Dinner Party

EVIE

The afternoon sun beamed through the storefront windows of my new shop as I stood in the center of its empty bones beside Charlie Carter. The walls consisted of unclad two-by-fours, as Charlie’s crew had ripped them down to studs just yesterday.

Blueprints sprawled the barren black granite countertop where I planned to set up the register, and Charlie’s fingertip skimmed them as we talked through plans.

“Well, I want the fridges lining the left wall over there,” I said. “So there will have to be a decent amount of outlets.”

“Yeah, I’ll go over that with my guy that does electrical and see that ample outlets are installed before the drywall goes up.”

Call me sexist, but it still blew my mind to see a woman running the show in this field. On the other hand, Charlie seemed like an impressively independent lady and someone I could get along with.

“So, if you don’t mind me asking, what got you started in this line of business?” I asked.

“Well, my father died when I was nineteen, but before that, I worked for him for a while. The money was good; he paid me under the table and taught me damn near everything I know. I think he always secretly wanted a boy.”

~Ping.~ My cell chimed from the back pocket of my jeans.

“Sorry,” I said, tugging it out.

When I glanced at the screen, a text from Sam sent a smile stretching across my lips.

Vázquez

Hey, angel. I hope you’re ready for tonight. I have one hell of a spread planned for you.

Charlie’s voice pulled my attention from the screen. “Sam?”

I smirked. “Is it that obvious?”

“Your face lit up like a freakin’ Christmas tree, babe.”

Yeah, Sam had that effect on me. I couldn’t help it, though. I didn’t expect to find someone so soon after my divorce that I cared so much about.

In a way, I’m glad Greg hurt me the way he did. If he hadn’t turned my life upside down, I would have never moved back home and met Sam.

“It’s hard to find a good man nowadays,” I said with a smile.

“You’re telling me,” Charlie complained. “I can’t seem to find one who doesn’t automatically feel emasculated when I pick up a hammer.”

“When the right one comes along, I’m sure he’ll be ~attracted~ to that hammer.”

“Right…” Charlie chuckled. “I’ll believe ~that~ when I see it.”

After Charlie and I finished up, I headed back to a coffee shop with a bathroom big enough for me to change into a nice deep-green dress and touch up my makeup.

Sam had bought out the lease on my apartment as promised, and we were officially living together as of a week ago. But since he’d said tonight was a special occasion, I wanted to look nice rather than coming home messy and changing there.

I couldn’t picture Sam—Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome CEO—slaving away in the kitchen. Perhaps I was being sexist all around today. He’d been bragging all week about “a night I’d never forget,” despite refusing to tell me the menu.

It was nearly dusk, and snowflakes drifted from the misty blue sky, falling in front of my headlights as I drove through Sam’s neighborhood—my neighborhood, now. It was still surreal that I actually lived here.

When I reached the driveway, though, I frowned at the sight of Carla’s black BMW parked beside Sam’s car.

~Why is Carla here?~

Surely Sam wouldn’t have invited her for dinner. He’d boasted about spending the night together—just the two of us. Yes, he and Carla were friendlier with each other recently, but I couldn’t imagine her being happy as a third wheel.

Maybe she just had a quick legal question about her divorce? Something easier to discuss in person?

I parked behind Sam’s Mercedes and shut off the engine. Small solar lights lit the stone footpath where it passed by the giant living room picture window, leading to the modern front porch.

I climbed from my cab and headed for the pathway.

As I approached the living room window, though, my feet froze to the pavement as if the slush had iced over within a matter of seconds. Sam and Carla stood in front of the sofa, lips pressed together in what looked like a passionate kiss.

Tears welled in the corners of my eyes, burning in the icy wind, and my heart trickled down each rib until it dripped into my stomach. I quickly ducked back from the glass before they could turn and see me.

The urge to flee clouded my brain worse than the overcast sky. I rushed back to my car, climbed inside, and sped off.

I’d just given up my apartment. I’d trusted Sam. I’d put my life—and the life of our baby—in his hands. If he was making out with his ex in our living room, I had nowhere else to go.

Well, no, that wasn’t true. At least my parents would always welcome me home.

The image of Sam and Carla kissing replayed in my mind like a movie. The further I drove from Sam’s house, the more tears streamed down my cheeks—as if the dam that held my emotions at bay was beginning to crack.

Finally, I had to pull over, my eyes too blurry to focus on the road.

How could Sam do this to me? I’d told him about everything that happened with Greg; didn’t he know how much something like this would hurt me?

Did he even care?

***

A good fifteen minutes later, I pulled up to the curb in front of my parents’ house.

I killed the engine, took a deep breath, wiped the tears from my cheeks, and quickly used the car’s rearview mirror to wipe the water from under my lashes and to make sure my mascara wasn’t smudged.

I didn’t want my family to spot my sadness. I didn’t want to talk about it. I couldn’t. Not tonight.

I climbed from the cab, wandered up the walkway to the cranberry-red door. As I wandered inside, laughter poured from the living room.

“Hey, it’s me,” I called.

As I kicked off my shoes in the entryway, my parents and Saanvi came out to greet me.

“Hey, dear,” my mother said. “I thought you and Sam had dinner plans tonight.”

The mention of his name instantly brought tears to my eyes despite my attempts to hold them back.

“What happened?” Saanvi asked.

“I don’t wanna talk about it.” I walked around them, heading up the spiral staircase, back to my old bedroom. Maybe I would never escape my childhood home after all. Maybe I should just hide under the covers forever.

Saanvi muttered something from behind me that sounded something like “I’ve got it,” but I didn’t stop to ask.

The room was emptier than I remembered it, matching the emptiness in my heart. I’d moved out all my stuff, first to my apartment and then to Sam’s. There weren’t even any sheets on the bed.

I spun, instead invading the room Saanvi and Tim were staying in. They’d only meant to stay through the holidays, but after the news about my pregnancy, Saanvi had wanted to stick around till I was out of the danger time for miscarriage.

I was so grateful Saanvi was still here, but for tonight, I just wanted to be alone. Of course, Saanvi couldn’t sense that. A second after I slammed the door behind me, it opened again, and she busted through.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” she asked.

“His ex-wife happened,” I said, sitting on the foot of the mattress.

Saanvi furrowed her brows. “Wait, like…?”

“Yeah.”

“What?” Saanvi sank to the bed’s edge beside me in shock.

I told Saanvi the story—each sickening detail. Recounting it for the first time summoned the burning tears to my dried winter eyes again, and I kept sniffling as if I was sick. Hell, after seeing ~that~, I ~was~ sick.

“That rat bastard…,” Saanvi breathed.

“Why did I do this again, Saanvi?” I asked. “Why did I let him in?”

Saanvi shook her head. “You didn’t know.”

“I should’ve. I mean, look at what I just went through with Greg.”

“I’ll admit, Sam didn’t seem like the type,” Saanvi said. “But then again, they never do.”

She was right about that. I never thought Sam would hurt me. I knew we would have our arguments here and there, but I never expected this. Especially because of this baby. His baby.

Because of the baby, Sam would always be in my life. I wasn’t going to keep his child from him, even if it killed me. Which meant that each time I saw him, I’d see ~her~. Carla. I was going to see them kissing. For the rest of my life, I was going to have to live in this pain.

“I can’t believe I’m carrying…his child,” I muttered.

“No. Don’t go there,” Saanvi warned. “Don’t do that to yourself. Think about how long you’ve wanted this. The baby is a ~blessing~, even if the father is an asshole.”

“Yeah. Yeah, you’re right.” I shrugged. “I’m just gonna have to raise him or her alone.”

Saanvi sat there in silence, staring at me as if she was contemplating something.

“I wasn’t sure when to tell you, but I’m moving back home. Permanently,” she said. “Tim loves the town. Loves the people. He wants to open a practice. I’m gonna be here. You won’t be alone.”

Despite my world turning upside down yet again, happiness flooded my heart. I couldn’t even tell anymore if I was crying with heartbreak or joy or some weird mix. Saanvi yanked me into a hug and squeezed me with all her might.

As we parted, she seized my hands. “Now, I have something to ask you, and I need you to be completely honest.”

“Okay,” I said with a sniffle, not sure where she was going with this.

“Do you want me to find Sam—and punch him in the face?” she asked, straight-faced. “I’m serious. After I’m through with him, he will give Rudolph a run for his money.”

“No.” I chuckled. “But I love you for offering.”