Page 80 of Power Move
They handed me the bag, and I was off in a flash—headed towards the address Eva sent. Despite her constant insistence she lived in the middle of nowhere, I pulled into the drive I remembered within 15 minutes. The crush of gravel reminded me of our Michigan farm. The farmhouse was even more charming in this light.
Climbing out, I grabbed my cheesecake, pillow, and rang the bell. A minute later, a blonde woman who looked much like Eva answered.
“God, Eva, your boyfriend is here! Where are you?” She held the door. “I’m sorry. She just disappeared. Come in, please.”
“Hi,” I said. “I’m David. Thanks for inviting me.”
“I didn’t,” she said, cooly. “Bert did.”
“There you are!” Bert said. “This is my wife, Emma. Emma, this is David Delphine.”
“Yep. I guessed that,” Emma said flatly.
She didnotoffer a hand or shake mine.Oof!
Bert asked, “Want a beer? Eva got some good stuff a week ago as a bit of a surprise.”
“I’m not drinking. I’ve got to drive back?—”
“It’s late. You should stay.”
Eva’s mother glared, “Yeah, you’re better off staying and driving in. Evangeline Mary, where are you?”
“I’m here. Calm down!” Eva descended the front stairs. “Hold your horses. I sweated through my work clothes and changed.”
Dressed down, I found Eva irresistible. She was even cuter in shorts and a tank top. I felt the same way I had that night on the beach—unable to look away. It felt special to see her with her walls down—as no one else did.
“What are you holding?” Eva asked.
“I swooped back to grab that pillow since I knew you’d never do it,” I chuckled.
Bert snickered.
Eva sighed, annoyed, “Thank you.”
“What pillow?”
“It’s for her back,” Bert said. “She’s miserable but won’t do anything. He’s trying to help.”
“It is the least I could do, Eva.”
“Well, if we don’t get to our cheesecake, I’m going to murder someone,” Eva rubbed her back. “Can we just sit down on the couch and eat?”
The idea of eating on a couch in a parents’ living room confused me. Mum would have lost her mind. However, their farmhouse’s living room was more family room than drawing room and afforded a casual setting for sucking down cheesecake.
“It’s been years since I’ve had any of this,” I admitted.
“God, I’ve been eating this and ice cream nonstop since I got back. Britain lacks this. I could eat an entire Eli’s cheesecake at lunch I think. I shouldn’t, but I think I could,” Eva laughed.
“You should eat what your body wants. You’re not eating,” I said. “You need?—”
“So, I can gain weight, and he can shame me more?”
“I gained forty pounds with your sister and nearly fifty with you. You’re having twins. He’s right that you need to eat. The doctor can pound sand,” Emma said.
I nodded in agreement.
“What did the doctor say?” Emma asked. “Today?”
