He Remembered, But No One Else Did

Chapter 8 A Perfect Act

Eveline let the call ring out.

From everything she had noticed these past few days, Brenton usually gave up after the third try.

But tonight threw her off. He dialed seven times straight, refusing to stop.

Eveline pressed her brows together, hesitated, then finally tapped the screen to answer.

"Eveline, thank God you picked up."

Brenton looked frantic, his hands flying through the signs twice as fast as normal.

"Everything back home is basically wrapped up now. I can head straight back to Soren City and be with you. Where are you right this minute?"

Eveline looked at him, a trace of doubt in her eyes.

Hadn't he been lighting fireworks with Clare barely an hour ago?

When she slipped away, she had clearly heard him promise to take Clare to the hot springs tomorrow. So why the sudden story about rushing back?

Brenton caught the look on her face and rubbed a hand over it, wiping away every trace of impatience until only soft devotion remained.

"Eveline, I messed up before. I never should have left you sitting alone in Soren City. I've had time to think it through, and I want to come back and spend Christmas with you as I should."

Her heart gave a painful little flip. Her brain knew perfectly well he would never drop Clare for her, but her emotions refused to listen.

The sharp clink of her fork hitting the plate finally pulled his attention to the background. "Eveline, where exactly are you right now?"

She kept her voice steady. "Oh, I came back to Winsdale City."

Brenton's eyes widened in shock. "You're already in Winsdale City? When did you get here? Did you go back home yet?"

Three quick questions in a row, and the tiny spark of hope that had flickered inside her died back down.

"I landed this evening. It was already late, so I decided not to drop by the manor tonight. I'll pick up some gifts tomorrow morning and go over then."

Brenton exhaled visibly, shoulders relaxing. "Eveline, my hometown is only an hour away on the highway. I'll jump in a car right now and come meet you. Tomorrow I'll walk into Gomez Manor with you."

Eveline felt the words hit her like a dizzy wave.

Before the New Year, they had made plans together. This was supposed to be the year she finally brought him home to meet her family.

Even though the Gomezes had never once treated her like their real daughter, they were still her parents on paper. She had believed something as important as marriage deserved at least that much honesty from her.

Her original idea had been simple: introduce Brenton to her mom and dad first, then take him back to see Maeve after the holiday rush, and finally open up about the secret of the House of Barlow. That had been her very last shield, the one place she was ready to hand over her entire heart.

She had been prepared to give him everything, no holding back.

She had truly believed he was the one man worth that kind of trust.

Thank goodness she had discovered the truth before she made the biggest mistake of her life.

Her eyes burned, and tears blurred the screen.

On the other end, Brenton blinked in surprise. "Eveline? Why are you crying?"

She blinked hard a couple of times and forced a smile. "I'm really touched. Brenton, you're just too sweet to me."

For half a second, his face tightened, something complicated flashing through his eyes.

He laced his fingers together so tightly the knuckles went white.

After a pause, he signed the last thing before ending the call: "Wait for me. I'll be there in one hour."

He looked so eager, like a boy head over heels who couldn't stand another minute apart. But Eveline no longer believed a single word of that "true love."

The hour passed in a blur, and Brenton showed up almost exactly on time.

He was breathing hard, chest heaving, hair messy like he had run the whole way. Yet she knew the drive from Gomez Manor took ten minutes at most.

Eveline cursed him silently. 'What a complete scumbag, still putting on this ridiculous show.'

When he pulled her into his arms, she couldn't stop her shoulders from going rigid.