Elevating Eve (Fairford Affairs Book 4) by Sinclair Bay

Author:Sinclair, Bay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2024-10-16T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 12

Eve

Huddling deep within her orange Denver sweatshirt, Eve tucked her legs up under her on the oversize deck chair. It took a few tries to get everything situated just right, but she finally made the perfect blanket burrito around her legs, her exposed skin protected from the cool night air.

“No wonder you love it here so much,” she said, leaning back against the plush cushion and closing her eyes. The chirps of crickets and other night insects mingled with the croaks of frogs. An owl call drifted in from somewhere out in the darkness—three short hoots followed by a longer one. Far off to their left, a second owl answered in the same pattern.

She was no stranger to the sounds of nature. Not in northern Vermont. But she could easily imagine how peaceful and beautiful a young Jonathan would’ve found this place when he spent most of his time in the chaotic bustle of southern California.

Jonathan stood on the edge of the large deck, leaning against the railing. For the first time since she’d met him, he had on a T-shirt instead of a button-down and tie. His dark gray sweats were doing wonderful things for his ass, especially with him bent over like that.

Keep it in your pants, Eve, she scolded, not wanting to ruin this beautiful moment.

“My dad and I used to sit out here after everyone else went to bed,” he said, his voice taking on that misty, faraway quality again. “Just the two of us. We’ve both always been night owls. I’m sure everyone knew we were out here, but it always felt like our secret. Like our own special club or something.” His sigh held so many emotions, from gratitude to longing to regret. “We haven’t done anything like that for years.”

Eve was glad he faced away from her and couldn’t see her brush tears from her eyes. She remembered nights like that with her dad when she was growing up. Unlike Jonathan, she never had to wait for the rest of the family to go to bed. It had been just the two of them as long as she could remember.

Staying up way too late, raiding the pantry and the freezer at two AM, talking about anything and everything. She couldn’t even remember what they’d talked about anymore—most of it was nonsense anyway.

But she’d never forget how those nights made her feel.

Like she mattered. Like she wasn’t and never would be alone.

In those moments, she knew, without a doubt, that she was the most important person in his world. Just as he was the most important person in hers.

Sixteen years had gone by since she lost him. In all that time, the depth of her longing for one more night with him hadn’t diminished one bit.

“Are you still close to your dad?” she asked, hoping despite a slight spark of envy that he’d answer yes. She wouldn’t wish her situation on anyone, least of all a person who she’d come to care for deeply.

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