Dressed in a long, flowy, belted red dress and matching fedora, the woman literally took his breath away. And the closer she got to where he was sitting, the clearer Beckett’s answer to his earlier question became.
Oh, yeah. Definitely still there.
He shot to his feet, nearly toppling over his chair in the process. After repositioning it to ensure it wouldn’t fall, he stepped around the table’s edge to greet her.
“Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.” He flashed her a grin and raised his arms out to his sides, offering her a friendly hug.
Evie approached him with the same dimple-dipping smile he’d longed to see. “Hi, Beckett.” She went willingly into his arms. “It’s great to see you again.”
Beckett closed his eyes and savored the moment, subtly inhaling her intoxicating scent. She smelled of warm vanilla with a hint of strawberries, making him wonder if she tasted just as sweet. And it was in that moment when Beckett knew…
I’m in deep, deep trouble.
“You, too, darlin’. You look…amazing.” He gave another small squeeze before begrudgingly letting her go.
“Thank you.” A light hue of pink filled her porcelain cheeks as Evie tucked a few curls behind her ear. “So do you.”
She moved toward the empty seat across from his, but Beckett beat her to the punch. Pulling it out for her—as any true gentleman would—he waited for her to sit before gently aiding in her efforts to scoot closer to the table.
“Thank you,” she offered again, taking her hat off her head and setting it in the empty chair to her left.
As he walked back to his seat, Beckett noticed Evie lightly running a hand through her brunette strands. His fingers itched with the urge to reach out and do the same. Instead, he sat across from her, adjusting his chair before resting his forearms on the table’s edge.
“This is so surreal.” Evie stared back at him with an almost awe-like expression. “I can’t believe you live here.”
“I still can’t believeyou’rehere. I mean…what are the odds, right?”
About a billion to one, if I had to take a guess.
“I know.” Her thick curls feathered across her shoulders with a gentle shake of her head.
With the rest of the restaurant almost completely tuned out, Beckett began the conversation he’d rehearsed endlessly in his mind ever since she agreed to meet him for lunch.
“You said you’re here for a couple more weeks?”
“Yep.” Those dimples caved in a smidge more. “My friend Lo…short for Lauren…is spending some time with her sister in Michigan. Since my place is still being subleased for another few weeks, I offered to house-sit for Lo while she’s gone. And thanks to online banking and shopping, I was able to replace my phone, and debit and credit cards, fairly quickly. I also ordered a fewthings I was forced to abandon overseas. Clothes, toiletries…that sort of thing.”
“So you’re doing okay, then? There’s nothing you need while you’re in town?”
Name it, and it’s yours.
“Nope.” She shook her head. “I’m good. Well…better, anyway.”
Beckett’s lips parted with the intention of asking why she hadn’t chosen to stay with her father. But their server picked that exact same time to approach the table, so he clamped his mouth shut and decided to wait.
“Hi, I’m Adam.” The twenty-something man smiled down at Evie. “Can I bring you something to drink?”
“Water’s fine, thank you.” She grinned. But almost as quickly, she said, “Actually…can you please change that to a Diet Pepsi, instead?” To Beckett, she added a quieter, “I’m feeling like having some bubbles.”
Damn, if she isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen.
“Sure thing. Are you two ready to order, as well, or do you need more time to look over the menu?”
“Oh, um…” Evie glanced across the table at him and back to Adam. “If you could give us a couple more minutes, that would be great.”
“No problem. I’ll be right back with that Diet Pepsi.”
“Thank you.”