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"How come all your friends are guys?"
Eva felt her cheeks heat. "I have friends who are girls." Why was she explaining herself to a child? Jeez.
"Your sister's used to being around guys," Clint said, giving Charlie a smile. The man was good-looking, though maybe a bit too lean. "She works with them and has two brothers."
"She never does girly stuff like my mom does."
Eva huffed. "Well, I don't have time. I'm spending all my time doing math problems and cooking mac and cheese. Plus, I don't need pretty fingernails or fancy shoes. I'm a practical sort of gal."
Charlie's eyes widened. "I thought girls liked to look pretty. All the girls I know put glitter on everything and wear bows. I mean, it's sort of sparkly and pretty, I guess. You don't like glitter?"
"No," Eva said, wrinkling her nose.
Clint laughed. "I think your sister looks perfect the way she is. She's wholesome."
"Is that code for fat?" Eva joked, eyeing the slice of cake she'd just plopped on her plate. Maybe she didn't need the extra calories, though she didn't usually worry about slimming down. Firefighters needed bulk, and she spent enough time in the gym that she was solid but not flabby.
"Not even close. You're gorgeous," Clint said.
''And you'll say anything to keep me bringing cake and brownies,” she said lightly, but something in Clint's tone and eyes sent a frisson of warning up her spine. It was almost as if his words sounded silky. What the hell was up with that?
She felt a bit like that character from that '90s movieSomething About Mary.Okay, so she wasn't anything close to looking like Cameron Diaz, but suddenly she had guys circling her. So strange. Guess there weren't all that many single women in Magnolia Bend.
But shouldn't the fact she now had a kid deter some interest? Women always complained that kids were deal-breakers for dudes.
"I'd say anything to keep you stopping by. You're like a breath of fresh air in my life. Besides, I'd never lie to you. You're perfect the way you are, Eva."
Eva smiled. How could she not? A guy says some thing like that and you have to feel a bit glowy, even if slightly alarmed over the intent behind it.''Thanks, and I'm glad we're friends. It's been a blessing to me, too."
His brow wrinkled at the wordfriends.Or at least she thought it did. Another beep of the alarm.
"You know, I've been thinking how nice it would be to get out of Magnolia Bend for a day. There's a festival in Fort Brantley next weekend. How about we all go? We can take my van and pack a picnic. Charlie, do you like going to festivals?"
"I've never been to one," Charlie said, shoveling cake into his mouth. "But I guess."
"What about it, Eva?" Clint asked, accepting the cake she handed him.
"I don't know. Need to check my calendar."
"We can always do a Sunday afternoon," Clint said.
"I don't want to commit yet," she said, worried that this jaunt might mean more than friendship. Something in the glint of Clint's eyes and in the way he responded to her remarks had her feeling a bit itchy.
She liked Clint. He had charisma, charm, and a killer smile. He also had a commanding way about him, a sort of reliability that projected a sense of safety. Odd for a man who was considered disabled, but still very much present. Thing was she wasn't attracted to Clint...except as a friend.
"Why not?" he asked. Something in his voice sounded hurt, but she didn't want to encourage him,did she?God, she hated guilt.
"Well, things have been so unpredictable lately. I have Charlie's birthday this weekend and we're planning to visit his mother soon. Of course, I love a good festival, and Charlie would probably enjoy going, too." Okay, so she couldn't just shoot him down. Besides, an outing wasn't a date. Friends did things together all the time, so she shouldn't misread his intention as something it wasn't. Plus, having a break from the reality of her life right now might be nice. And it would give her another day away from Jake and the infernal desire that had attached itself to her.
"What do you do at a festival?" Charlie asked, looking down at his plate. ''Can I have some more of that cake, Eva? It rocked."
Saying something rocked was Charlie's new thing.
''No. You'll ruin your dinner," she said, before slapping a hand over her mouth. "Oh, God, did I just say that?"
Clint laughed.
For a few seconds they sat in silence, eating cake. Just as Clint rolled to the coffeemaker to pour a cup, his father, Murphy, walked in.
