She smiled and made a show of stroking her chin. “Maybe. But then again, my track record is proof that I’m no expert in the rules of dating.”
“Good. If neither of us know the rules, then we can make our own.”
Walking side by side, they made their way back to the lobby. Alek’s pace slowed as if he was reluctant to leave. He placed his hand on the brass doorknob and looked back at Evelyn.
“Work today is going to be rough. I can already tell.”
Sympathy crept into her eyes. “Why is that?”
“Because leaving a place like this and a person like you to go back to the city—it’s going to feel like abandoning heaven to return to earth.”
Evelyn gave him a playful shove. “You don’t have to lay it on so thick. I already agreed to dinner tomorrow.”
He shrugged. “I’m just making things up as I go. Have a good day, Evelyn.”
Sunlight spilled into the lobby as he tugged the door open. Evelyn squinted as her eyes adjusted, and a tiny gasp escaped her lips.
Standing on the front porch with the biggest bundle of flowers she’d ever seen, was Donny Linden.
8
Not again. Evelyn covered her face with one hand and peeked through her fingers to make sure she wasn’t hallucinating. Donny was still there, wearing a stupid look on his face.
“Oh, hey,” he said, glaring at Alek. “I didn’t know you had visitors in the morning.”
“That didn’t stop you from showing up,” Evelyn growled.
Alek squeezed past Donny and stepped onto the sidewalk. He faced Donny and said, “Don’t worry about me; I came to apologize. I’ll give you two space to sort things out. I need to get to the clinic, anyway. Have a good day, both of you.”
Evelyn hooked the door with her arm and leaned against it. “Thank you, Alek. Take care, okay?”
Alek winked, pivoted on his heel, and strolled toward the front gate.
As soon as he was out of sight, Evelyn pushed Donny away from the door and stepped out. She shut the door behind her and spoke in a hoarse whisper. “What do you think you’re doing here?”
Donny lifted the flowers. “I wanted to bring you these as a peace offering.”
“Donny, you haven’t bought me flowers once in your life. And then you show up at the exact moment I’m trying to patch things up with Alek?” She shook her head. “You expect me to believe this isn’t another idiotic attempt to mess things up between me and him?”
“It’s not, I swear. I feel bad for what I did on Saturday. I should have just talked to you about what I found.”
“Talked to me? You shouldn’t have been poking around in my business in the first place.”
“Under different circumstance, I would agree, but this guy gives me the creeps. You need a microscope to find his digital footprint, and I couldn’t find any record of his parents or childhood. His social media photos are all at least ten years old, and he has huge gaps in his employment history.” Donny exhaled through his nose. “I just don’t want to see you hooking up with a deadbeat or a weirdo. Not when there are guys out there that are so much better for you.”
“Who I ‘hook up with’ is none of your business. And if there are so many perfect Prince Charmings out there, why haven’t I found one?”
Donny was silent for several moments. He adjusted the bundle of flowers under his arm and said, “Maybe you’ve been looking in the wrong places.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
Donny shook his head and held out the bouquet. “Nothing. But will you please take these, as my apology?”
She hesitated for a moment, then wrapped her arms around the thick bundle of stems. “Thank you, Donny. They’re beautiful. Just…let me live my life, okay?”
“Cross my heart. You’re my best friend, Evelyn, and I’m sorry I betrayed your trust.”
“Do you promise not to research Alek online anymore?”
Donny winced then nodded.
Satisfied with his answer, Evelyn shifted the flowers to free up her right arm and gave Donny a hug. “I forgive you. But if you ever do anything like that again, I’ll do worse than let the air out of your tires.”
“Fair enough.” Donny took a step back and wiped a bead of sweat off his face. “I’m having Vanessa over for dinner tonight. Care to join us?”
“I’d rather die.” She caught herself. “Not because of you, because of your sister. Because, you know, she’s an evil hag.”
Donny sighed and stepped onto the sidewalk. “See you around, Evelyn. Love you.”
Evelyn reached for the door and pulled it open. She replied, “You, too,” then carried the flowers inside.
The following morning, Evelyn spent two hours applying, removing, and reapplying her makeup. Half-naked and dripping with sweat, she tore through her closet and dresser, looking for the outfit she had worn to Sonya’s bridal shower. Finally, she gave up and dressed in her usual attire—a button-up shirt and black jeans. She’d have to come back in the afternoon to finish ransacking her apartment.
The sun had burned off most of the morning fog by the time she made it to the Kensington Estate. Silverware clinked against porcelain—the guests had already come down for breakfast. When she passed through the French doors into the dining room, half the guests glanced at her, and half of those wore concerned expressions.
Passing through a swinging door at the far corner, Sonya floated in with a tray of pancakes. When she caught sight of her friend, she dropped the tray on a table and hurried across the room. Upon reaching Evelyn, she whispered, “What happened to you?”
“I’m sorry about being late. I’ll stay late tonight and—”
“No, not that,” Sonya said. She took Evelyn’s arm and led her into the lobby—where the guests couldn’t see her. “What happened to your face?”
Evelyn scowled. “I have a date tonight. I was going for a ‘smoky look.’”
“Uh huh…” Sonya led Evelyn toward the first-floor restroom. “And when is the last time you looked in a mirror?”
“Right before I left my apartment. Why?”
Sonya pushed the bathroom door open and turned on the light, revealing Evelyn’s reflection on the opposite wall.
Evelyn blinked. She looked like an abstract painting. The sweat from her forehead had cut channels through her makeup, picking up different colors along the way and leaving streaks behind. Her mascara had smudged against her eyelids and cheekbones, branding her with tiny black dots. “It’s…horrifying.”
Sonya nodded. “So hideous, it’s almost beautiful.”
Evelyn sighed then laughed. “I think I might have scared a few of the guests.”
“They probably thought you were here to rob the place.” Sonya held out a linen napkin. “Here, you can use this to clean up.”
Evelyn thanked her, locked herself in the bathroom, and began scrubbing her face. After nearly ten minutes, her skin was pink but clean. She wrung out the napkin, unlocked the door, and entered the lobby. As she passed a guest on the way to the kitchen, she asked him if he enjoyed breakfast. He replied that he did, then he told her she looked much better without makeup.
She put on a fake smile, thanked the man, and hurried into the kitchen. Donning an apron, she helped clean dishes, wipe down countertops, and sweep the floor. Then she strode through the common areas to ask the guests if they needed anything. After helping an elderly woman access the WiFi network, she retreated to the janitor’s closet and gathered a few cleaning supplies. She used the hidden passage to reach the east side of the mansion and began dusting furniture.