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Eve’s quiet question shook me.
No.
Absolutely not.
Joe had been a daredevil. If he’d been able to walk away from the accident, he would have been urging me to pick a new trail the next day. He’d been unstoppable that way, always searching for the next adventure, savoring the stories from stunts gone wrong.
I dropped a quick kiss on the top of Eve’s head, grateful again that I had her with me today.
Eve made everything better.
Chapter 20
Brady
AfterThanksgiving,playrehearsalstook over my life, claiming every spare second. I never imagined how difficult it was, orchestrating twenty teenagers into a two-hour production. Scratch that, I'd had some idea, which is why I never would have volunteered if given the choice. On the positive side, it gave me more time to spend with Eve, albeit with way too many chaperones.
By the time opening night arrived, I was a ball of nerves, feeding off the energy of my students. Eve straightened my tie, smiling up at me, dressed in her own opening night finery. "Relax, Brady. It's going to be a great show. The cast know their lines, and all of the sets and stage pieces are ready. We’ve got this."
I let my hands drop to her hips, loving the way she leaned into me, turning her mouth up for a quick kiss. Easy and natural, like we'd been together forever.
"Come on, we wouldn't want to be late," Eve teased, pulling back, eyes sparkling.
"No Eve Standard Time diva behavior tonight?"
Eve clasped a hand to her chest, red mouth a perfect, seductive 'o' that made me wish we could be late.
"Who are you calling a diva?"
I linked our hands, tugging her toward the door and our jackets.
"Definitely not you," I assured with fake sincerity.
We arrived at school with plenty of time to spare, and I welcomed our cast and crew. Backstage became a flurry of costumes and makeup as the auditorium filled.
"Good luck," Eve murmured, squeezing my hand in passing as she went to join the rest of her crew behind the scenes.
I emerged from behind the curtain, welcoming our guests and introducing the play. The first run of theSnow Queenpassed in a blur. Thankfully, somewhere in between all of their flirting, Lissie and Caleb had learned their lines, and Tia shone as Gerta's sister Beth.
The play finished to enthusiastic applause, and I joined the cast and crew on stage for a final bow.
In the aftermath, I searched for Eve, eventually spotting her chatting with Mitch and his parents. Eve shone like a dark beacon. The crew had dressed in all black, so pretty much Eve's usual wardrobe. She wore tight black leggings under a long-sleeved black tunic. She looked like a ballerina assassin, at once tough and graceful.
I excused myself from Lissie's family, making my way to Eve.
"Hello, Mr. Masterson, Mrs. Masterson. Jenny, You did a great job tonight," I said, addressing their daughter as the Masterson family joined Eve and I in the aisle by the stage.
Jenny swelled with pride, and I smiled. I loved seeing the newfound confidence in her. She'd started so quiet, almost a shadow among the crew, rarely speaking. Under Eve's influence, she'd blossomed into a more self-assured young woman. Before the show, I'd caught her dressing down another crew member for saying something rude to Grace. Eve might argue with me, but in her own way, she'd been a good influence on her crew.
Mr. and Mrs. Masterson beamed with pride, complimenting Eve on the sets.
I swayed closer to Eve, wishing I could tuck her under my arm and sneak a quick kiss, but ever aware of all the eyes on us. I couldn't very well enforce a no PDA policy for my students if I couldn't manage to comply with it myself. Frustrated, I did my best to focus on Mr. Masterson, nearly missing Eve's reaction to the man who walked up to Mrs. Masterson's right, looming over her shoulder. He was tall and well-dressed in a dark suit. His light brown hair looked freshly cut, giving me the impression of a man who cared about appearances.
Eve turned white. I dismissed my earlier vow to keep things between us hands-off and professional, sliding an arm around her for support, worried she might faint.
"You okay?" I murmured, leaning in closer.
She clutched at my arm, her fingers digging into my jacket.
