EvieI parked my car in front of the small antique store. I often shopped at the place when I was looking for that little something special to make a party theme complete. I had a good relationship with the owner and appreciated the many stories he had about the old days.I walked in, the bells on the door alerting him to my presence. The bells were a necessity. The shop was packed, wall to wall. In some places, things were stacked so high one couldn’t see more than a few inches in front of them.I walked inside, being careful not to knock anything over with my purse. “Bob!” I called out the owner’s name.I heard a muffled reply. “Back here.”I followed the sound of his voice. He was kneeling on the floor, unpacking a box of what looked like skeleton keys.“Those are awesome!” I exclaimed.He softly chuckled. “These are trendy right now,” he commented. “The rustier, the better. I’ll sell these in no time.”“They are very cool,” I agreed. I considered buying some just to have them. I w
EvieI drove to my father’s house in La Jolla. It wasn’t one of the big, fancy homes, but it was comfortable. It was older. It was my childhood home and held a great deal of memories. It was small, but as a single dad, it was all he could afford. I pulled into the driveway and cut the engine. It was clear he wasn’t home. I made my way up the cement walk with little cracks that were in need of repair but would likely not get done anytime soon.I collected the mail from the box and used my key to go inside. “Dad?” I called out, just in case his car was in the shop.There wasn’t an answer. I put the mail on the small table near the front door. It was where the mail went. It never went on the dining table or on a kitchen counter. It always went on the table. My slightly obsessive nature was absolutely the product of my father’s upbringing.I looked around the living room that was clean and neat. It was who he was. Organized. He could give Marie Kondo a run for her money. I walked into the
XanderThe car pulled to a stop in front of the hotel. I could see Charlie pacing in front of the building. He was irritated. Pissed, judging by the flurry of texts he’d sent over the last twenty minutes. I was late. I could admit I nearly backed out. I wasn’t thrilled with the idea of going to the stupid party. The only reason I was going was because of Charlie.I got out of the car, buttoning the suit as I moved toward him.“It’s about fucking time,” he said. “You need a better watch.”“I don’t need a better watch.”“You are late.”“I know. See? My watch works fine.”He growled. “Why didn’t you text me back?”“Because I knew what you would say. I was on my way.”He shook his head, clearly still pissed. “Can we go in? I need a damn drink.”“You could have gone in,” I told him.“No, I couldn’t. You are the one invited. I’m the plus one.”I nodded and moved to open the door. I gestured for him to go inside. “Let’s get a drink.”“I’m going to get a drink. And some damn good food.”“I’ll
Xander“We all are very happy Al took the chance,” Gary said with a laugh. “I’m not a gambling man. I didn’t want to see one of my ships sink to the bottom of the ocean.”“Lucky for me, the ship didn’t sink. None of them did. If you excuse me, I need to say hello to someone.” I walked away, anxious to get away from them.I moved through the crowd, nodding at a few familiar faces. Charlie made his way to me. “See? It’s not so bad.”I glowered at him. “It is painful.”“Nah, it’s not so bad. I’ve already met two very lovely ladies. I could introduce you.”“No thanks, I’m good.”“Incoming,” he said in a hushed voice.“Xander,” Al, the man hosting the party and the owner of the company, said. “Thank you so much for coming.”“Thank you for inviting me,” I replied. “This is nice.”Al smiled and looked around. “It is nice. We owe my lovely wife Deidre the credit.”The woman stepped forward and smiled. She had Texas-big hair. “Hello, Xander. It’s nice to finally meet you. You’ve made my husban
EvieThe man was handsome as hell. I had a feeling he knew it as well. Not that he acted stuck up or arrogant but there was a vibe about him, like a “don’t bother me, I’m too sexy for my suit,” kind of thing. He seemed bored, like he attended parties like this all the time. My party was another in a long line of boring engagements he was forced to attend. I wondered if he was part owner of the company throwing the party. Maybe he was the pain in the ass brother that lurked in the shadows.I turned, leaning my shoulder against the wall as I faced him. His hair was a little too long for him to be one of the usual suits that ran a big company. His eyes were a light shade of brown, almost a yellowish gold tone. His brows were thick and his lashes were long. His jaw was square and chiseled. I liked that he had a hint of a shadow along his jawline. He was definitely not the average suit. Every other man at the party, not counting those that had beards, were freshly shaven.Not him. I was gu
EvieHe gave me a dry look. “Do I act like a party crasher? Wouldn’t I be enjoying myself a little more?”I looked at his drink. “You’re enjoying the free liquor.”“I’m here under duress,” he claimed.I laughed. “I don’t see the chains.”“I came because I was invited and my friend insisted I show up.”“You were invited but you don’t work for the company?”He looked uncomfortable. “No.”I waited for him to explain. He didn’t. “Are you related to Al?”“No.”I burst into laughter. “I think I understand a little more about why you are here in the corner. I feel like I’m giving you a root canal.”He shrugged. “I told you I’m not a big people person.”I studied him. I felt like I was pretty good at reading people. I had to be in my line of work. I had to be prepared to jump in and rescue a bride that was on the verge of hysteria or a bitch fit. When I read him, I saw a guy that was uncomfortable but could be fun given the right circumstances. “You haven’t found the right people.”“Pardon me
XanderI parked my BMW in the parking lot, not caring I was stuck at a spot way in the back. It was the parking lot she designated—no ordered—me to be at. I was actually on time, which surprised me a little. I couldn’t explain why I was there at all. The woman intrigued me. That was why I was there. She had challenged me. I did not turn down a challenge, especially from a beautiful woman.I tapped my hands on the steering wheel, staring out at the cars in every size and color, and wondered once again why I was there. I shouldn’t have come. I moved to start the engine, ready to get the hell out of there when there was a knock on my driver’s side window. I nearly jumped out of my seat.It was her. She was peering at me through the heavily tinted window. How did she know it was me? I pushed the button to roll down the window and looked at her. “Are you going to sit in your car all day? That really wasn’t what I had in mind.”I shook my head. “No.”“Then come on,” she said, reaching for t
Xander“You see things in black and white and maybe a hint of gray, I suspect.”We kept walking, finding an easy pace that allowed us to talk without sprinting. “What’s wrong with that?”“Nothing, if you are at work or working on a project. I am a very black and white girl Monday through Saturday. Sunday, I like to see color.”“What the hell does that mean?” I asked.“It means on Sundays, I like to come here. If I don’t have a job on Saturday, I will take the whole weekend and go up the coast. I love to get out in nature and recharge. Nature is the place that reminds me how lucky I am to be alive. I need the color. I need the lively activity of nature. It’s like a reset once a week.”“You work six days a week?” I asked.“Most of the time. Sometimes, I take a Monday or Tuesday off, but during our busy season, it is usually six days.”I slowly nodded, having a newfound respect for her and the work she did. “I had no idea a party planner worked that hard.”She made a choking sound. “We w