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“If they don’t get along, why do you think she asked him to dance, then?” I asked as I spun her.
When she was in my arms again, she said, “I think she wants to show him what he’s missing.”
I chuckled at that. “Most guys I know who aren’t interested in commitment don’t just change their minds.”
“We’ll see,” Everly said with a smirk.
I was interested in what was happening between Finn and Aria, but I was more pressed to get Everly home. “You ready to get out of here?”
“Take me home,” Everly said as she took my hand. We said our good-byes and raced home. We had the house to ourselves tonight, since Wren was at my mom’s, and I didn’t want to squander the opportunity to show Everly what she meant to me.
Sixteen
HARRISON
On Sunday morning, I suggested going to an estate known for its gardens and holiday lights. It was early in the season, but I wanted to do festive activities with my girls. It was a two-hour drive, and the tickets were expensive, but I thought they’d enjoy it.
In the car, Wren watched a movie on her tablet with headphones. It wasn’t the place to talk about what transpired between me and Everly this week. As much as I wanted to, Wren was all ears when anyone was talking. She loved to know what was going on and tended to eavesdrop.
“I’m thinking about quitting my job,” Everly said.
I quickly glanced over at her. “What now?”
She grinned. “You heard what I said. Is it crazy?”
Focusing on the road, I said, “Not at all. But is that what you want to do?”
“I ran the numbers, and I can manage it. Barely.” Her tone lost some of the excitement.
“If you let your lease lapse, you’d have more money.”
Everly gave me a look because I’d momentarily forgotten we had an arrangement, and our living situation wasn’t permanent.
“Other than my apartment, my car is paid off. I’ll need to research health insurance plans.”
“I can help you with that.” I’d gone that route a few years ago and knew the ins and outs.
“Is there anything else I’m not thinking of? I don’t need a lot of supplies. I have a computer, printer, and art stuff.”
“You still have an online shop?” I asked her, remembering she’d talked about one.
“I recently switched over to selling from my website. It was simple enough to do.”
Pride surged through me. “For you, maybe. I can’t figure out website design.”
“It’s always come easily for me. The shop isn’t expensive to maintain. Gia helped me adjust my prices to cover printing. Now I’m making a good profit.”
From what I remembered, Everly sold templates online. Invitations she’d created to be mass produced. She handled custom orders, but those mainly came through Gia’s referrals. It was easier to meet with someone in person, although virtual meetings were becoming more commonplace in business. “I’m happy to take a look at the numbers.”
“I don’t know if I should do it. It’s so scary not to have that guaranteed paycheck.” Everly’s tone was steeped with uncertainty.
“That’s true, but you’re already established. You have a baseline of income you’ve come to expect, and you can increase output if it was your full-time job.”
Everly sighed. “I keep telling myself that.”
“And I’ve seen your designs. They’re gorgeous. You should price even higher for custom designs. Your time is worth money.”
“It’s good to know that I have other options.”
