maple syrup. I can’t help but smile as I shove the larger-than-life bite in my mouth.
“Slow down Eaves, you have plenty of time to eat before you have to be at work.” Brix chimes in as he takes a seat next to me on the couch.
“It’s just so freaking good!” I reply with a grin as I take an even bigger bite as soon as I swallow the last.
I hurry and finish my food and sit with my friends while I finish my coffee.
“Sorry that you guys will have to do all the research stuff today without me, but it looks like you will have good company. Keep me updated please.” I smirk at my friends, who don’t look unhappy about having to spend the day with the boys.
“What exactly are we looking for?” Lily asks the million-dollar question.
“A loophole. It’s what my mama looked for until she died. I wish I knew exactly what we are supposed to be looking for, but I honestly don’t know. The more of us looking at it, the easier it should be to find though right? There may not be anything to find, but knowledge is power. The full story of the Casket Girls is in the leather-bound journal with dried lavender tied in the leather strings I found in my mama’s closet.” I explain before I get up and kiss Brix on the cheek and say thank you for breakfast.
“We will all be thorough, I promise.” Emily tries to put my nerves at ease.
I feel bad, but I can’t close the shop again. I just have to trust my friends to go through everything and see what they find.
I move through my routine and am out the door in record time after saying goodbye to my friends, who are all already hard at work in the dining room.
I take a deep breath of fresh air as I head down the sidewalk towards my shop, thankful for the cool breeze today.
I’m exhausted and scared of what the future could hold for me and Brix. Knowing, yet not knowing, is actually torture.
Will I survive this? Will I survive if I fail and lose him again?
I can’t help but feel defeated, wallowing in the fact that since the curse began back in the late seventeen hundreds, no one has been able to find a loophole or break it.
How are we going to be any different?
I get to my shop and move slowly through the day, looking at the clock on the wall every time my eyes try to close. Which is every fifteen minutes.
It’s funny, for the last two years I have tried to figure out who my father is and all along, the answers were in Mamas’ letter and hidden in our house.
My phone dings putting the first genuine smile on my face all day at seeing Brix’s name pop up on my phone with a new text.
Brix: “I’ll have dinner ready when you get home tonight. Any requests, my little witch?”
Evie: “Are you cooking?”
Brix: “Yup! And I’ll have you know I’m actually a pretty good cook since Noah gave me some lessons.”
Evie: Oh really? How about Chicken Piccata?”
Brix: Piece of cake!
Evie: Ooh, and cake! Impressive!
I reply with a smirk, knowing Noah is probably preparing dinner in my kitchen to make it look like Brix made it. I could be wrong, but he never cooked for me before.
I guess we were still kids, and I couldn’t cook either. I’m better now, with easy shit, but in all honesty, I’m no chef. Emily cooks most of our meals, and I love her for it.
I at least perk up and talk to the few customers that come in the store. Thank God they were some of my regulars and I didn’t have to help them much.
When it’s finally closing time, I lock up and hurry out the back door with Jinx fast on my heels. I didn’t even see him in the store today.
“Hey, Jinxy. Ready to go home and get dinner? Brix is cooking.” I can’t help but laugh as I get excited heading home.
When I finally make it up on my porch and open my front door, the smell of lemon, garlic, and capers hit my nose, making my mouth water.
“Smells really good Brix!” I holler, making my way to the kitchen.
Brixon is standing by the large, white, granite countertop holding two glasses of wine. Moscato, I presume from the bubbles. He knows I hate champagne ever since I got sick drinking it on my seventeenth birthday down in the bayou.
Liam and Noah snatched several bottles one night from one of our parents’ parties. We all got sick that night, mixing the champagne with hard liquor that Cami and I took from our parents’ liquor cabinets.
“How was your day, dear?” Brixon smiles as he hands me one of the glasses and kisses my lips softly, pulling back with the cheesiest grin on his face.
“Good I guess.” I reply with a smirk as he eyes me, cocking an eyebrow.
“Okay, I was bored out of my mind and all I wanted to do all day was take a nap.” I confess with a slight whine to my voice.
Brix chuckles, “I figured you would be nursing one hell of a hangover after last night.”
I shake my head, smiling, remembering the guys finally getting into the dance with us last night when we made them watch Practical Magic. We honestly didn’t give them a choice, “The worst.” I agree.
Come on, alchey, let’s make sure you eat enough to absorb what you drink tonight.” Brix takes my hand, leading me to the dining room.
I follow taking a sip of my wine, “Mm, Stella Rosa Golden Honey Peach.” I know this flavor anywhere.
“Lily said it was your favorite.” He admits, proud of himself.
“I pretty much love all the Stella Rosa selections, except a couple, so you can never go wrong with it.”
Candles are lit in the breakfast nook, highlighting the amazing plates of Chicken Piccata. The table is set with Gran’s China and looks absolutely stunning, showing off her perfect hand polished silverware.
“Brix, this is beautiful.” I say as he ushers me into the bench seat.
He scoots in next to me at the booth style table, making sure I am in front of my plate. He takes my hand in his cupping the top with his other hand, “I figured you would be hungry, since I know you rarely eat lunch, and had Noah make his famous pecan praline bread pudding for dessert.”
“Oh dang, be careful, a girl could get used to this.” I smirk at him.
“Get used to it, this is our lives now. We can take turns cooking, picking up after dinner, all the things. This, us, it’s all that matters to me now.” Brix turns, looking me in the eyes as he squeezes my hand.
I can feel his nervousness, but I can’t get an image off of him that isn’t fuzzy.
He lifts my hand still in his and kisses my palm before he places it back on the table. All I feel is his happiness.
I look back to the beautiful work of art in front of me and almost feel bad for messing it up when I pick up my fork and dig in.
The first bite is heaven, the flavor of butter, garlic, lemon, black pepper, and the salt from the capers is pure heaven in my mouth as I chew. The crisp edges of the chicken really sets it apart.
“Holy shit Brix, this is the best Chicken Piccata I have ever had. I know who is in charge of cooking from now on.”
“Confession,” he smirks and shakes his head, “Noah helped me make dinner, and by helped, I mean he did it all while I helped Liam go through all the stuff you girls found last night. I did try at first, but Noah told me to get out of the kitchen before I ruined it.”
I can’t help but smile. This man is doing everything right. I’m going to enjoy this time with him for as long as the ancestors give me.
We finish dinner and both bottles of wine while talking and laughing, reminiscing about our past, and ultimately talking about what we both want for our future.
Brix gets more wine from the fridge. He comes back in and fills our glasses smiling.
“Why don’t we have dessert in the living room.” He offers.
He has his mischievous smirk that I know all too well.
“Sounds good to me,” I smile, feeling the alcohol a little more as I get up from the table.
Brixon gives me a sweet kiss before rushing towards the oven, “Meet you in there.” He says over his shoulder.
I chuckle as I pick up both of our glasses of wine and take them to the living room.
Brix comes into the living room carrying one big, white bowl with two spoons, and sits next to me. I watch as he takes one of the spoons from the beautifully decorated bowl of pecan praline bread pudding and ice cream.
He dips the spoon into the messy dessert, raising it up to my mouth as he licks his bottom lip, as if watching me take this bite might be the most erotic thing he has ever seen.
I smirk, but right my face quickly, looking him in the eyes as I wrap my lips around the gooey bread and ice cream, letting him pull the spoon back slowly.
“Mm,” I moan as my eyes roll in the back of my head. Perfectly balanced flavors of cinnamon, caramelized sugar, and pecans keep me moaning as I chew the gooey bread.
“I told you Noah could cook.” Brix chuckles as he bites his bottom lip watching me intently.
He raises his hand, wiping the corner of my mouth with the pad of his thumb, then pulls it back, wrapping his perfect lips around it and sucks as he pulls it out, “Soo good.”
Fuck. He is the sexiest man I have ever known, and I don’t want to waste any more time with the what ifs of what could happen.
I want to get lost in Brixon Blaze and forget about everything else for just one night.