Honor

Chapter 69

CHAPTER SIXTY-NINE

R eid

Since I have no idea what’s ailing Evangeline, I’m at her apartment building with a multitude of things I hope will help her feel better. That includes supposedly homemade chicken soup from a bistro on the Upper East Side, a dozen different chocolate bars from Wolf Candy, a puzzle with a thousand pieces from a toy store in Times Square, and a bottle of the best red wine I’ve ever had. Naturally, I also come bearing a dozen pink roses.

I press the button next to her surname on the pad located near the locked door to her building. I glance at the rusted intercom speaker while waiting for her to respond.

A woman brushes past me with a key in hand. Her arms are even more overloaded with packages than mine are. “I’m sorry. I found a few too many bargains today. I didn’t mean to bump you that hard.”

“Allow me to help,” I say, still glancing at the intercom. Concern settles in my gut because what if Evie is passed out in her apartment? What if a fever has incapacitated her?

The woman shoves practically everything in her hands in my direction. I rearrange what I’m holding to help her out.

“Those flowers are to die for.” She bats her eyelashes at me. “Is a lucky lady in this building getting those?”

Something tells me that every person in this building has experienced Evangeline’s kindness, so I take a leap of faith and say her name. “Evie Starling.”

“Oh, Evie.” She turns the key in the lock. “She’s such a sweetheart. You’re on your way to see her now?”

“I am.” I take one last fleeting glance at the intercom.

“Follow me up.” She grabs hold of one of the bags she tossed at me. “I live a floor above her.”

I don’t hesitate as I trail her into the building because the unease that washed over me when Cleo first told me Evie wasn’t feeling well earlier has now taken root inside me in the form of dread.

A knock at Evie’s apartment door unveils a surprise I couldn’t have seen coming.

Charlotte answers the door with a stern look on her face. If I didn’t know better, I would think I’m in shit.

“I thought you were the delivery guy,” she explains her expression away. “I ordered a smoothie for Evie twenty minutes ago packed with all kinds of good stuff, and it’s still not here.“

I dip my chin to lure her attention to everything I’m holding. “I brought these for her.”

“Flowers?” She singles out the bouquet by snatching it from me. “These are gorgeous, Reid. Evie may have been wrong when she called you a boss from hell.”

I glance past her to see Evangeline standing near the window. Her back is to me, but I can tell she’s traded the dress she wore earlier at the office for jeans and a yellow sweatshirt. “Evangeline? How are you?”

“Fine,” she says before she spins to face me. “What are you doing here? How did you get in the building?”

Although not the response I was hoping for, I answer both questions. “Cleo told me you weren’t feeling well, so I brought you a few things. One of your neighbors let me in. I buzzed, but you never answered.”

I leave out that I’ve also called her twice and sent her three text messages, but all have gone unanswered.

“It’s hard to hear,” she explains. “I usually ask people to call me when they’re downstairs. That way, I can buzz them up.”

As if on cue, her phone starts ringing. She tugs it out of the back pocket of her jeans to answer it. “Hey. I’ll buzz you up.”

She ends the call with a fleeting glance at the screen. It would seem as though she was ignoring me on purpose.

Charlotte heads over to a panel on the wall to buzz the delivery person in, so I motion toward Evie. “Can we talk?”

She shakes her head but then shrugs. “I guess?”

I take that as a yes, so I motion to the hallway since the only private space in the apartment is her bathroom.

“I’ll go meet the delivery person halfway,” Charlotte offers. “It’s a lot of stairs for anyone to climb.”

As soon as she’s out of the apartment, I approach Evangeline. “What’s wrong? Tell me how you’re feeling.”

She retreats a step with each forward one I take. “I’m sick to my stomach.”

“Is it the flu?” I still approach her because she looks so vulnerable. All I want to do is take her in my arms. “Do you need to see a doctor? I know one who will do a house call.”

Her bottom lip trembles. “It’s not the flu.”

She’s never shared any health concerns with me, but still panic sets in. “Is it something more serious? I want to know.”

“I’m not sick,” she says through a sigh. “Cleo caught me in a weak moment. I wasn’t feeling well because I was in shock. It was her idea to send me home.”

I step closer. “Shock from what?”

She tilts her chin up to lock eyes with me. “I overheard you talking to Baden and Vance about Randall and Charlotte.”

I trace back to that conversation in my mind. We touched on a few subjects, including the couple and their businesses. “What did you overhear?”

Her head shakes slightly. “You’re his best man because you want to get your hands on his business, Reid. You want Charlotte’s, too. Is that why you’re in their wedding party? Was all of that to pad your bottom line?”

The words come at me in quick succession. Each question hits harder than the last. How the fuck did I not hear her approaching us this morning? Why didn’t I smell the sweet rose-scented fragrance of her skin?

How the hell did I fuck up so royally?

“Evie, let me explain.” I exhale harshly. “Please.”

The door to her apartment swings back open as Charlotte’s footsteps signal her return. “This smoothie smells so freaking delicious. You’re going to be good as new before the wedding.”

Evie looks past me to gift her friend with a smile. What I wouldn’t give for one of those right now. I’d settle for a frown. I’d be happy with anything, but she’s giving me nothing.

Her phone chimes, so she tugs it back out of her pocket. “Baden just authorized my requested time off.”

Lost, I shake my head. “What?”

She finally looks at me again. “You gave me Thursday and Friday off, but I asked him for tomorrow and Wednesday, too. He agreed. He sent me a text saying I could have it with pay.”

She turns her phone so I can view the screen, but I ignore it to stare at her face. The joy that is usually there is gone. Her eyes look empty. Her expression is unreadable.

“Oh, my God!” Charlotte shrieks as she races toward us. “That gives you extra time to rest before the wedding. Thank this Baden person for me, too.”

Evie nods. “I will. I think I’ll rest now.”

I’m not the smartest man alive, but I’m also not an idiot. I can take a hint when it hits me over the head like a hammer. She wants me out.

“I’ll stay while you rest,” Charlotte offers. “I can heat up some of the soup Reid brought when you feel up to eating. I’ll put the flowers in water now.”

I watch the way the two women look at each other. I see something there I didn’t realize existed before this moment. They’ve become friends. They’re obviously important to each other.

“We’ll see you at the rehearsal dinner.” Charlotte motions toward the door. “Thanks for stopping by, Reid.”

It’s painfully obvious that Evangeline wants me out of her sight, so I grant her that wish and leave, wondering if things between us will ever be the same again.