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“Whoa. I was thinking about a ride on the beach. I wasn’t thinking about anything else.”
“So now you just take rides on the beach with random women for the kicks and giggles? Is that really all you are?” She put her hands on her hips, and he had to look away from the gaze that she gave him.
He had never been the kind of person who just did things for the fun of it. That was part of the reason he hadn’t dated much. He didn’t want to just go out and have a good time, with no thought of the future. He always had marriage in the back of his head. That wasn’t typical in today’s day and age. He didn’t fit into the casual dating scene, with most people looking for hookups and not for lifelong relationships.
“No. But I guess... I guess I wasn’t thinking anything more than a fun evening with someone that I liked. Maybe just to get to know her better.”
“All right. That sounds a little better. I don’t know what to do. I just wanted to make sure that you understood that Eva hasn’t changed.”
“I agree.” It wasn’t that he didn’t think that people could change. He thought they could. But the fact that she was separated from the man that she had been with for the last five or six years made him feel like she was simply looking for someone else to latch onto.
“Maybe she’s the kind of person who is insecure by herself, who needs to have a man. I don’t know. I would just be careful with her.”
“I didn’t really need the warning, but I suppose it just says that you care. Thanks.”
“Of course I care.” Clara smiled. “You’re my brother.”
“I know.” He tilted his head. “You seem pretty smitten with Jubilee.”
“There’s something...kind about her. She seems like an old soul. Gentle and... It makes me want to protect her.”
“She reminds me of Mom.”
“Yeah. She reminds me of Mom too. Not exactly, but those tendencies are there.” Clara smiled, like that was all she needed to hear him say. And she knew he would do the right thing after that.
He wasn’t entirely sure that her confidence wasn’t misplaced, but he was going to try.
“I guess I’ll go tell Eva and Nora that I’m not going for a ride,” he said as they turned and started back toward the house.
“That’s up to you. I... I would just make it clear that you’re not getting together.”
He nodded, knowing that he was going to have to explain to Davis why he didn’t use his horse and a whole bunch of other things if he didn’t take a ride. But he didn’t like the way Eva had manipulated things, whether she meant to or whether she didn’t, and he didn’t want her to think that she could do it again. If he let her get away with it this time, not only would Nora have a false sense of hope, but Eva would be empowered to try again.
“Have a good evening,” Clara said as she left him on the sidewalk to walk around the back of the house. Probably to look at the garden. That was her favorite spot anyway.
Lana and Jubilee were sitting on the porch with tall glasses of iced tea while Jubilee’s girls played in the side yard on the swing.
Eva and Nora stood on the porch, watching him walk toward them.
As soon as Clara cut away, Nora started down the steps eagerly, with Eva coming slightly slower.
Jubilee glanced up, met his eyes for a second, and then looked away.
He wanted to talk to her more than anything, but he figured that he would take this opportunity to talk to Eva and Nora.
“Are you ready, Dad? Can I ride Boots?” Nora said, coming up to him and grabbing his hand.
He hadn’t seen her except a couple of times at a few school events since she’d been at his house for a week over Easter. He didn’t want to lose this evening with her, although he knew there would be plenty more evenings over the summer.
“Well, I think maybe I need to talk to you and your mom.”
Eva tucked her hand into the crook of his arm on his other side and tugged gently, urging him forward past the front porch, back down the walk, and onto the sidewalk.
He wished he could feel Jubilee’s eyes following them, but he had the impression that it didn’t matter if they spontaneously combusted on the walk, she wouldn’t look.
He didn’t blame her. Clara was right. He had asked her to go with him, and he should not have allowed Eva to push her way in. At the very least, he should have checked with her privately before he changed their plans.
Trying to figure out whether he should talk to Eva with Nora or without her, he finally decided he’d start with his daughter.
