Evan

 

“Stop tugging it.” I reached to turn down Eli’s collar for the tenth time.

“It’s scratchy.”

“So stop touching it.” The door handle rattled from the other side, and I straightened. “Okay, buddy, best behavior.”

He flashed me a grin, and the door swung open. “Evan, hello, so glad you could make it.” Her voice was strained, but I expected it. Something told me it would take more than one dinner to win her over.

“Hello, Mrs. Torrence. Nice to see you again.”

She half smiled although it looked more like a grimace. “Oh, and hello, who are you?” She bent down to Eli, and he stuck out his hand. “I’m E, pweased to meet you.”

Oh, Jesus.

“Eli, his name’s Eli.”

“Nice to meet you, Eli.” She poked her head out of the door and looked around. “And your mom, is she here?”

“Hmm, about that, she got called into work. They needed the extra hands what with it being Thanksgiving weekend and all.”

“I see. Well, come in. Becca, your friend is here,” she yelled, her choice of the word ‘friend’ leaving a sour taste in my mouth. Becca and I were much more than just friends.

Footsteps sounded on the stairs, and Becca’s eyes landed on the little person standing beside me. A quizzical frown crossed her face, but Eli had other ideas.

“Becca!” He barrelled past her mom and leaped at Becca, wrapping himself around her waist.

“Hi, buddy. What are you doing here?”

“Mom had to work.” The words rolled off his tongue like a well-rehearsed lie.

“She did, did she?” Becca’s eyes snapped to mine, and I saw the suspicion there, but I wasn’t going to give her the truth here in front of Mrs. Torrence. And besides, if I’d told her Mom had to work last minute, she would have tried to cancel, and I wanted to do this. Needed to do this.

Becca sighed. “Well, come on. Mom made cookies.”

“She did?” Eli’s eyes sparkled with delight. “I wuv cookies.”

“Yes, yes, but not before …”

It was too late. Eli and Becca were already off to the kitchen, leaving me with her mom.

“He’s a little hyper sometimes. Sorry.”

“How old is he?”

“Four.”

“I see, and you’re eighteen?”

I nodded. I knew what she was thinking, so I cleared it up for her. “He wasn’t planned,” I said.

“Oh, I see.”

I stifled a laugh. I didn’t know who was more nervous; her or me. There wasn’t time to overthink it because an older man with graying hair and Becca’s eyes stepped into the hallway. “Hello, you must be Evan. I’m Becca’s father, Geary.” He stuck out his hand, and I accepted.

“Nice to meet you, sir.”

“Did I hear a child laughing?”

“Yes, yes, you did,” the mom said. “Evan brought his little brother with him.”

“How wonderful. It’s been years since we had a child running around the house. Can I get you a beer, Evan?”

“Geary.” She gasped, her eyes widening in horror.

“Now, now, Melinda. It’s one beer, and I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first time.” He flashed me a knowing grin. I liked this guy. He was real. He reminded me a lot of Becca.

“Thanks, Mr. Torrence, but I’m driving.”

“Please never call me Mr. Torrence again; it sounds far too stuffy. Geary is just fine.”

I nodded, following them into the kitchen. It was a real kitchen, separate from the living room. Eli was busy tucking into a cookie while Becca got him juice. “Do you want one?” she asked me, and I shook my head. Her nerves showed in the red stain on her cheeks and down her neck. It was cute.

“Did you have a nice Thanksgiving?” Geary asked me, leaning back against one of the counters.

“We didn’t do much. Mom’s been sick, and I haven’t felt too well.” The reality was Mom had gone to Elaina’s the night before and got wasted, so Eli spent the day trying to coax her out of bed.

“Well, I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Shall we get seated?” Melinda ushered us to our seats, and I tucked Eli onto the chair beside me. Becca sat to my left with Geary opposite and Melinda to his left.

“I hope you like pulled pork?”

Eli smacked his lips together. “It’s the bestest.”

Everyone burst into laughter. Even Melinda managed a smile, and some of the earlier tension disappeared. We could do this. I could be the guy they wanted for their daughter—the kind of guy who went to dinner and made conversation.

Becca’s leg pressed against mine under the table as she leaned up to serve us. I ran a hand over the curve of her thigh, and her breath hitched. I smiled.

Maybe this would even be fun.

~

“Quite a little boy you have there,” Geary said handing me the last of the dishes.

“He’s a handful, but he has a good heart.”

“It can’t be easy, helping to raise him.”

My hand froze. “I’m … hmm, I’m not …”

“It’s okay; you don’t have to answer to me. You’re doing a good job with him. Melinda said your mom is at work?”

“Yes, she got called in at the last minute,” I managed to reply over the giant lump in my throat. “Our sitter is out of town for a while. She helps out when Mom is at work and I’m at school.”

Why was I telling him this? A man I’d never met before today? It felt oddly comforting to know someone gave a crap.

His hand landed on my shoulder. “I was worried, you know, when Melinda first mentioned that Becca might be seeing someone. She’s my daughter, my everything, but I can see I have nothing to worry about.” He patted me and moved away.

“Dad?” Becca entered the room, but I didn’t need to look. I’d felt her before she even spoke.

“I’m going to check on your mother and Eli.”

“He’s out cold on the couch. Mom looks terrified; you might want to get in there before she has a breakdown.”

Geary let out a throaty laugh before leaving us. Becca came up to me, wrapping her arms around my waist and leaning her head against my back. ”Do I even want to know?”

“He told me if I ever hurt you, he’d have to kill me.”

Her body went rigid. I dried my hands off with the towel and turned in her arms. “Hey, what’s wrong? I’m joking.” She looked like a deer caught in the headlights. “Becca, it was a joke. He’s a good guy; I like him a lot.”

Becca blinked, and the tension in her face melted away. “He’s the best. Now we just have to crack Mom.”

Her mom hadn’t been that bad. She’d made a couple of snide comments during dinner, asked some questions that I just didn’t have the answers to, but on the whole, it had gone okay. Eli kept the mood light. It was impossible not to love the little shit.

“So …” I leaned down, my face hovering millimeters from hers. “Is this the part where we sneak off to your room?”

“Evan.” She gasped, and I couldn’t resist. My lips crushed against hers, and I slipped my tongue into her mouth, drawing her body closer with my arm. Becca’s hand slid up my chest and curled in my t-shirt.

“God, I missed you,” I murmured against her lips, and she responded, pressing closer, moaning softly.

“Uhh, hmm.” Someone cleared their throat, and my heart sank. It couldn’t have been her dad.

“Hi, Mrs. Torrence. I was just telling Becca what a lovely meal you cooked.”

Becca pressed her face into my chest while I smiled at Melinda. But she wasn’t smiling. Her eyes narrowed as she clipped out, “Your brother is asleep. I think it’s probably best you take him home so he can sleep.”

“But Mom …” Becca turned around.

“It’s fine.” I dropped a kiss on her head, not wanting to make things any worse. “I’ll text you later.”

Melinda moved aside to let me past, and I realized my error. Today hadn’t been about getting to know me; it was to gather her case against me.

And I’d given her all the ammunition she needed.

~

“Evan, wait.”

My hand lingered on the door. 

“Evan, please.”

I turned slowly, and Becca came to a breathless halt in front of me. “I’m so sorry.” Her voice cracked with regret.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for. Look, I should get him home.” I flicked my head to Eli, sleeping soundly in his seat in the back of the Impala.

“Evan.” She stepped closer. “Don’t let her come between us. She’s just protective.”

It was more than that. I saw the way she looked at me—like I didn’t deserve her daughter. Like I wasn’t good enough for her daughter. 

Maybe I wasn’t.

“I get it.” It came out shorter than I intended. I knew it wasn’t Becca’s fault her mom felt the way she did, but I knew how it went. Melinda would be whispering in her ear, determined to make her daughter see things from her perspective. They might have ended up in Credence, but they came from a different world.

Becca’s hand pressed against my chest, dancing up my torso to my jaw. “I love you, Evan. I’m in love with you. I don’t care what she thinks. I’m eighteen; I’m not a child. Don’t let her do this.” Her eyes pleaded with me, but I was stuck on the part where she said she loved me.

My mouth landed on hers, hard and punishing. Her mom was probably spying on us from the window, watching everything, but I couldn’t find it in me to care. Becca had chosen... and she’d chosen me. 

“Evan ... breathe ... I need to breathe.”

Releasing her, I ran my nose along her cheek and whispered, “I love you, too.”

“Is your mom really at work?” She didn’t acknowledge my declaration. “I could come back with you until she gets back?”

“Is that a good idea?” My eyes scanned the house, expecting to see the curtains swish. They didn’t. 

“Dad’s making your case as we speak. I want you, Evan.” Desire flashed in her eyes.

“I lied. Mom’s not at work. She’ll probably be gone all night. My aunt and uncle throw this big party every year. It gets messy. I didn’t want to ...”

“Shh.” She pressed a finger to my lips. “I understand.”

“He might wake up.” I flicked my head to where Eli was.

A smile tugged at her lips. “I’ll take the risk.”

The drive back to my house was quiet, interrupted only by Eli’s baby snore. I carried him inside and tucked him in. Becca was sitting on the edge of my bed. Her eyes slid to mine as I watched her from the doorway.

“She’ll be gone all night?”

I nodded, heat flashing through me.

“I’m sorry my mom is such a bitch. She wasn’t always like this.” Becca dropped her head, and I stalked forward, kicking the door shut behind me.

“She’ll come around.” I hoped. It was ironic really; I had a mother who didn’t care enough, and Becca had one who cared too much.

“Come here.” My hand reached for her, and Becca came willingly. I tugged her up and said, “I want to know everything about you, Becca. The girl you were before you came here. What your hopes and dreams are. What you want from life. This is a big deal to me. You know I have a hard time letting people in but not with you. Never with you.”

“Evan, I—”

My lips slanted over hers. We could talk later or tomorrow or the next day. Right now, I needed something else from her. Becca murmured against my mouth, trying to wriggle out of my grasp. “Everything. I want to know everything,” I whispered. “But right now, I really need to kiss you.”