Between Forever, page 15
But that’s not my call to make, so I scroll on and find articles on Evan’s football injury and then…the report on Lindsay’s accident.
Local Football Star Evan Wallace’s wife dies in horrific car accident.
Photos of her mangled SUV being pulled out of the Carson River are included in the article. It confirms what Evan told me, though the article doesn’t mention her pregnancy or her affair with Troy Everson. A knock on my door jostles me out of my thoughts, and I jump, almost spilling my coffee. “Who knows I’m home?”
I set the laptop down and peek out the side window. “Jesus, Mary and Joseph,” I whisper as I open the door. “Evan? Is that you?” I ask, his short hair and…holy fuck. He grins a broad, white smile.
“Can I come in?”
“Sure,” I stutter as I back away and allow him into my house. He stands in the entryway and takes off his jacket, and I see he’s forgone the flannel and jeans, and he’s in a crisp button-down shirt and khakis. My eyes go from that handsome face down to his shoes and back up, a sly grin attempting to take over my face. “Cat got your tongue?” He giggles. I imagine my face gets beet red as he lifts my chin to his face. “How ya doing gorgeous?”
“Uh uh, I’m…umm, I’m okay.” I stutter once again. He laughs out loud and walks by me, the sexy smell of his cologne waking up parts of me that have been asleep for a long time. “What are you doing here?” I ask as his eyes hit my laptop. He stares for a brief second, and I dart over, closing the lid.
“Researching me?” He turns his sexy face now full of confusion.
“No,” I say. “I was trying to find information on my dad, and that popped up.”
“It just popped up, huh?”
“Look at the search bar,” I huff as I reopen the laptop.
Prominent deaths in Camden, County
He relaxes as he sees that. “I’m sorry, I just thought…”
“It’s okay, I’m sorry if I was nosey when that came up.”
“It’s public record, I can’t stop you,” he says. “So did my story check out?”
“What? Yeah, of course, it did.”
“I figured maybe you thought I was lying.”
“No, I never thought that Evan.” I turn towards the kitchen. “Do you want some coffee or a beer?” I ask, quickly changing the subject.
“I’ll take a beer…a cup of coffee sounds nice, thank you.” His change of heart doesn’t pass by me though, so I cut him a break and pretend I didn’t hear him almost request a beer. His presence made me nervous before, but now? Maybe I’m the one that needs that beer.
I grab my cup and refill it while making him a cup, black. When I walk back in, he’s on my laptop scrolling through what I’ve been looking at.
“Now you’re checking up on me?” I ask.
“No, I saw in the other window about Lindsay’s father’s accident. I remember that like it was yesterday. She was devastated.”
“I imagine so,” I say as I sit in the chair across from him unable to take my eyes off of him. I suddenly feel very insecure sitting here in my sweats and slippers. He looks up at me and smiles, and my body warms instantly.
“You look good,” he says, and I almost spew my coffee.
“You’re joking right?” I laugh as I lick a drop of coffee off my lip.
“No, I’m not,” he says as he stands up and walks towards me. My hands start shaking so I set my cup down on the table. “I went to Lani’s, and she told me she brought you home, are you sure you’re okay to be alone?” He asks as he gets to his knees in front of me, placing his warm hands on my legs.
“I’m good, Evan. I needed to come home.”
“Well, you look hungry. Are you up for dinner out somewhere?”
“Are you asking me…”
“On a date? Yeah, I guess I am.”
“You don’t date, Evan.”
“I haven’t lately no, but now’s the time I started.”
“And you want to start that with me?”
“I can’t think of a better person I’d rather start with.” He smiles as he stands up and holds his hand out for me to stand. I get to my feet, and my eyes are lined up with his full lips and my mind flashbacks to that kiss at Lani’s.
“I should change,” I pull back and duck out of his reach before I do something foolish.
“When we get back, we can do some more searching on your dad. See if we can find out what really happened.”
“Okay,” I shy away and duck into my bedroom and stand there, aimlessly trying to figure out what in the hell is going on. I walk into my closet and grab a sweater and some leggings and lay them out on the bed. Thankfully my knee-high boots are easy to reach, so I slide those out as well. I brush my hair out and put on a little makeup, just to cover the circles under my eyes, and some gloss I’m ready. Well, I can’t be sure I’m indeed prepared for this, but I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
I toss a few things into my purse and head back into the living room to see Evan standing at the picture window staring out over the mountains, lost in his thoughts. I stop and watch him, one hand in his pocket, the other fidgeting at his side. I realize he’s taken his wedding ring off, the slight tan line glowing in the light. I can tell he misses it by the way his fingers are rubbing together. For the first time since we’ve met, he seems nervous. I walk over to him quietly and take his hand, pressing my lips to his ring finger. I don’t say anything, I just smile and then let his hand go before turning away. Before I can walk away, he grabs my hand. I stop and look back at our hands, but I don’t turn around. I can’t, not right now. This is way too intimate, and I need to catch myself. He’s rebounding, I can’t get involved.
“Look at me,” he says. His voice reverberating up my spine. I lift my eyes to meet his, and we hang there, staring into each other’s eyes, “I said you looked good earlier, but I lied. You’re absolutely stunning, Trudi.” He steps towards me and takes my other hand. I try to pull back, but he’s stronger than I am. But he senses my unease, and he lets my hands go. I don’t walk away, but I can’t let myself get too close. He came around after my accident, but now I’m not sure why he’s still around. “You ready?”
I nod, unable to form words. I’m overwhelmed by the reality of the fact that I’m going out with Evan Wallace after all these years. It just doesn’t seem real. But it is real, he’s right here in my living room, and I still can’t believe it. He opens the door for me, and I step out onto my front porch, then follow him to his truck. He’s a real gentleman and opens the door to his truck, and I realize I’m not going to be able to get into the passenger seat. So he steps in behind me and lifts me carefully, setting me into the seat. I grunt quietly at the lingering pain but manage a smile. He pulls the seatbelt and leans over me, fastening it. His eyes stay with me the whole time, and a shiver runs up my spine.
He backs out and heads down the country road towards town, and I catch him looking at me through my peripheral vision. I can’t look right at him, and I don’t want him to catch me looking at him. I feel like I’m in the wrong place at the right time, and I’m not sure how I feel about that. We ride in silence until he finally speaks.
“Did you find anything out about your father?”
I shake my head, “No, not yet. I’m hoping to get down to the courthouse this week and research the archives.”
“If he was told to leave town, the records may be sealed. I imagine it’s not going to be easy finding out much.”
“Well, I have to try. If my father killed someone, then my mother lied about it. And she’s no longer here for me to ask.” I pout.
“There are still a lot of people in this town that were here back then, I imagine someone…somewhere knows.”
“You know what I wish I knew?” I ask, peering at him. “I wish I could determine if I really saw him in the library, or if I just dreamed him. Because he pops up in my dreams now, and I can’t distinguish dreams from reality.”
“I totally understand that dreams invade my sleep all the time. I’ll help you best I can.”
“Why? Why would you help me?” I ask, confused.
“Because I want to, it’ll give me something else to do besides drink.” He laughs. I imagine that’ll not change because it’s who he is now. But I’m not a charity case, and I can’t help but think he feels guilty, and that’s the only reason why he’s still around. Lani wouldn’t like the way I’m thinking, but I can’t help it.
I watch the road as he leaves the city limits. “Where are we going?”
“To a new little place in Fallmont that’s supposed to be really good. I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable being seen with me.”
“What? Why would I be uncomfortable?” I ask, thinking it’s probably him that feels uncomfortable and doesn’t want to be seen with me.
“I have a not-so-nice reputation in town, I was trying to protect you from that.”
“I don’t need your protection, Evan. I’m a big girl.” I say, annoyed at his assumptions. He turns off onto a side street and stops, putting the truck in park.
“Is there someplace you’d rather go? I’m sorry, but I just assumed…”
“You know what they say about assuming, right?”
“You’re right. So, tell me where you want to go.” He smiles.
“Back to Camden, the Diner.”
“I’d rather take you someplace nicer than the diner.”
“Evan, do I look like a woman who needs fancy dinners? I was in the hospital for four days, a big juicy burger and fries is what I crave. Plus, there’s someone there I need to see.”
“Your wish is my command,” he says as he makes a quick U-turn and heads back towards town. He doesn’t say anything more, but I watch his eyes regularly checking the mirrors. I lean forward and glance out the side mirror to a set of headlights behind us, driving awful close.
“What is it?” I ask.
“I dunno, but that car got up behind us really quickly, and it’s not backed off,” he says as we slow to pull into the diner parking lot. After we turn, the car that was behind us continues on, and I sense the relief in Evan.
“I think it’s just your imagination, Evan. As you said, you have a ‘reputation’ in this town.” I joke. He huffs out a laugh, but I can tell he’s concerned about it.
We park under the big red ‘Freda’s Diner’ sign, and I smile. Evan looks at me and grins, “You sure this is where you want to eat?”
“Absolutely,” I smile as I open the truck door, realizing I’m going to need help getting out.
“Sit tight,” he says as he gets out and rounds the front of the truck. He leans in and lifts me from under my arms, and I slide down his body, the heat radiating off of his skin. A charge of electricity or something shoot through me as his arms cage me against his truck. His eyes flash with excitement, but I scoot out under his arms, totally not ready for that. I refuse to be another notch on his bedpost. At least not yet.
We walk into the diner, and the smell of grease and coffee is so strong that my stomach growls. “Hungry,” Evan asks as we walk in.
“Trudi!” I hear Lois squeal as we walk in, but she stops short when she see’s who I’m with. “Trudi, how are you?” She asks as she leans in for a hug.
“I’m good, Lois. Better.”
“I heard you had an accident,” she says stepping back to look at me. “You don’t look like you had an accident. They must have taken good care of you.” She smiles. “I really am glad you’re okay, Trudi.”
“Why didn’t you come see me?”
“Asshole Devon, has me pulling double shifts four times a week. By the time I got off I was about ready to fall out.”
“He needs to lay off of you,” I say.
“Well, until he can find another waitress…” she leers at me.
“I am not waiting tables, Lois.” I groan.
“We’ve not been able to stay fully staffed since your mama died.”
“I’m sorry. Hopefully someone will apply soon that can fill her shoes.”
“You guys want your corner booth?”
“Yes, please.”
“Follow me,” and Evan and I follow her through the diner, eyes on us. I can feel them, but I ignore them. We sit down, and she hands us menus and heads to her other tables, “I’ll be right back.”
Chapter 21
This is not where I wanted to take her on our first date, but she seems right at home here. “Your mom worked here?”
“Yeah, for many years. Lois is like my second mom.”
“It’s good you have her.”
“Well, we haven’t been very close lately. It took me a while to come back in here after mama died, but after seeing her last week, I knew I needed to come more often. Plus, she might know something about daddy.”
I nod, already knowing that’s why she wanted to come here. I remember seeing her leaving the night I showed up here with Deb, and I also remember the look on her face when she saw me with her.
We order, and I watch Trudi scarf down her burger like she’s not had a meal in days, and I guess she hasn’t. I laugh because she’s got grease on her bottom lip. I reach over and swipe it from her lip and then suck it off my thumb. She grabs her napkin and wipes her mouth, but the damage is done, and I can’t be happier.
A few minutes later, Lois comes and scoots into the booth next to Trudi and stares me down. “So, what are you kids up to tonight?” She smirks.
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you,” Trudi responds as she pulls the document I gave her out of her purse and hands it to Lois.
“What’s this?” She asks as she opens the document.
“Evan found it in the library rubble, does it make any sense to you?” Trudi asks as Lois reads the document, and instantly you see it on her face. Lois folds the paper back up and hands it to Trudi.
“Oh boy,” she mumbles.
“What? Tell me what you know, Lois.”
“I can’t Tru, I promised your ma…”
“Mom is dead, Lois. She can’t get mad at you for telling me. Please make this easier on me and tell me what you know. I’ll find out either way, so you might as well just tell me.”
Lois exhales a deep breath and looks at up Evan, sadness in her eyes.
“What? What does Evan have to do with this?”
“Nothing, that I know of. I can just see the judgment in his eyes,” she laughs.
“I’ve got no right to judge anyone, Lois,” I say. “If anything, I’ve lived through so much judgment for one lifetime, that I couldn’t possibly judge you, or anyone else.”
Lois looks at me, then back down at her hands which are now fisted on her lap. She takes a deep breath but doesn’t look up at Trudi.
“I don’t know too much, only what Liza told me.” She sighs. “She told me Clint was leaving town, that he’d gotten into some trouble, that the North/south feud was about to explode and he was dead in the center of it.”
“Why did she tell me she cheated and that’s why he left?”
“It was what the courts told him to do, only he told your mama a little more than he was supposed to.”
Lois looks up at me and smiles a sad smile. “What do I have to do with this?”
“Clint killed a man but claimed self-defense. The jury didn’t believe him, but the man he killed was a prominent figure in town and to avoid any more uproar, they decided to make the man’s death look like an accident and forced Clint to leave to avoid prosecution. He had no choice,” she says to us both.
I reach over and take Trudi’s shaking hand and make a feeble attempt at trying to calm her down.
“Who did he kill?”
“It was never announced, but the town assumed it was the mayor as he died in a skiing accident right about the same time. People put two and two together,” she says, looking up at me.
“Wait, Dean Buchannan? Lindsay’s father?” I ask. Lois nods and looks away.
“That’s all I know, honestly. And I can’t even be sure that’s who he killed, but that was the only person that we knew of that had passed recently.”
“How did we not hear about this on the news?”
“Trial was held in Norfolk, sequestered jury. All the jurors took an oath that the case not be made public. Any leakage and the jurors would have been arrested.”
“Jesus,” I whisper as Trudi’s eyes water.
“Oh my God,” Trudi says as she looks out the window onto the dark street outside. She gets quiet and stares onto the streets, a few passing cars traveling by. “How?” She asks quietly.
“I don’t know, Tru. That wasn’t disclosed.”
“Mayor Buchannan died in a skiing accident,” I say.
“That’s what they led the public to believe, Evan. I’m sorry, I hate that you both found out this way,” Lois apologizes.
“How could you let me believe all of these years that my dad just left us out in the cold, struggling to make ends meet? How could you sit back and watch me miss my dad, and not say anything?” Trudi begins to cry, and my heart breaks for her.
“Lois, are you positive this is what happened?” I ask.
“Again, I only know what your mama told me, and what floated around the gossip mill. People were only speculating, so I guess it’s possible something else happened. No one really knows for sure.”
“Except my father,” Trudi says.
“Yes, he would know. But no one knows where he is,” Lois says.
“He’s here,” Tru says, her eyes glazed over as she looks outside.
“Who’s here?” Lois asks.
“My father, he came to see me before the floor collapsed in the library.”
“Are you sure?”
“Honestly, no. But he warned me of some impending storm. I didn’t get it, and before I could ask any more questions, he ran off. Then my accident…I can’t be sure if it was real or not,” I say.
“Oh honey, maybe he is here, and we can find out the truth.” Lois pats Trudi on the hand.
“I want to know what the storm is he mentioned,” I say.
