A Prior Engagement (8 page)

“Tomorrow?” she asked, tentative.

“Hmm.” He pondered aloud, but remembered his conflict. “I can’t tomorrow. I have to work—”

“
Oh
. What do you do?” He had shared another tidbit and she wanted to soak it in.

“I’m a bike messenger, sometimes a foot messenger. It sucks some days and other times I dig it. It changes day-to-day.”

This explained a lot. “Did you work on Saturday?” She was worried about asking him this because if he didn’t he might’ve found this question offensive.

“Yes. I should’ve apologized for my appearance. I didn’t have time to shower before meeting you. I probably looked awful.”

“No, not awful. Not bad at all,” she said, remembering how good he looked.

“I love New York, but the streets are filthy and the dirt and exhaust from the cars gets all over me. Sometimes I wear a mask because I get paranoid about my lungs and stuff.”

She noticed he was very clean looking today, his clothes, shirt, hands, and face. “So, when then?”

“What?”

“When do you want to show me the magic of the city?” She was astounded by her own boldness, but she liked being this brave.

“How about after class on Wednesday?”

She pulled a small planner from her bag and skimmed through her week. “Wednesday after class is perfect.” She jotted down the rendezvous.

“Blue ink?” William asked, pointing at her pen.

“Always.”

She packed her stuff up, and said, “I have to go, but I’ll see you Wednesday.”

“Bye,” he said, but his voice broke, making her smile as she left the coffee shop.

When Everleigh got into Tom’s car, he leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. “Good day?”

“Yes,” she answered, “very good day.” Lost in her thoughts on the ride home, she was thinking about how the day had been better than she could have imagined.

They walked into her home together and he poured a drink while she sat down on the floral settee overlooking the park in the distance. With his back to her, he asked, “Do you want to go out for dinner tonight?”

As she stared at the back of his head, she realized he hadn’t really looked at her in a long time, not the real her. “No, I’d like to stay home.” She glanced at his profile, seeing his nostrils flair. It wasn’t the answer he wanted, but in some sick way, she almost willed him to be mad. His anger was an emotion she understood. It terrified her, but it was predictable. His other moods, these in-between moods were unpredictable, making it difficult for her to keep her own emotions in check.

Against her better judgment, she gave in. “We’ll go out if you prefer.”

“I do.”

And with that, carefree Evie had gone and Tom’s Everleigh was back.

Chapter 7

It was a simple ferry ride, but Everleigh hadn’t been on one since she was a small child. She loved that William had suggested something unique, something opposite from her normal routine.

They found an empty place against the railing, and William didn’t waste time. “Do you work?”

“No.”

He noticed she didn’t apologize for that fact or seem embarrassed which meant it wasn’t necessary for her to have a job. She must come from money.

It was her turn to ask the questions. “What do you like to do for fun?”

“Um . . . I like to read, but I guess you already figured that out from my major. I read at home, parks, bookstores, coffee shops. I enjoy writing, too.”

“I read at the park the other day. It was blissful.” Her face glowed, remembering her two stolen hours there.

“Sometimes you reveal the most interesting things. You read at the park the other day as if it’s the first time you’ve ever done it. You grew up in Manhattan, but don’t seem that familiar with it.”

“I know a lot about the city. I’ve worked with charities and galleries, hospitals, and different leagues here.”

“But I have a feeling you live in a bubble of sorts.” He saw the light disappear from her eyes so quickly that he adjusted his statement not wanting to hurt her feelings. “I don’t mean to be rude. I think the best way to get to know a city is to experience it, not just study, or talk about it.”

“Honestly,” she said, folding her hands together on the table in front of her. “I would love to experience it more than I have. Today was a good start.” She looked into his eyes and maybe it was the bravado from the comfort she was feeling, but she held his stare without blushing and without blinking.

William leaned closer to her ear, and whispered, “I would love to experience it with you and today was
a great start.” The ferry docked.

Knowing their time was limited, her expression softened and she tilted her head wanting the moment to last.

He gave her the most heart-stopping smile, and asked, “Do you still have some time?”

She licked her lips as a distraction, looking away from his piercing eyes. Peeking at her watch, she calculated the time in her head then sighed. “I need to get going.”

William tried not to let his disappointment show, but he had trouble hiding his feelings. She didn’t like seeing him sad, but she knew their day together had to end.

Walking to the center of Battery Park, they stopped. When she turned to face him, he lifted her bag off his shoulder and placed it onto hers. He stood so close and reacting on instinct, her hands went to his chest and stayed there as if they had known each other longer than they had. With both of their hearts racing, she said, “You gave me an amazing day. I wish I could return the favor and give you the same.”

“Don’t underestimate yourself, Evie. My day was amazing because I got to spend it with you.” He brought her small frame to him and hugged her while burying his face into her hair. He inhaled before pulling away to ask, “I have two more places I’d like to show you. One is my favorite café near the university. It’s called Pizzeria La Cucina . Have you been there?”

“No, it sounds yummy though. I haven’t had pizza in such a long time.”

“I live off pizza and theirs is the best.”

“And the other place?” She loved he had thought this through.

“The other takes place at night. We can do both.”

Although she knew there was nothing right in accepting his proposal, she was convinced there was nothing wrong in it either. People are selfish.
Love is the most selfish emotion one can feel
, she believed.
Love
—is that what she was feeling? No, but traces of it were blooming deep inside her heart already.

Her pause gave William too much time to overthink and his doubts started to get away from him. He wanted to give her everything, show her everything.
I mean, love is the most unselfish emotion one can feel
. Is that what he was doing? Was he trying to show her his love, to give her his
love
?

“Yes.”

“What?” he asked, breaking from his inner
love
monologue.

“Yes, we can do that one night. When?”

“How about next Monday?”

She flipped through her calendar in her mind, wanting to make this work. “What time?”

“I work Monday afternoon, but I could meet you at eight?”

“All right, eight then. I’ll see you Friday in class.” She took a few steps away from him heading east, but stopped and said, “Thanks again . . . for everything.”

He waved back to her with a huge smile on his face.

* * *

As she made the final block to her building, she straightened her skirt. She pulled her hair tie out and replaced it with a stiff headband from her bag, trying to look appropriate and presentable.

When William arrived home, he flicked on his small lamp and tossed his bag to the floor. He didn’t want to shower because every now and then, he got the faintest whiff of Evie from their embrace and he liked it.

William worked a long shift on Thursday, but still managed to fit some studying in over a hot bowl o’noodles. In the morning, after a quick breakfast of cereal, he left earlier than usual, anxious to get to class.

By his second class, he sat in his chair with his knee bouncing with nervous anticipation until Evie walked into the auditorium. She started up the steps before looking up and their eyes met. She eased down the aisle and sat right next to him. His knee stopped bouncing as his insides calmed.

“Hi,” she said, feeling a little sassy.

“Hi. Looking forward to Lang’s lecture today?”

“Yes. Most definitely!” she said, sarcasm lacing her tone. “Our finals are in two weeks. Are you ready? Highlighted all you can highlight in that textbook of yours?” She laughed out loud, causing a few of the surrounding students to look over.

“I think I’m finished with the highlighting for now.” William laughed as well, looking down at his pen, the pen she had given him.

“We have a lot to cover today and yes, it will be on the final,” Professor Lang announced from the front of the large room. William and Evie both focused on him giving their full attention. They angled their bodies forward and prepared to take notes.

After class, Evie whispered, “I can’t get coffee today. I’m sorry.”

He could tell she was disappointed as much as he was, but he didn’t want her sad. “Being a bit presumptuous, aren’t you?” William said, but he couldn’t keep a straight face long enough to hold his own joke. “I’m giving you a hard time. It’s all right.”

She chuckled. “I thought I was being rude there for a minute.”

He felt bad now. “I’m sorry. I was just joking.” He touched her arm briefly in reassurance. “I understand if you can’t go.” Leaning closer, they walked through the exit doors, and in a very low voice, he said, “Though, I do wish I could see you before next Monday.”

He mumbled the last part, but she heard him and she liked that he spoke to her in such a seductive voice. “Me too.” She did, too. She continued walking very close to him, and said, “I have some
obligations
this weekend I must tend to. But, I’ll be looking forward to Monday.”

Her words and smile helped to melt the disappointment he felt.

She angled her head as she tapped his hand with her fingertips. “I’ll see you then. Have a nice weekend.” She turned and headed east, walking one block up to a waiting car.

William went to Bean There, still feeling a tingle across the top of his hand where her fingers had ghosted across his skin.

When he entered the coffee shop, he saw Tracy was working. “Do they ever give you a day off?” He joked as he approached the counter.

She laughed, flirting, not ready to give up on him, especially not when they could share a laugh like they were. “I like to work and I need the money. Most of us don’t have daddy still supporting us.” She turned around and started on his coffee.

“Yeah.” He managed to reply, but was unsure of what she meant by the comment. He didn't have his dad supporting him, so he figured she must have been making a general statement.

She continued her mini-rant. “Not all of us can be as lucky as your friend. Some of us have to work for living.”

Her comment, though said in jest, felt somewhat disrespectful toward Evie and he didn’t like that. Evie admitted she didn’t work and that was okay with him for some reason.

William found Evie delicate in many ways and felt the need to protect her.
What am I thinking?
He reined in his thoughts, focused back on his coffee, and paid Tracy. “Thanks.” Walking to his table, he was upset by the thought of someone, even someone who was nice like Tracy, taking a dig at Evie’s expense.

He had also assumed Evie came from money before it was confirmed. It wasn't a hard assumption to ascertain when she told him she grew up in New York, but not just in New York, in Manhattan specifically. Most people can’t afford that luxury. He barely scraped by paying for his worn-down pre-war studio apartment. It wasn’t his place to judge her in a negative way because her family might have money. He also didn’t envy her for it. Everyone has their own set of problems—money just wasn’t one of hers. He decided to blow it off and read his book.

Evie walked into Bean There on Saturday afternoon with her designer handbag draped over her shoulder. She had convinced her family she needed to get more studying done in the city and they went to the Hamptons for the weekend without her.