Page 20 of Fate Fiction

“Yeah, I really do actually,” my tone was unintentionally clipped. Why did I say it like that? I had no reason to be short with Evan, aside from my subconscious need to stay on guard. “I really like working with people, and I like getting people excited about their work. I work on the recruiting side, so I consider myself a professional office hype-woman.” I chuckled nervously.

This was exhausting already. Thorndown constantly occupied the outer fringes of my mind. My fandom was now an elephant in the room that only I could see.

I most certainly wouldn’t mention the Thorndown quote I had hanging on a poster in my office, cleverly disguised as a corporate girlboss style inspirational quote.

A normal person—or anyone who wasn’t deeply entrenched in Sword of Thorndown —could read “there’s enough for everyone, now take what’s rightfully yours,” and not immediately think of the season five finale of the show when Sir Erwyn’s father grabs him by the shoulders and encourages him to storm the gates of Meridien to destroy the Cult of Gadsbee. A normal person would see some poster and assume it was bought from a TJ Maxx clearance bin.

Evan smiled at my answer, the corners of his eyes crinkling again. “I know little about corporate America, obviously,” he laughed in a self-effacing manner. “But my sister owns a small marketing agency out in Edinburgh. She said the same thing about her job. I believe she also used the words ‘hype-woman.’ I’m not sure I could ever succeed in an office job, I’m far too restless.”

“I save my restlessness for my off hours,” I reply. A grin played at my lips. Evan McLeod managed to charm me, dammit.

“That must have been why I saw you run off earlier.” His tone was light and bubbly.

It’s…strange.

The Evan sitting across from me was entirely different from how he had in nearly every interview I’d seen of him. On talk shows or on red carpets he always appeared to be very calculated in his answers, seemingly disinterested at times.

It had actually caused a rift in the fandom, claiming that he didn’t hold the same “heart of valor” his character had. I guess I had unfairly assumed that this was the Evan I’d be interacting with. I was surprised that wasn’t the case. Pleasantly surprised.

This Evan was agreeable, warm, and genuinely kind. Though I could never ever think about him or Thorndown again after this week, at least it wasn’t due to him being a complete dick. He sheepishly raked his hands through the mess of light brown waves on his head as we faced each other. Neither of us broke away.

What was happening here?

“Dan, you know, Evan was planning on hiking to the falls tomorrow,” Sue mentioned offhand, cutting off our prolonged eye contact.

She was referring to Horseshoe Falls, my absolute favorite trail. I’d planned on hiking it, though I hadn’t formalized any plans. I was craving the solitude of sitting atop the rushing waters.

“Ah, yes!” Evan exclaimed excitedly and clapped his hands together. “Randy told me it’s the best hike around here, and virtually no one goes because of how remote it is. I’d love to see some untouched nature, if you’d be willing to be my guide, of course.”

Evan looked genuinely thrilled about the prospect of going, even more so about having me as his personal tour guide. By now I must have been fuschia from how much I’d been blushing.

I did know the trail incredibly well, and I also knew that the hike would take up a good portion of the day.

My entire Monday would now be spent stuck in the woods with Evan McLeod serving as his personal guide.

The reality set in. This was forced proximity dialed up to an eleven.

From the piercing stare Sue was giving me, I knew I couldn’t back out of this. This would be payment for the free accommodations. Fate was cruel in that way.

“I, uh, definitely can,” I’m too anxious to match his excited nature. “There’s a swimming hole at the bottom of the falls if you want to check that out too?”

Maybe there was a way I could drown myself there and let him get back to camp by himself.

“Absolutely,” Evan grinned widely, his teeth were charmingly real albeit still a dazzling white. “If I’m going to make the trek, I should get the full experience.”

The enthusiasm was almost unsettling. It had to be superficial, he was being nice to the camp owners and by default, pleasant to their weird, antisocial niece.

Maybe once he was away from them he’d let his true personality show, I could get some confirmation that he wasn’t perfect.

Even if he was a bonafide asshole, it’s not like anyone would believe me. Hell, no one would believe he was even at camp this week.

“Is eight thirty ok to leave?” I asked, anxiously tapping my fingers on my thigh. My throat was tightening. I wanted to leave the table and retreat to the cabin so I could scream into my pillow again. Or go for yet another run.

Evan rested his elbows on the table, unintentionally, or maybe intentionally, flexing his arm muscles. Those absurdly sexy arms were taunting me now. “Eight thirty sounds perfect, Dani.”

I twitched every time he said my name, his Scottish accent punctuated the vowels in a crisp rhythmic way.

If I hiked a high enough mountain could I get enough cell service to call Andrea and scream about the entire situation?