Page 93 of The One With the Mountain Man
Attacks on someone's private life were a hard line for me. It didn't matter that I technically didn't know either of these women five minutes ago. "And we're done here." I grabbed Eve's hand, leaving the toilet paper behind because I was pretty sure we didn’t actually need more, and didn't stop moving until we were at the TBR Pile, which, I was pretty sure Anastasia didn't know existed.
Okay, that was petty of me, but seriously, who acts like that? Certainly not someone who reads a lot of books.
I waved to Willow on the way to the back room.
"Thank you," Eve huffed as she plopped down into a chair. "I would have killed her if she kept that up."
"I could tell. You and Jackson have a lot in common."
She beamed up at me. "Thank you. That's why I've been trying to nail him down. I'm pretty sure I'm still twelve in his mind."
Eve was definitely not twelve. She wore a nice vest and matching slacks. Her bob was chic and very stylish. Her makeup was subtle and expertly applied. She was adorable but all-woman for sure.
"Families can be hard to navigate, even when we love each other very much."
"We're too loud. It makes Huk crazy and I'm not sure how much longer Karis will last. She's so done, especially after Friday night."
"Would she leave Lost Creek?"
Eve chewed on her lower lip. "I don't know but it's a possibility. The way Dad dismissed her and Huk, it cut deep."
Jackson was upset Friday night when he got home, but it was mostly on Karis's behalf, not his own. When I asked him about that he said he'd stopped caring what his father thought of him a long time ago.
She rubbed her forehead. "But honestly? It's the way Mom and Dad have placed Nora up on a pedestal that has all of us keeping our distance. They've basically handed over the parenting to her. She can do no wrong. The way they stood up on the stoop looking down on Huk... it was weird and it was gross. I want nothing to do with it and they basically ignore my existence. I can only imagine how Karis is feeling with them breathing down her neck about the divorce."
"Are you close with Karis and Gus?"
Eve nodded quickly. "There's only two years between us. I love Gus so much. And I know I'm a lot. I'm super extroverted, but I try so hard to dial it down for them."
This was the most insight I'd gotten into Jackson's family from someone on the inside. "Are you close to your other sisters?"
She gave me a one-shoulder shrug. "There's six years between me and Nora and eight to Minna." She pointed in opposite directions. Nora was older, Minna younger. "Minna is sweet. We get along. But Nora is cranky. She's more like Anastasia, who is her best friend by the way, and I can't stand spending time with her. Do you have sisters?"
"I have one sister and one brother." I pulled out a chair and joined her. "Elora and Eric."
"Wait, shouldn't your name begin with an E, too?"
"Eric and Elora both starting with E is just a coincidence. My first name is close. Aurora. Marley is my middle name."
"I would go with my middle name too. Aurora is pretty but it's a bit much."
"Do you like your name?"
She grinned. "It's short and sweet, like me. Plus, everyone always thinks of biblical Eve, but I prefer to think of it as the day before, like Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. I'm the excitement and fun before the big solemn event."
What an interesting way to think of it. "That's amazing. I think we're going to get along just fine."
"I do too. So, as you can tell, I'm the girl the town gossips about when they run out of gossip. I'm famous for bed hopping, partying a little too hard, and running for mayor last year. I lost but I'm not letting that stop me. And before you say anything, there's no age requirement. I'm not too young."
I loved her. Not like Jackson, but close. "Can we be best friends?" Charley was going to love Eve.
"I say yes." She grinned wide. "I'm so glad I got to meet you like this, without the chaos of a family dinner."
"I am too. I'll make sure Jackson reaches out to you."
"It's so cute the way you call him Jackson." She gave my arm one last squeeze. "I'll see you around!"
She waved goodbye as I wandered over to the counter where Willow was working. "How are you today?"
