Page 48 of Marrying Off My Husband

With a smile and a nod, she answered, “She did, though, I wouldn’t say pressed. I…agreed to go. She really struggles with her relationship with her mother, it seems.”

“Oh, yes. Constance is…a…she’s not very nice.”

“That’s a shame. Louise is so kind. It makes you wonder how she could turn out so sweet with that sort of mother.”

I studied Eve, her skin painted from the setting sun as she slicked a stray lock of hair behind her ear. Her affectionate words and sympathy toward Louise impressed me. Most people found Louise overbearing or annoying.

I disagreed, having become fast friends with her, but she didn’t have very many female friends.

“Anyway,” Eve continued, when I didn’t, “I hope I’ll somehow make the weekend easier.”

“I’ll be glad to get through it.” We fell into silence for a bit again, though it wasn’t uncomfortable. Still, I didn’t want her to think I was ignoring her.

As I searched my mind and the beach for something to say, I spotted a glint in the distance. I narrowed my eyes, my shoulders slumping as I spotted Louise. “Seriously?” I muttered.

“Hmm?” Eve asked, peeling her eyes from the waves lapping at the sand. She followed the direction of my gaze, her features pinching. “Is that…”

“Louise,” I said as I stared at her in her big floppy hat and oversized sunglasses.

“Does she have binoculars?”

“I’m afraid so,” I answered.

I knew why she was here. She wanted to monitor my date to make sure things progressed nicely and Eve would have a good story for her sister. But I really didn’t want an audience for the awkward interactions I’d inevitably have.

I dusted my hands off after finishing the last bite of my sandwich and scrambled to my feet, extending my hand. “Whatdo you say to a change of venue? Maybe one with a smaller fan club?”

She slid her hand into mine with a nod. “Sure.”

I led her from the beach to a nearby arcade. We disappeared into the darker space, lit mostly by the bright lights on the games.

“Oh, I haven’t been to one of these in years,” she said with a smile.

I’d fully expected her to be upset with the change of venue, but she seemed delighted. She really was an interesting woman.

“I used to go to the arcade a lot more when I was younger. I set the record on Street Fighter once.”

“Remind me not to challenge you at that one.”

I bought a cupful of tokens, and we selected one of those side-by-side racing games. As the timer counted down to our race, Eve shot me a coy glance, revving her engine.

“Really?” I asked, shooting my eyebrows up with an amused grin.

When the green flag waved, she peeled out of the starting line, showcasing some impressive moves.

“Are you sure you haven’t been here recently?”

“I’m just having a stroke of luck,” she answered as she took the bend on two wheels, darting around a robotic player.

She beat me twice at the game before she twisted to me, her features serious. “Are you letting me win?”

“I’m not,” I said with a laugh. “I promise. This is really demoralizing. I can’t believe I bragged that I’d set a record on Street Fighter.”

“Do you want to try something else? For your ego?” she teased.

“I might,” I answered.

We spent the next hour playing a variety of games. I hadn’t laughed that much in years, and at least I didn’t lose every single round of every game we played.

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