Eva draws her brows together in an expression of curiosity. “Huh, your hold is just perfect, Nathan. Well done.”
I smile at her, but don’t answer, as I’m already counting in my head. One, I need to step forward and Eva backward. Two, I need to step to the side and so does Eva. Great, up till now everything works. Now I just need to close this darned box at three. When I manage that, I’m done watching our feet.
I’m finally ready to peek up at Eva. I’m comfortable enough that I can repeat the same moves while keeping my feet low to the ground as we shift side to side just like the instructions said I should.
She stares up at me, her lips stretching into a bright smile. “Nathan Montgregor, you studied, didn’t you? Admit it!”
Heat prickles at my scalp. “Is it so obvious that waltzing isn’t a natural talent for me?”
“Oh, gosh, no! That’s not what I meant.” Eva’s eyes widen. “You’re good. And I appreciate it a lot that you took the effort to learn the basics so that we could dance together at the ball. Honestly, it’s one of the most romantic things anyone has ever done for me…”
“Really?” I ask, suddenly feeling much better. I twirl Eva around, and when she’s back facing me, I add, “And what other romantic gestures did you receive?”
Eva licks her lips, a coy smirk tugging at her lower lip. “I was once given a bunch of flowers, so many that they covered my whole garden. And another time, I was taken on a beautiful boat trip and tasted the best cappuccino of my life. And yet another, someone bought me climbing shoes and taught me how to do bouldering. Can you imagine?”
I’m almost giddy from pride as she recites some of my actions from our week. “Ah, then you must have a lot of creative suitors…”
Eva leans closer and presses her chin on my chest. “Not a lot. Just one. And he’s just enough.”
The distracting heat that seeps into my chest makes me forget all the cautionary tactics I’ve decided to follow. Suddenly the wish to stop this charade and tell Eva that I love her is so strong, that the syllables are already at my throat when the voice of reason intervenes.
Nathan, hold back. Tonight, after the ball, you can let Eva know, but not yet.
I know it’s right. But I still have to let Eva know somehow how special she is to me. I lower my head until our noses almost touch. “Eva, I know I haven’t told you much about my past with women and maybe I should have.” She frowns and I quickly add, “It’s because there isn’t much to be said. I only had flings. Several. Some longer, some shorter. But I never cared for anyone I dated enough to bring her to meet my family and colleagues.”
Eva’s back muscles grow rigid in my arms, as if my words are bewildering to her. But the warm glint invading her charcoal glance reassures me that the puzzling sensation is well appreciated.
I should probably end my confession here, but I can’t stop myself from murmuring. “I can’t wait to be alone with you, Eva. There is something I—”
A poking finger lands between my ribs, and Murphy’s jovial voice interrupts me. “Nathan, brother. Marjorie told me your lovely plus one has arrived.”
Eva beams at my brother. “Nice to see you again, Murphy.”
He shoots an over-the-top smile at her and winks at me. “The pleasure is all mine, Eva. I’m so glad you could come.”
“We were just in the middle of—” I start with a slightly annoyed tone, but Murphy’s imperceptible brow-wiggle silences me.
He keeps his lips stretched in a smirk, but his voice becomes deeper. “Mother and Malcom have arrived. Before they come greet the guests, Mother would like to meet you and Eva upstairs.”
“Wait, me too?” Eva’s voice is full of alarm.
Right, after what I just told her about never having presented any women to my family, she must feel pressured at the thought of encountering my mother. A pang bites me at the pit of my stomach as I consider how nice it would be if this introduction could happen without all the pretending.
“Of course you, Eva.” Murphy pats Eva’s arm. “Our mother is very curious to meet the woman who has our Nathan behaving like a changed man.”
Eva blushes, and I quickly snake an arm around her waist. I turn to Murphy. “I imagine you’ll be joining us as well, right?”
“Sure,” he replies with an I-wouldn’t-miss-this-for-the-world smirk. “Let’s go.”
As we make our way through the other dancers, my hand presses tighter to Eva’s back. I cling to her because touching her reminds me why I’m doing all this.
Eva walks with a timid expression in her eyes, but with her chin up.
How lucky that Eva doesn’t know how much is at stake. Perhaps it’s for the better that Murphy interrupted before I could self-sabotage my plans and confess to Eva how I love her then ask her to pretend like I didn’t say it. I wouldn’t want Eva to have the same plaguing doubts as I do about whether she can hold up her act with Murphy, Mother, and as it seems, my step-father, all in the same room at the same time.
No, this arduous task needs to be only on me. Eva can just be her normal charming self, who I know is as much in love with me as I am with her.
That will take care of one part of the bet. I just need to make sure I take care of the other.
Chapter 30
(Eva - Day 7)
¡Todos los poderes del universo me ayudan! All powers of the universe, please help me. I’m going to meet Nathan’s mother. His mother. I knew that this would happen when I accepted the invitation to the ball. But somehow I thought it would be
