“Hey,” he says, his face softening when he sees me. I let him in.
“Welcome,” I say, swinging my arm around dramatically. “How was your flight?”
“It was okay. I brought some wine,” he says and produces an expensive-looking bottle.
“That’s so nice of you,” I reply, and I have the urge to hug him, but I hold back. “Thank you.”
“Daddy!” Bria yells, running over and colliding with him as he bends down. He just chuckles and picks her up.
“Hello, sweet angel,” he coos, hugging her. “I missed you so much.”
“Elijah is reading me Lord of the Rings,” she says sweetly, wiggling out of his arms. “Can we start reading it at bedtime?”
“Lord of the Rings, eh?” He looks over at me and he raises his eyebrows. I just shrug innocently. Bria runs back over to Elijah. “You must be Elijah, the young man who is corrupting my very young daughter with Tolkien tales.”
Elijah just smiles. “And you’re the one who trusts Evi with your daughter.”
Nick laughs deeply and glances over at me, but I’m too busy glaring at Elijah.
“Yes, that’s me.”
“You’re younger than I expected,” Elijah muses. “No wonder Evi likes going to work so much.” He snickers. Fucking teenagers.
“Elijah!” I shout.
Nick laughs even harder. I feel my cheeks flush, and I leave, beckoning Nick to follow me. He does. I don’t look at him as we walk into the kitchen. I introduce him to my mother.
“Very nice to meet you, Nick,” she says warmly. “Thank you for taking such good care of our Evianna.”
Nick claps a hand on my shoulder. “Of course. She’s taken such good care of us, it’s the least I can do.”
My mother raises her eyebrows but doesn’t say anything. My dad walks in.
“Ah, the famous Nicholas Wilder,” he says, shaking Nick’s hand.
God, he probably thinks I don’t stop blabbing about him when I’m not at work.
“Mr. Halle. Nice to meet you,” Nick says sternly, and as I look at him, he looks a bit nervous. Why does Nick Wilder seem nervous to meet my father?
As we sit down to eat, I gleefully notice how well Nick gets along with my family. Bria seems to like them, too, but that doesn’t surprise me. Elijah and Nick discuss Lord of the Rings, and I sit quietly between Bria and Nick. I haven’t read the books, but clearly, Nick has, because he’s very passionate about them.
I help my mother serve the barbequed tri-tip, mashed potatoes, and a salad. Nick keeps groaning and rubbing his belly. He drinks a beer and laughs with my father as if they’ve known each other for a long time. Of course, everyone is impressed that he’s a doctor.
Nick finishes dessert, which consists of homemade apple pie.
“Evianna, why don’t you cook for us like this? I’d give you a raise.”
I laugh nervously. As if my status as his employee is a normal one.
“I sadly did not inherit my mother’s cooking skills,” I say, and everyone laughs.
“She really didn’t,” Elijah agrees.
We sit around and talk some more, and then Nick excuses Elijah and Bria to finish up the chapter they’re in the middle of. They’re clearly already fast friends.
“Well, I do hope that Evianna has been helpful,” my mom says. “She enjoys working for you.”
Oh god. Where is she going with this?
Nick spins around and looks at me tenderly. He puts an arm around the back of my chair.
“I honestly don’t know what I’d do without her,” he says, but he’s looking at me as he says it, and it sends a chill down my spine. A delightful, quivering chill.
I see my father glance at my mother, and I keep my eyes on Nick. I know that if I look at them, I’ll blush.
“You kids talk. We’re going to go clean up,” my mother says, urging my father up.
“Kids?” Nick laughs. “I’m not a kid. I have a kid.”
“Well, you’re so young, so yes, I consider you a kid. You’re not that much older than Evianna, after all.”
I chuckle and look down at my hands.