“That’s very wise, ladies. You always need to be prepared.”
“Well, we would go more, but for some reason they like to have women teach the classes. If there are guys, they’re under all that padding. So now we just go whenever they’re having a guest instructor that just happens to be a hot guy.” Evelyne licked her lips.
“Oh Evelyne, remember the last one. Oh my. I didn’t think I’d be able to make it through the class without combusting. He was so cut, and when he took his shirt off, his vee, oh my, I thought I was going to have an orgasm just looking at him.” Leigh fanned herself.
Anthony was taking a drink and almost spit his water out across the table. Instead, he ended up swallowing wrong and coughing.
Evie started thumping him on the back, he looked at her out the corner of his eye when she started laughing. Catching his look, she just shrugged.
Evelyne stood up and walked over to the counter. “Speaking of orgasms, who is ready for dessert? My world famous strawberry shortcake, guaranteed to please you.”
“Umm… thanks, I think. But I really should be going.”
“Oh come on honey, live a little. We’ll give you some extra cream.”
“Seriously, I really need to go.” He stood up and walked quickly to the door. Turning towards them he said, “Thank you for an interesting meal.”
He didn’t close the door quick enough before hearing one of them say, “Damn. You were right, Evelyne. He does have a nice ass. I’d love to smack that.”
*
After dinner, Evie was enjoying a glass of wine while swinging gently in the hammock looking up at the stars. Thinking about the ramifications of Anthony showing up and what that would mean to Lexi and why he hadn’t said anything about her e-mail. There has to be something I can do to help. She would do anything for her family and friends even if it meant working with someone whose face haunted Lexi’s nightmares. It was going to take some work, but she would have to keep Anthony and Jeremy separated. Because she would do anything to help her friend and if she projected Jeremy’s evilness onto Anthony that wouldn’t be good. He was his own man.
Could she really do it? Would he allow her to help? What would it be like to work closely with him? All the different scenarios went through her mind trying to think of every possible angle before forcing him to let her help. It was a shame he was so hot, it sure was going to make things interesting.
Chuckling to herself at what the Troublesome Trio said to Anthony over dinner, she didn’t hear his approach.
“Hello, Evie,” he said while he leaned up against the tree at her feet.
She jumped and almost spilled her wine. “Jesus, wear a fucking bell next time.” She tried to be sly about checking out his arm but when he simply moved his arm so she could get a better look she knew she’d have to get better about checking out if it was him or Jeremy.
“Sorry.” She shrugged. “I have to know it’s you and not him.”
He shoved off of the tree and started pacing. “Do you know what it is like for me? Every time I look in the mirror I know that women looked at this face before they were killed by that bastard. I have people looking at me all the time wondering who it is standing there in front of them. He took people I cared for from me. He took five years of my life from me.”
She couldn’t imagine what it must be like for him; especially knowing Jeremy was out there somewhere waiting to strike. She wanted to comfort him, but had no idea how. “What are you going to do?”
He spun towards her stalking until he was inches from her. “What do you think I’m going to do? Anything and everything I can to end his life. Make him pay for everything he’s taken from me.”
She folded her arms across her chest. “And what? Damn everyone who gets in your way?”
“Precisely.”
“What if you had someone to help you?”
“I don’t need help.”
“Yes, you do. You’re too close to this.”
“And you’re not?”
“Only in the fact this happened to my best friend. I didn’t lose everything you did. I wasn’t attacked two times. I might see something you would miss. You both deserve the peace that comes with knowing this piece of shit is locked up.”
“No.” He turned and started to walk away.
Standing there with her mouth open at the audacity of him she dropped her wine glass in the grass and ended up having to run to catch up with him. She moved to block his way placing a hand on his chest. “Listen, buster, either you let me help you or I will do it on my own, and not share my information with you. You had your chance when I e-mailed you a month ago. I’ve heard nothing since then.”