Page 79 of Honor

Other than blurting out to Pete that I’m single and eager to mingle, Lottie is harmless, so I turn and open the door. “Hey.”

“Hey, yourself,” she sing-songs, her voice a touch higher courtesy of the wine. “What are you doing in here?”

Hiding is the correct answer, but I offer an alternative I know she’ll accept without question. “Freshening up.”

She nods slowly. “Good idea.”

She barrels past me toward the bathroom. I’ve barely stepped foot in there, but it’s beyond impressive. A claw foot bathtub and a separate shower are the main attractions.

The long skirt of the white dress she’s wearing floats around her ankles with each step she takes. It’s a preview of what she’ll look like on her wedding day.

I follow her until we’re standing side by side in front of the large mirror hanging over the sink.

“Pete’s cute, right?” she asks as she runs a hand through her hair. “I think he likes you, Evie. He asked about you after dinner.”

I should ask her to repeat his questions, but my interest in Pete doesn’t register on a scale of one to ten, so I stay silent.

“He’s out by the pool.” She winks. “I could easily arrange for everyone else to clear out of that area so you can have some alone time with him.”

“No,” I blurt out so quickly that she perks both brows.

“Why not?”

It’s a good question that I don’t have an immediate answer for, so I bluff my way through that, too. “I’m tired. I was up early for work and then the drive.”

She nods as if it all makes perfect sense to her. “You told Reid all of this, didn’t you? I couldn’t tell if he was joking when he said you had to work tonight.”

Mr. Hunt wouldn’t know a joke if it kicked him in the ass, but I don’t tell Lottie that because she’ll repeat it to Randall, or she might go straight to the man himself and tell my boss to his face that I think he doesn’t have a sense of humor.

This weekend is already complicated enough.

“I’ll tell Reid you’re resting,” she offers. “I’ll let Pete know, too.”

Another knock at the bedroom door sends her straight toward it. She literally pushes me aside to get to it.

Since I’m still in the bathroom, I consider slamming and locking the door next to me until morning.

“Reid?” My worst fear is realized when I hear Lottie’s voice. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here to see Evangeline.”

I want so badly to peek around the doorjamb at him, but I resist.

“She’s really tired,” she tells him. “She has big bags under her eyes. Her skin is pale. I’m talking exhausted with a capital E.”

I take another look at myself in the mirror becausewhat the fuck?

My reflection doesn’t look half bad at all. In fact, I think I have a weekend beach look going on with my cute outfit and ponytail.

“I just need a few minutes with her,” Reid presses. “Randall was looking for you just now.”

“I need to go,” she says before I hear the door slam shut.

Way to abandon me, Lottie.

“I know you’re in the bathroom,” Reid calls out softly. “I can hear you breathing.”

For fuck’s sake. That supersonic hearing of his is annoying as hell.

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