No Evan.
No S. to console her anymore.
“It’s going to be lonely,” Randi murmured to Lily as she stroked the dog’s head, wondering why in the world a streetwise woman like her had been stupid enough to fall head over heels in love with Evan Sinclair.
“I’m worried about Evan,” Mara Sinclair shared with her husband, Jared, as she looked at herself in the mirror and changed her earrings. She was almost ready to leave for Hope’s ball, but she had a bad feeling about how things were going to end for Evan after tonight.
Jared stood above her, adjusting his bow tie. “Why?” he asked curiously.
Mara’s breath caught as she looked up and saw her husband’s handsome reflection in the mirror. She still wasn’t used to being married to such an amazingly gorgeous man. Sighing as she picked up her lipstick, she didn’t ask herself why they had fallen for each other so hard or so completely. She was just grateful for that love every single day.
“All of us are worried,” Mara confessed. She, Hope, Sarah, and Emily had shared their concern during their coffee time. “He’s in love with Randi. I know he is. What happens when he leaves?” Would he retreat inside himself again, lose all the progress he had made in coming out of his defensive shell? Mara was pretty certain that Randi was the reason for the change in Evan. And he had changed. She was doubtful he’d ever lose his know-it-all arrogance. That was just part of Evan. But he was different, less guarded, more connected to the family. She didn’t want him to lose that now.
“I know he’s in love with her,” Jared answered nonchalantly. “I’m just not certain he knows it yet. It’s pretty evident to Grady, Dante, and me because we’ve been where he is right now. After the way he stuck his nose into my relationship with you, I shouldn’t feel sorry for the asshole, but I do.”
Mara turned and punched him lightly in the stomach. “That’s a terrible thing to say. You love Evan and you know it.”
“I love you more,” he answered promptly. “I love you more and more every single day.”
Mara’s heart melted. There wasn’t a single day that Jared didn’t declare that he loved her more today than yesterday. “You love your siblings, too.”
Jared shrugged. “I do love them, and yes, Evan saved my life. But I’m not going to meddle in his business.”
Mara smiled, knowing that Jared would absolutely intervene with Evan if necessary, as she took a final look at herself in the mirror and stood up. She didn’t look bad for a plain, ordinary woman. She’d never be a stunner like Randi, or as eye-catching as Sarah, but the way that Jared looked at her was all that mattered.
Jared whistled as he caught her around the waist. “You’re gorgeous.”
Mara wrapped her arms around his neck. “You don’t look so bad yourself, handsome.” She paused before looking up at him, meeting his gaze. “You know you will interfere if Evan is miserable. He deserves to be happy.”
Jared’s expression changed to one of regret as he answered, “I owe Evan my life and my happiness now. But I don’t think anyone knows what to do. None of us really knows how Randi feels, and Evan holds everything in a place where no one can see that he’s suffering. I’m hoping they’ll resolve this on their own.”
“She loves him,” Mara said confidently. “She wouldn’t be sleeping with him if she didn’t. She hasn’t been with anyone since college. I tried to pry some information out of her during our lunch today, but she wasn’t talking.”
Randi had arrived to their women-only lunch late that day, after the others had finished talking about how concerned they were for Evan.
Mara was just as concerned about Randi. If she loved Evan, which Mara was pretty sure she did, his departure was going to break her heart. Randi had been through so much in her life. She deserved to be loved by a good man.
“She’s sleeping with him?” Jared asked with a false tone of shock.
Mara rolled her eyes. Her husband knew damn well that Randi and Evan had been hot and heavy with each other. “I don’t know what to do, either. Randi lost Joan so recently; I don’t think she’s quite recovered from that. Her relationship with Evan could hurt her badly.”
Jared stroked her cheek and said softly, “Hey, sweetheart, don’t worry so much. We don’t know that they won’t work everything out for themselves.”
“I don’t have a good feeling about it,” Mara replied sadly. “Evan hasn’t been here long enough to completely lose his guard, and he went through such a lot. I guess I’m worried he’ll leave before he realizes how he really feels.”