“We live in different worlds,” Eve mused. “No. Different universes.”
Rubbing her eyes, Eve's head fell forward as she thought of all the things Dylan could do for Daisy Juniper, things she could never dream of giving her. Money might not buy happiness but worrying about every nickel and dime could wear a person down to the bone.
Taking a red lacquered box from the small bookshelf, Eve sat on the floor, legs crossed, and opened the lid. The memories inside didn’t belong to her. They belonged to someone who hadn’t been strong enough to shoulder the pain and disappointment life handed her.
Pictures. A blue satin ribbon. One red-stained popsicle stick that still carried the faint scent of cherry. A ring with a band made of plastic and a glass stone set in the center.
A picture of a blue-eyed woman with delicate features and long dark hair sat on top of the pile. Ellie York. The photo had been taken three years ago. Before Eve knew her. Before she met Tanner Montgomery. Before she gave birth to Daisy. Before she took one too many sleeping pills and never woke up.
The coroner ruled the death an accidental overdose. Eve agreed. Ellie loved her daughter too much to deliberately leave the little girl behind. She used the pills to escape the memory of the man who seduced and abandoned her.
Eve blamed the doctor who prescribed a solution to his patient’s sleepless nights without trying to treat the root of her problem. She blamed Tanner Montgomery for seducing a young woman with promises of a lifetime of love then abandoning her without a backward glance.
And, Eve blamed Ellie. When she took her own life, she left behind someone who needed her. Someone who loved her. An accident? Yes. Also, thoughtless and selfish.
Thumbing through the other items in the box, Eve stopped when she found what she was looking for. She held the photograph in her hand, thoughtful as her gaze took in the men smiling back at her.
The second Eve saw Dylan, she recognized him from the only photograph Ellie had of Tanner Montgomery. Dressed in shorts and t-shirts, their hair wet, the brothers stood near a cabin; a lake and trees in the background.
With just a glance, you could tell the men were related. Tall, well-built, with dark hair and the same nose. Ellie used to sigh and sometimes weep over Tanner’s good looks. Eve couldn’t argue. But when she looked closer, next to Dylan, he looked like a slightly faded copy of his brother.
“He’s older, but you’re the strong one,” Eve said to Dylan’s image. “Have you always cleaned up after him or is this the first time? My guess is you have a lot of experience.”
The wrong brother showed up on her doorstep and Eve cursed her luck. She could have handled Tanner with a flick of her wrist and a twist of her nimble mind. Ill-prepared and unwilling to be a father, he ran at the first sign of conflict—or threw money at the problem.
Two brief meetings—one at the bar, the other at her door—and she knew Dylan was no pushover. He was stubborn. Authoritarian. Obnoxious. Used to getting his way. He had a face that women swooned over. But unlike his brother, he was smart enough to know that good looks could only get you so far.
“If only you were dumb as a fence post,” Eve lamented as she returned the photo to the box. Standing, she stretched her arms over her head as her brain ran through her options. “Why travel to a nothing town in New Mexico if all he plans to do is throw money at me. He wants Daisy. But why now?”
Eve met Ellie long after her brief fling with Tanner Montgomery had ended. Just passing through—as always—she planned to stay in Trident just long enough to make a little money and recharge her batteries before sliding into her vagabond shoes again.
A year later, Eve wasn’t as settled as she appeared. The open road still called to her with its siren’s song, but when you had a fragile human life to care for, taking off for places unknown at a moment’s notice wasn’t practical.
One day, when Daisy was older, they would travel together. Instead of flying by the seat of her pants, Eve would curb her restless heart with weekend trips and longer vacations during school breaks.
Unfortunately, Eve knew that the best-laid plans were easily derailed and though she prided herself on being prepared for any contingency, Dylan Montgomery was a potential train wreck she hadn’t seen coming.
A quick, sharp knock made Eve jump a foot and effectively brought her out of her thoughts. Taking a deep breath, she opened the door.
“You’re here,” Dylan said.
“You have a gift for stating the obvious,” Eve countered, determined not to let Dylan’s size or attitude intimidate her. “Come in.”
Dylan stepped into the apartment. He was one of those men who was insanely photogenic, then somehow managed to look even better in person. As he took in the details of the room without comment, Eve could swear she felt the superior sneer seeping from his pores.
“Where’s your handsome friend?” she asked when Dylan continued his silent perusal of her home.
“Levi has a wife,” Dylan said.
“I remember.” Annoyed, Eve crossed her arms. “Even if I were the type to seduce a married man, he could easily turn me down.”
“Some women don’t know how to take no for an answer.” Dylan looked her up and down, leaving no doubt what kind of woman he judged her to be. “Levi is a newlywed. When his wife called to say she’d returned from her business trip a few days early, he hopped the first plane back to Seattle.”
Eve couldn’t say she believed in happily ever after. But even her slightly jaded heart was a sucker for a love story.
“Must be nice,” she said. When Dylan gave her a questioning look, she shrugged. “I can’t
