Page 46 of Home Sweet Home

Immediately, West’s neutral expression twisted into a snarl, his eyes flashing with something hard and fiery.

“That asshole.” West shook his head, and before Evie could say anything else, he was walking toward the parking lot.

“Um…” Evie started after him, struggling to keep up with his longer legs and determined pace. “Where are you going?”

“To Oliver’s house,” West said, not stopping his march toward his Jeep.

Evie glanced back at the boys. Some of them had noticed West walking away, their heads tilted in confusion.

“What about practice?” Evie asked.

“You can handle it.”

Evie wasn’t sure what was going on between West and Robert Martin, but she wasn’t going to let him handle it alone. She quickly jogged back to where Josh sat. She asked him to have the boys practice in the outfield for thirty minutes and told him she and West would be back.

Evie ran back to the parking lot as fast as she could, and by the time she reached West’s Jeep, she was panting and barely managed to wrench open the passenger-seat door.

“What are you doing?” West asked.

“I’m. Coming. With. You,” she said between greedy gulps of air as she slid into the front seat, the leather scorching against the bare backs of her thighs.

West’s jaw was set as he shook his head. “No. I can handle this.”

Evie rolled her eyes. “Do you even know where Robert Martin lives?” By the flash of annoyance that crossed his face, she had her answer and felt a burst of triumph. “I’m coming with you. Just drive. He’s on Poplar and Elm.”

Luke Bryan blasted through the speakers the second West turned the key in the ignition. Evie was surprised her eardrums didn’t explode from the impact.

“Ow!” She slammed one hand over her right ear, her left hand yanking the knob down seventy-five percent. “I seem to remember you promising no country music.”

West was staring straight forward as he drove, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly, his knuckles were white. She could see his teeth grinding, his jaw twitching with every sharp exhalation.

“I wasn’t exactly expecting company,” West said, turning onto the highway so fast, Evie slammed against the door.

“Jesus Christ,” she said, rubbing her shoulder where it had made contact with the door. “A montage reel of my life just played in my brain. That’s how close to death I feel every time you make turns. You should get a minion to teach you how to drive better.”

A flicker of a smile tugged at his lips, and Evie’s chest swelled with pride at the change in his mood, no matter how small.

“He might not even be home,” Evie said as they turned onto Poplar Street. “He could be on a job.”

But as Oliver’s house came into view, Evie saw Robert’s pickup sitting in the driveway, and any hope she had of avoiding this confrontation faded quickly.

West pulled into the driveway and had barely put the Jeep in park before bounding out the door. After a few quick strides, he was at Robert’s front door, knocking loudly, over and over. Evie had barely made it next to him when the door opened.

Robert’s mouth twisted into a victorious smile. “The famous West Hawthorne at my front door. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Hi, Robert,” Evie said, giving him a small wave. As much as she didn’t like him, she knew the way to deal with him wasn’t storming in guns blazing like West had chosen. If Robert heard her, he didn’t show it. His stare was focused on West’s.

“Oliver’s late for practice,” West said. “I’m here to pick him up.”

“Did I forget to mention?” Robert said. “Oliver’s not on the team anymore. Said he didn’t want to play. Who am I to tell him what he should do?”

Through the sliver of open door, Evie could see Oliver sitting on the couch in the living room, eyes wide.

“Why don’t you let me talk to him, then?” West tried to step forward, but Robert blocked him with his foot.

“This is my house,” Robert said. “I only let people in who show me some goddamn respect.”

Robert and West stared at each other for a long time and with such intensity that Evie was wondering if the silence would be broken with fists rather than words, but after a few seconds, West’s body relaxed. “I shouldn’t have lost my cool with you,” he said. “I’m sorry about that. Really. But please don’t take it out on Oliver. He’s a good kid, and he’s doing really well, and I’d like for him to see this summer through.”

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