Page 114 of Theirs to Take

“I’d like that too,” he said. “I mean, I really don’t need the black mark of having my assistant quit after the first day onthe job, on my record. I’d really love not to have to hire a new assistant, so your sticking around works for me. As for staying here, I don’t mind that at all, Carrie. You can stay as long as you’d like.”

“Thank you, Evan,” she said.

“Have you given any more thought to telling Alex and Rod?” he asked.

“I have and I think that you’re right—I should tell them about Alastair and the baby, but I just need a little bit more time. I need to make sure that my father is safe. Can you give me some time?” she asked.

“Sure,” he agreed. It was a relief to hear him say that he was going to tell her cousins about the trouble she had tailing her. It wasn’t something that they wanted to keep a secret from either of them. Especially after Alex asked him to keep an eye on Carrie and let him know if she needed anything. She needed to get them involved in this mess with her ex, but he wouldn’t push her or go back on his word to keep her secret.

“Thank you, Evan,” she said. “I’m going to make some coffee and take a shower if that’s okay.”

“Of course, I told you last night to make yourself at home, Carrie. I’m going to work out. I have a makeshift gym in my basement. Will you be okay on your own up here?” he asked.

“Yes,” she said, “do you have any toast, by chance?” He looked around his kitchen and realized that he wasn’t really set up for guests. He hadn’t been to a grocery store for a couple of weeks.

“I have a loaf in the freezer,” he said. He grabbed it out for her, and she looked at the loaf of bread as if it offended her in some way.

“You keep your bread in the freezer?” she asked.

“I do because I never finish a loaf by the expiration date. Will that work for you until we can get to the grocery store?” he asked.

“It will,” she said. “My doctor back home phoned me in my prenatal vitamin prescription. I’ll need to pick that up from the pharmacy too.”

“We can grab your pills on our way home from the grocery store,” he offered.

“Thanks for the bread,” she said. “If I don’t put something in my belly first thing in the morning, I get a little sick.”

“Have you had a lot of morning sickness?” he asked.

“Not really, I just like to stop it before it happens,” she said.

“Well, we can pick up everything you might need to do that tonight. I wasn’t expecting a house guest.”

“No, I guess you weren’t,” Carrie said.

“I texted my brother and he said that he can help me pick up your car today too. I’ll run out with him at lunchtime, so you’ll have to hold down the fort at work,” he said.

“I’m sure that I’ll be fine,” she agreed. “I mean, I still don’t know what I’m doing, exactly, but I haven’t gotten fired yet,” she teased.

“I’m sure that your boss is a very understanding guy,” Evan joked. “I’ll have Eli bring your car back here. I think that you should ride with me until we can figure out what’s going on with your ex. He might know your car from stopping by your apartment complex. I’ll keep it in my garage so that he won’t spot it.”

“Do you think that he knows where I work?” she asked.

“It’s not a long shot for him to figure it out. I mean, your last name is on the building,” Evan said.

“Yeah, I guess that we should let security know about the possibility of him showing up. This is becoming a nightmare,” she whispered. “I’m going to be left with no choice other than totell my cousins about the trouble that I’m in. What if they send me back to Scotland?” she asked.

“They won’t, but if they try, you can stay here with me,” he offered.

“Why would you do that for me, Evan?” she asked. He wasn’t quite sure what the answer to that question was himself.

“I like you, Carrie,” he said. “I think that you’re trying to get away from a harmful situation and I commend you for wanting better for your unborn child.” There, that was as truthful as he could be.

“You don’t have to say all of that, but thank you, Evan,” she breathed. “I appreciate it.”

“Well, it’s the truth,” he said. “I’m going to work out and you should think about talking with Rod and Alex. It might be time. I know that you were hoping to have a bit more of it before having to tell them, but your ex won’t stay in jail for long. He might already be out if he found a lawyer.”

“That wouldn’t surprise me,” she said. “I’ll call Alex and ask him to come here before heading into the office. I don’t want to tell him all of this at work. I’d like to try to keep my personal and professional life separate.”

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