Intrigued and a little alarmed, Dylan sidled close, sniffing the air. Besides the aroma wafting from the kitchen, the only scent he detected was that of a clean, freshly washed woman—not a hint of barnyard.
Either every item in Eve’s wardrobe was identical, or she laundered and dried yesterday’s clothes. Dylan wanted to ask which scenario was true, but he didn’t want to offend her. Some mysteries, he decided, were better left unsolved.
The concern on Eve’s face turned into a smile when a heavy-set man with dark skin and a stained apron tied around his waist walked from the kitchen with two large, insulated bags. Kelly, of Kelly’s Kitchen, Dylan guessed.
“Thanks, Kelly,” Eve said, confirming Dylan’s summation.
“Take these to the car,” the man told her. “I’ll follow with the others.”
“No need.” Dylan chimed in. He smiled at Eve’s gasp of surprise, then ignored her glare. “My car’s out front. I’ll take the rest of the food and drive Eve to the construction site.”
“And who would you be?” Kelly asked with a suspicious frown. “Never seen you around. But something about you is familiar.”
“Don’t pay him any attention, Kelly,” Eve said, warning Dylan with her eyes not to interfere. “I’ll take the food in my car, as I always do.”
“The SUV is safer—and less likely to break down without warning.” Dylan made his appeal to Eve, not Kelly. Instinctively, he understood that a woman didn’t need or want a man—even her boss—to make decisions for her. “Do you want to get stuck on the side of the road while a bunch of hungry, hardworking people is forced to do without their breakfast?”
Eve didn’t answer, she simply gnashed her teeth while shooting lasers of anger into his back. Dylan knew he’d won, but he didn’t gloat. Well, not to her face. Inside, he pumped both fists in the air as though he’d scored a game-winning touchdown.
“Need your name before I can send you off with Eve,” Kelly said. “She’s like a daughter and I wouldn’t feel comfortable letting her ride with just anyone.”
“Dylan Montgomery.” Dylan held out his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
“Montgomery?” Kelly waited for a beat before his somber expression brightened. “The football player?”
“Yes, sir.” Dylan nodded. He shook his head and grinned. “Surprised you recognized me. Even if you watch the games, I have on a helmet most of the time. Kind of hard to see my face ninety percent of the time.”
“My wife is a big fan.” Kelly snorted, ducking his head as though slightly embarrassed by his admission. “Truth. She has a picture of you as the screensaver on her laptop.”
“I’m flattered.” Dylan didn’t lie. Ten years into his career and he still felt a sense of awe every time he was acknowledged by a fan. “Tell your wife hello for me. I appreciate her support.”
“Know I shouldn’t ask.” Kelly shot him a sheepish smile. “Could you stop back after you and Eve drop off the food? Didi, my wife, will be back from the bank by then. She’ll kill me if she finds out that I met you, but she didn’t get the chance.”
“Be happy to,” Dylan said.
“Really?” Kelly beamed. “Well, damn, son. Didi will be over the moon. And I’ll have a get out of jail free card for every marital infraction for the next six months.”
Kelly rushed to fill the thermal carry bags. When finished, he refused to let Dylan carry the bags to the SUV, insisting on taking care of the deed himself.
Dylan saw the bemused, slightly irritated expression on Eve’s face and stifled a smile. Taking the bags from her arms, he motioned for her to precede him out the door. As he helped her into the car, he returned Kelly’s enthusiastic wave before sliding behind the wheel.
Driving down the road in the direction of the construction site, Dylan waited for Eve to speak. He could almost hear the words bubbling in her brain and couldn’t wait to hear what she had to say.
“I didn’t take Kelly for the type to fawn over someone just because he’s famous,” Eve grumbled after a few minutes.
Okay, Dylan thought. Not the direction he expected her to take. He thought she would be surprised by how famous he was. Or impressed. Once again, Eve didn’t do the expected.
Honestly, he was relieved. One of the things Dylan liked most about Eve was her unpredictability. She was an original. Cut from a different cloth than anyone he’d known.
“You’re angry?” Dylan couldn’t be certain because Eve’s face was turned toward the passenger window. “Why?”
“Angry is the wrong word.” Eve sighed. When she turned her head, her expression was thoughtful. “Don’t you see how messed up Kelly’s attitude is?”
“Because he was excited for his wife to meet me?” Dylan asked, taking a stab.
“Because one second he was worried about sending me off with a stranger. The next, after he realized who you were, he didn’t give my safety another thought.” Eve scoffed. “Since when does a little fame automatically make someone a good guy?”
“You know I wouldn’t do anything to hurt you?” They hadn’t known each other long, but Dylan wanted to believe that Eve at least trusted him to keep her safe. “You aren’t nervous around me. Are you?”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Eve waved away Dylan’s question with an eye roll and a snort. “But Kelly hasn’t spent time with you. The fact that he dropped his objections so quickly shouldn’t surprise me. He’s only human. Still…”
Now, Dylan understood. On her own for almost half of her young life, Eve wasn’t accustomed to relying on anyone but herself. Kelly’s paternal concern for her must have been a nice change. Then, in one fell swoop, her boss turned out to be a little shallow and a lot careless with her feelings.
Dylan curled his fingers around the steering wheel before he gave in to the impulse and reached for Eve’s hand. There was a slim chance she might accept
