Page 49 of Elevating Eve

CHAPTER 16

Eve

No one questioned why they’d stayed at a hotel, which was a major relief.Thatwasn’t something she wanted to try explaining to anyone, least of all his mother.

Jonathan and Eve walked into the house the next morning to find breakfast in full swing, the dining room table laden with stacks of pancakes, a platter full of bacon and sausage, and what looked like an enormous crystal punch bowl full of scrambled eggs. People called out or waved in greeting as they took seats at the table, and that was that.

After everyone stuffed themselves, Eve worked with Jonathan’s brothers-in-law to do all the washing up, while the others stayed in the dining room. Lucy sat at the head of the table, Jonathan and Maisie to her right, and Alice to her left, while they made a list of all the things they still needed to do to settle Orson’s estate.

Not wanting to intrude, Eve had gone into the living room with Sean and Dillon after they’d cleaned the kitchen. Barely five minutes passed before Jonathan texted her, asking if she’d be willing to sit in the dining room instead. He promised it was okay to decline, even includingveritasin the message so she’d be sure to believe him.

The request surprised her, but if it made him happy, she couldn’t see any harm.

Other than to her ass. The fancy, high-backed dining room chairs didn’t even have cushions. She made the best of it, squirming as discreetly as she could to relieve the ache in her well-punished bottom.

Within minutes, it became abundantly clear that they didn’t need or even want her help. Jonathan just wanted her near for some reason. Leaving them to their work, she read a book on her phone, trying to be as quiet and unobtrusive as possible.

Papers covered much of the long mahogany table now, organized into over a dozen short stacks. Other than the occasional bathroom break, none of them had left the room for hours.

“Okay,” Jonathan said, finally leaning back to scan the list they’d compiled. “I’ll take care of all this in the next few days. You don’t need to worry about a thing.”

The three women all looked at each other, eyebrows raised.

Jonathan eyed them suspiciously. “What’s that look supposed to mean?”

The look between his mom and sisters turned from knowing to uncomfortable in an instant. Eve put her phone down to watch whatever the hell this was, a string of half-formed theories whirring through her mind.

It was Lucy who finally met Jonathan’s gaze, reaching across the table to put her hand over his. She’d clearly been chosen as their designated spokesperson. “Sweetheart, we all talked last night after the funeral. We think you should head home.”

Oh, shit.That hadn’t even been on her list of possibilities. She watched her boyfriend’s face like a hawk, knowing he wouldn’t take this well at all.

But the anger and frustration she expected never materialized. Their scene last night must have done him even more good than she thought.

Jonathan stared at his mother in silence for several seconds, not moving a muscle. He didn’t even blink. “Why?” he finally managed to ask. “Did I do something wrong? Is this because I punched Warren?”

“No,” Lucy assured him, shaking her head. “Frankly, I’m glad you broke that son of a bitch’s nose. He’s had it coming for a long time.”

One corner of Jonathan’s lips twitched, though a bewildered sort of sadness still lingered in his eyes. “Then why don’t you want me here?”

“It’s not that we don’t want you here, sweetheart.” The love written all over Lucy’s face made that abundantly clear. “We just don’tneedyou here.”

Jonathan’s brows pulled together, forming a deep V. “What does that even mean?”

“All the hardest parts are done,” Lucy said. “The people who live here can easily handle the rest. Your life is three thousand miles away.”

When Jonathan started to object, Maisie bumped her shoulder against his. “We all know you like to be in charge,” she joked, and Eve had to repress a snort. Talk about an understatement. “But we’ve got this part. Seriously.”

Reaching across the table, Alice gently pulled the list free from Jonathan’s fingers. He resisted at first, but then let go with a deep sigh.

“I see the decision has already been made,” he said in a strangely monotone way, staring down at his now empty hand. His expression completely closed off, he pushed his chair back, stood, and buttoned his jacket. “If you’ll excuse me.” Shoulders stiff, he strode from the room.

Indecision erupted inside of Eve, an edge of panic speeding up her heartbeat. He hadn’t asked her to go with him. Should she follow or give him some space? She had absolutely no idea what he’d want right now.

He’d just passed from the dining room to the foyer when Lucy called out, “He loved you, Jonathan. He loved you so goddamn much.”

Eve held her breath as Jonathan froze. His hands curled into tight fists before slowly unfurling, like a flower spreading its petals toward the sun.

A single tear slipped down Lucy’s wrinkled cheek as she stood, moving toward her son with tentative steps. “He was so proud of you when you founded HSS. He used to send press releases about your company to all his friends. But you know what made him even prouder?”

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