Page 3 of When Alec Met Evie
“Dad played pickleball?”
“And he really liked it,” Megan says.
I spent the last few weeks of my off-season up in New York with Megan, getting our parents moved out of the house in White Plains where they raised Megan and me and into a condo in a retirement community just down the road. No one was more surprised than me that they decided to move, but I do like knowing the change means they can get more help if they need it, especially since I’m so far away and Megan is still in school in the city.
Their neighborhood has several tiers of support for their residents, everything from meal delivery and daily check-ins with medical professionals to social gatherings and pickleball tournaments. Mom and Dad don’t need any of the more intense care yet and probably won’t for years. In a perfect world, they’ll be living with me or Megan before they do. But I’m happy they’re happy for now. That’s what matters most.
“He has these little white shorts and a visor, and you’d die if you saw him,” Megan says. “It’s so cute.”
“Send me a picture next time,” I say as I turn into my neighborhood, waiting for the security gate to open before passing one perfectly manicured lawn after another. “What else is up?”
“Actually, something pretty big,” Megan says. “I have a favor to ask of you.”
I ease the truck up my driveway and open the garage door, then slowly pull inside. I turn off the engine but keep my phone connected so I don’t lose Megan’s call. The house I bought in the off season is stupidly big for one person, but it came fully furnished, which seemed easy, and I liked the idea of a security gate. The Appies are only getting more popular, so anything that puts a little distance between me and curious fans is a good thing.
“Whatever you need,” I say to Megan without even having to think about it. I’d do anything for my little sister, and she knows it.
“So, you remember my best friend Evie?”
“Sure.” When I was in college at Cornell, home was only a few hours away, and even though hockey kept me busy, I still made it home enough to keep up with Megan’s life. Evie was around all the time. She was a pretty mellow kid. Funny like Megan, when she wanted to be, but never as giggly or silly as my sister.
“So, she just got this really incredible apprenticeship with a luthier in North Carolina,” Megan says.
“A what? What’s a luthier?”
“It’s someone who makes stringed instruments. Or maybe just repairs them? Actually, I think it’s both. Evie has always played the violin, but I’m with you. I had no idea this was even a thing until she called to tell me about it. Anyway, apparently it’s this really big deal that she was chosen because she’ll be learning from one of the best in the business. It just means she has to move to Harvest Hollow.”
“Ah,” I say, suddenly sensing where this conversation is headed. I shouldn’t be surprised. This is generally how Megan operates. If she loves someone, she’ll do anything for them and, by extension, expectmeto do anything for them too.
The only problem is, Megan loveseveryone.Even strangers. She once gave my phone number to a couple of Appies fans she sat with on an airplane, promising them I’d be happy to get them tickets.
That only happened once because while her love knows no bounds, mine does. And it’s firmly on the side of protecting my privacy.
“So I’m guessing you’re asking me to help her move?”
“That would be amazing,” Megan says. “I know I’m always doing this, but this time, Evie really needs the help. She doesn’t know anyone in North Carolina. And she’s basically like a sister to you, so you really have to say yes.”
She’s not quite like a sister, seeing as how I haven’t seen or spoken to her in years. And my season is just about to start. I’m not exactly rolling around in free time. “You know I would, Meg, but I’m gone more than I’m not.”
“No, I know,” Megan says. “But we actually checked your game schedule and picked a timeframe that won’t conflict. You shouldn’t be traveling at all when she gets into town.”
It’s the most Megan thing I’ve ever heard. Of course she would check my game schedule before checking with me. Still, it’s hard to be annoyed because Megan is the kind of sister who would get on a flight tomorrow if she thought I needed a hug. I’ve been on the receiving end of her devotion way more times than she’s roped me into helping someone else, which is both amazing and frustrating.
Because it means I won’t say no, and Megan knows it.
“Did she for real base her move on when I’ll be in town?”
“She has to be there when her apprenticeship starts no matter what,” Megan says. “But she wants to get into town a couple of weeks early so she has time to get settled with Juno and figure out childcare. She literally has no one else who can help. Please? I promised her you’d be willing. She’s alreadygoing to feel so overwhelmed because Juno is only four months old.”
“Juno?”
“Her daughter.”
I groan. “Megan. Evie has a kid?” I don’t know a lot about kids, but I’m guessing they make everything more complicated. Especially moving.
“A very small one,” Megan says. “She won’t get in the way at all.”
I huff out a laugh. “I highly doubt that’s true.”
