“I’m pleased to hear from you, Evelyn. My name’s Alek. I got your number from a friend of yours, and I was just calling to introduce myself.” After a pause, he added, “I’m sorry if I caused any trouble…I didn’t realize you had a boyfriend.”
Evelyn’s face flushed with anger. “Who told you I had a boyfriend?”
“A man named Tobias. He wasn’t too happy when I called. I hope I didn’t start a fight.”
Exhaling and loosening her death-grip on the phone, Evelyn said, “Tobias isn’t my boyfriend, and he had no right to answer my phone.”
“I don’t mean to doubt you but…why would he claim to be your boyfriend?”
Evelyn sighed. “Because he’s not a nice person. I promise, I’m not in a relationship with Tobias. At all.”
“So…you don’t have a boyfriend?”
“No.”
“Well then, let me start over.” His words were bright and clipped as if spoken through a smile. “My name’s Alek Cary, and I’m calling to introduce myself, ma’am.”
Evelyn grinned. “It’s nice to meet you, Alek. How can I help you?”
“If you’re available, I’d like to buy you lunch sometime. That is, if it’s not too forward of me to ask.”
The memory of the chocolate cake disaster came flooding back. “I’m not sure about lunch…”
Candace glared at her, so she quickly added, “How about dinner, instead?”
“Or a hot-oil massage,” Candace whispered.
Evelyn held a finger to her lips and waited for a response.
“Dinner would be great. There’s a fantastic steak house on Main Street here in Lexington. How about six o’clock tomorrow?”
A dozen scenarios of first-date catastrophes flashed through Evelyn’s mind. She’d failed so many times, and she wanted to try something different. “Please, don’t take this the wrong way, but do you mind if I bring some friends along? I can be really awkward the first time I meet someone.”
When Alek spoke again, he sounded relieved. “You know what? I’m the same way. Feel free to bring as many friends as you like, and I’ll drag along some people from my office.”
Evelyn’s shoulders finally relaxed. “Thanks, Alek. And six sounds great.”
“I’ll text you the address?”
“That’d be great. See you soon.”
Evelyn ended the call and dropped her phone on the floor.
“What’s wrong?” Candace asked.
Evelyn fumbled for a moment, cranking up the air conditioner and rolling down the windows. Her breathing was fast and shallow, and when she spoke, her voice betrayed absolute terror. “I’m gonna screw it up. He sounds so great, and I’m gonna screw it up because I’m cursed.”
Candace eased the car to the side of the road and came to a stop, then she wrapped an arm around Evelyn’s shoulders. “Not this time. I’m your lucky charm, and I’m coming with you.”
4
Evelyn wasn’t taking any chances. She’d spent the night and the following day at Candace’s place, picking her friend’s brain for relationship advice and fashion tips.
Candace, eager to make up for setting Evelyn up with Tobias, styled Evelyn’s hair, did her makeup, and loaned her a dress. The silky black gown was a little loose in the bust, which Candace remedied with the careful application of padded bra inserts. She picked earrings and a jade necklace from her collection and helped her put them on, then she handed her a leather clutch to complete the look.
Evelyn barely recognized herself in the mirror. She kicked up one leg and spun around, watching the dress twirl and billow. “Thank you. Thank you so much!”
Wiping the sweat from her brow, Candace nodded. “No problem. Now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get myself ready.” She looked at her watch. “In ten minutes, apparently.”
Evelyn grinned sheepishly and backed into the living room. Tucking the hem of her dress behind her knees, she eased onto the couch. She unlocked her phone and began texting, making sure the rest of the party was on schedule.
A message from Donald Linden, her childhood friend, appeared a moment later. Halfway to the restaurant. Where are you??
Evelyn tapped out a response with her thumbs. Candace’s. Why are you halfway there?
Dinner’s at five, right?
Evelyn frowned and shook her head. Six. Dinner’s at six, Donny.
The phone was silent for several moments, then it chimed with a laughing emoticon sent by Sonya, a woman Evelyn knew from work.
Candace doubled-down, sending two more emoticons.
NBD, Donny replied. Ness and I will stop for coffee.
Evelyn read his message, then reread it. Wrinkling her nose, she started a new group message that excluded Donny. Did one of you guys invite Vanessa?!?
Two responses. Both, No.
Evelyn dropped the phone on the table and slumped against the couch. Vanessa Linden, Donny’s thirty-year-old sister, could suck the life out of any party. A few years ago, she went through a bad relationship, and something inside her snapped. Now, she spent all her free time in the gym and zero time socializing. She was a snobby ball-buster that liked making people feel stupid, and Evelyn felt betrayed that Donny would even think about bringing her along.
Fuming, Evelyn messaged Donny. Why are you trying to ruin my life?
Her phone chimed with the response—a pair of question marks.
Evelyn rattled off clarification. Why would you invite her??
Another message appeared, and Evelyn tumbled into a pit of fury. Calm down. She’s not that bad.
Not that bad?? She’s the devil incarnate. Man repellent. Buzz-killer extraordinaire. And I’m pretty sure she hates kittens. Evelyn’s thumb hovered over the “send” button. She sighed, then deleted the message typed in a new one: You will be punished.
Donny and Evelyn had been friends since kindergarten. During third grade, when a house fire took the lives of his parents and younger brother, Donny and Vanessa came to live with Evelyn’s family. As time passed, she began to see Donny as a brother, but she never saw Vanessa as a sister. Maybe an evil step-sister. When Vanessa was old enough, she moved out and took custody of her brother, but Donny and Evelyn remained close friends. During college, they began playing ruthless pranks on each other, and the tradition continued long after graduation. Evelyn suspected Donny had brought his sister along as retaliation for Evelyn letting the air out of his tires last weekend.
If Vanessa messed things up tonight, Donny would pay. Dearly.
A moment later, Donny’s response pinged onto her screen. Promises, promises.
Evelyn frowned. The reply seemed…flirtatious. Or maybe it was just a taunt—letting her know he wasn’t afraid.
She nodded. That had to be it.
A door creaked, and Candace stepped into the living room. She was wearing a floral-print dress that kissed her ankles and parted just above her knees. Her hair was bunched into a ponytail, and she didn’t appear to be wearing makeup. If she was trying to make Evelyn look better by comparison, it wasn’t working. Even dressed down, Candace was a head-turner.
“How do I look?”
Evelyn grimaced. “Disgustingly good. Do you have a paper bag you can wear over your head?”
“Not on-hand, but they should have one at the restaurant.” Jingling her keys, she waltzed to the front door and held it open. “Come, dear friend, for tonight you will meet your one true love. The man you’ve been waiting for. Your knight in—”