Page 30 of Steal My Heart (Prosperity Ranch 2)

“We have to get home tonight,” Macie cut in. “But maybe Evie can spend time with you tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow works for me,” Evie said, smiling at Ruby so she wouldn’t get her feelings hurt.

Ruby turned to her mom with a smile. “Can Evie sleep over? We can share my princess bed.”

“I don’t think so, sweetie,” Macie said. “I think she’ll want her own bed tonight.”

The mother and daughter pair continued to talk about why Evie wouldn’t be sleeping over, and she truthfully was waiting for the dinner hour to be over. So that Carson and his grandad would leave, and she could have some peace of mind.

Spending all morning with Carson, and now seeing him interact with her family, had taught her that he was the kind of guy who fit in perfectly in a small town like Prosper. He was personable, helpful to his grandad, interested in what others had to say, full of knowledge of his own, and well . . . insanely good-looking. Which probably meant that with one night on the town—i.e. an appearance at Racoons—all the single women would flock to him.

And Evie wouldn’t blame them. Carson Hunt was a catch, the real deal, and there must be some wealth in his family if his grandad was buying up arenas left and right.

“Tell us about how you met,” Evie’s mother said.

Wow.This had already been gone over. More than once. But now her mom was looking from Carson to Evie as if she expected some juicy story of meeting each other and falling in love at first sight.

Carson’s gaze was on her again, those brown eyes amused, and thinking who knew what.

“At school, Mom,” Evie said, passing along the bowl of fresh rolls. “I told you that.”

“I know, dear,” her mom said. “But how? Are you in a class together?”

Evie refrained from rolling her eyes. “Mom, I’m in the final classes of my graphics art major, and Carson is a graduate student. What do you think?”

“Evelyn,” her father said.

Great. Now her dad was chastising her in front of company. Was it just her, or was she being treated like a little kid in her own home?

“If you answer the question, then Mom will stop asking so many,” Lane said, his voice about a half-step away from laughter.

Evie glared at Lane. Who cared if Carson Hunt witnessed a little sibling strife? It wasn’t like she was trying to impress him or anything. Besides, her brother of all people knew her mom would never stop with the questions.

“Why don’t you tell us, Carson?” Holt cut in.

All eyes shifted to him. And that’s when Evie started praying that Carson Hunt wouldn’t tell the exact details of their first meeting. Because it had been mortifying enough. And her parents would probably be shocked to know that she’d been at such a wild party. No, her parents weren’t naïve, but college partying wasn’t something they needed to discuss at the dinner table.

“Sure thing,” Carson started to say.

Evie focused her full attention on him, wishing that he could read her mind. Don’t say anything. Make up something. I don’t care what.

But Carson did say something.

“We met through her roommate, Becca,” he said.

Evie’s breath nearly left her chest. He wasn’t going to bring up Devon and the football party?

“Becca and I study at the library every morning,” Carson said. “Not together, but in the same area. And the other day, Evie showed up with her.” He shrugged as he picked up his water glass. “It became a really small world when I found out Evie was from Prosper.”

His grandad slapped him on the back. “Small world, indeed, boy.”

“How about that? A really small world,” Lane said, an edge of suspicion in his tone. Didn’t he believe Carson?

“Right,” Evie said, and all eyes shifted to her now. “The library. I don’t usually go in the mornings because I’m a night owl, I guess.”

“How nice that you decided to go with Becca, then,” her mom said.

Evie had no idea why Carson had covered for her, but she owed him, big time. He and Holt started talking about the horses Holt was training, but Evie knew that Carson was aware of her. Did he understand how much of a bullet he’d helped her dodge?

The last thing she wanted to do was explain who Devon was and how she’d gotten into a situation that could have been much, much worse if it wasn’t for Carson Hunt forcing that door open.

The rest of the meal was a blur as Evie’s thoughts raced. She was more curious now than grateful. Why had he said what he’d said? When dinner ended, she was still feeling antsy. Not so much for Carson to leave, but for her family to mind their own business, so that she could go over to his grandad’s property and talk to Carson alone.

But the evening continued surrounded by people, even though Holt, Macie, and Ruby had gone back to Holt’s house in town, and Carson and Mr. Hunt left. She listened to her mom talk about a new quilt she was starting up while Lane and her dad did the dishes. Then her dad went off to some meeting, and that left Lane and her mom choosing a historical western movie to watch.

Evie didn’t feel like she could bow out without another round of questions, so she settled on the couch and half-watched a jilted son try to get revenge on his father.

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