evie

“How’s my favorite daughter?”

“Meh,” I say across the line from the edge of the stool across from Dash and rest my chin in my palm. “Mostly mad at your favorite son, but otherwise fine. How are you? How’s Florida?”

“It’s good. Sunny, as promised,” she says easily. “Why are you mad at your brother?”

“You haven’t talked to him?” I ask surprised as I greedily eye Dash across the bar, rolling my eyes at her question. “By the way he makes it sound, y’all are like two peas in a pod, talking every second.”

“Evie,” she tsks me. “Don’t be a shit. I have talked to your brother. In fact, he’s part of the reason I’m calling. He said he hasn’t talked to you in a couple of days and was getting worried.”

“Oh, really? Is that what he said?” I ask, shaking my head in anger as I feel my eyes begin to narrow. “Did he also tell you that the reason he hasn’t heard from me in a couple of days is because he’s a control freak who’s acting like a real jackass?”

“Evie Grace, good Lord. By talking to you two, you’d swear I raised sailors,” she says dramatically. “What are you talking about?”

“Well, you definitely raised at least one liar,” I shake my head, crossing my arms as I lean against the back of my stool. “Mason found out about Dash and me and he’s been a real jerk about it ever since. Aside from his text this morning informing me I’ve been cut off from, as he put it, ‘the spoiled little liar college fund,’ he won’t talk to either of us.”

“Oh, for the love of Pete,” she groans. I don’t have to see her to know she’s rolling her eyes now. “And what do you mean he found out? I thought you were going to tell him.”

“Well, we were going to tell him…”

“Evie?”

“We were, Mom. I know I made this big production of keeping it a secret, but I wasn’t actually going to keep it from him forever,” I confess, tossing the cherry stem into my empty glass. “He just… we were going to tell him the other night after Dash finished his shift at the bar and he showed up and saw us together,” I explain, my cheeks heating, regardless of the omission. “So, he went ballistic and punched Dash...”

“He hit him?”

“Yeah, you should see his face,” I shake my head, taking in the light bruise still staining his eyelid. “He looks really gross,” I lie, smirking at him when he flips me off across the bar. “Anyway, it was a disaster. We went to the house tried to talk to him and he wouldn’t have it. I’ve been staying with Dash since. Which reminds me,” I turn my attention back to the phone. “Were you ever going to tell me you sold our house?”

“Of course I was, but with everything going on with school and your little secret, I figured you had enough on your plate for one week. I thought we’d talk about it when I got back this weekend,” she explains. “I’m sorry you didn’t hear it from me, but I’m not sure why that’s important right now when you’re fighting with Mason.”

“Uh, because he made a huge production out of buying the house and now I don’t feel welcome there with you gone?” I say honestly, my throat thick and my thoughts sad and resentful. “I mean, he didn’t say I couldn’t stay there, but he kicked Dash out, banned him from the house and tried to forbid me from seeing him so I’m not sure why he thought I would read that as an invitation,” I continue. “I tried reasoning with him, but it was no use, so I left and now he won’t talk to either one of us.”

“Oh, honey,” she sighs into the line. “He’ll calm down, Evie. He’s just surprised and probably hurt you didn’t tell him yourself. You know, I did tell you that if he found out…”

“I know, but if I’m being honest, I don’t think it would have mattered,” I shake my head, shrugging off the feelings creeping in. “He said some really horrible things. To Dash especially.”

“Like what?”

“Nothing,” I lie, returning Dash’s smile as he makes his way back toward my end of the bar. “It was nothing.”

“Alright,” she says, seeming to understand as I silently shift the conversation. “Well, regardless of your brother’s fit, you’ve still got me. I don’t have much, but I’ll help where I can. Do you need me to transfer some money into your account?”

“No, thanks. I still have a little in the bank and one of the girls at the bar keeps calling out, so I’m going to stay at the bar with Dash tonight to help waitress. As far as Mase goes, I don’t care about the money, I just wish he’d stop being so mean,” I admit, my eyes still glued on Dash, thanking him when he gives me another drink. “What I do need is to paint, but with Mason being off work this week, it’s gonna be hard to avoid him and the last thing I want to do is start another fight,” I shake my head. “Anyway, if you talk to him and he cares enough to ask, you can tell Mason his stupid plan backfired. When he’s ready to apologize, he can find me at Dash’s apartment.”

dash

“Okay, what do you want me to do?”

“I’ll tell you what I’d like you to do for me,” I smirk, discreetly pinching her nipple and making her blush as she swats me away.

“You’re so stupid,” she snorts, making me smile wider. “Seriously, what am I doing? And don’t try to trick me into making any bets with you again. You’re a cheater.”

“Oh, whatever. Don’t pretend like you didn’t love that shit, ya little freak,” I chuckle as I lean against the bar and watch her smirk grow beneath her narrowed eyes. “Yeah, I’m onto you.”

“Nevertheless…” she rolls her eyes, making me grin wide.

“Basically the same thing you did last time, but if you want to make any money, you’re gonna have to try and be nice this time,” I tease. “I might have to leave for about an hour to go get some stock, but I won’t go until your brother comes in so you aren’t by yourself.”

“That won’t be awkward at all,” she groans sarcastically. “Maybe we’ll luck out and he won’t show up again.”

“Well, I talked to Walt and he said he’s coming in for sure,” I pull her close, kissing her on the forehead. “Don’t worry about it. If he says anything, just ignore him, okay? I’ll handle it when I get back. Until then, just focus on making some money and having a good night.”

“Okay,” she shrugs, reaching behind me for the spare apron and tying it around her waist.  

“Hey, we had fun before, right?” I ask, trying to lift her spirits, happy when her lips begin to curl up on either side.

“Yeah.”

“Cool,” I smile, kissing her temple once more as I pat her affectionately on her ass and release her. “Love you.”

“Love you,” she replies, reaching up on her toes to give me a quick kiss.

She’s finally smiling right when I hear him toss his keys onto the counter behind her.

“Well, well, well,” he starts, his voice laced with resentment. “Three days in and he’s already got you in an apron. Bravo, dude. I thought it’d take you at least until the end of the week to ruin her life, but you’re really stepping up your game. Good for you.”

“Mason,” she says as she pulls away from me, her expression falling before she faces him. “Don’t start shit.”

“I’m not starting anything, just stating the obvious,” he says smugly. “If my words have the power to hurt you, it’s only because of the truth in them.”

“The only reason you’re even pissed right now is because I’m not allowing you to control what I do for once. If you actually gave a shit about me or how I feel about anything, you would have talked to me when I tried instead of showing your ass and swinging your dick around like an asshole, but I haven’t heard a word from you. You say you’re against this because you think I’m going to get hurt, but how the fuck do you think you’re making me feel because I didn’t do exactly what you wanted for once? I gave you your chance. I tried talking to you at the house, I’ve called, texted, emailed. Everything short of a fucking singing telegram, I’ve tried, Mason. I’ve given you a million chances to say your piece and until you walked in that door and saw that your plan backfired and you didn’t get your way, you just shit all over it. So as far as I’m concerned, your opinion doesn’t really matter anymore. How’s that for some truth?”

“Evie…” he tries, the regret in his expression obvious only for a second.

“Can I see your keys, please?” she asks me as she reaches for her purse. “I need to lock this in the office.”

“Sure,” I nod, squeezing her hand.

“Wow,” he shakes his head, chuckling darkly. “You have really done a number on her.”

“If you think for one second that that girl listens to anything I say about anything, you obviously have no idea who you the fuck she is as a person,” I smirk, gesturing in the direction of the office. “That? You did that to yourself,” I say bluntly. He begins to speak, but before he can, I shake my head cut him off. “Listen, if you’re gonna do this shit all night, you can go now. I get that you hate me right now and you’re going through it, but if you think I’m putting up with this shit all night, you don’t know me very well either, bro.”

“Don’t call me bro,” he insists. “And do you seriously think you can manage without me?”

“I’ve been doing it all week,” I shrug. “Do you think the bar shut down to accommodate your temper tantrum? Because it sure as fuck didn’t. I’ve been covering your shifts so you don’t get fired. You’re welcome, by the way,” I arch my brow before returning my attention to the register. “You do whatever you gotta do, Mason, but like it or not, Evie and I are here for the night. Walt’s out of town, I’m in charge, our server called in and thanks to you, your sister needs cash. She won’t take it from me, so she’s going on the floor tonight with or without your blessing. You wanna stay? Great. You got somewhere else you need to be? Fine. I’ve been getting pretty cozy with your regulars and I have no problem taking more of their money if you’re not feeling up to it,” I say as I slam the register shut and smile wide, pissing him off. “Your call, bro.”