The Trouble with Evie

Chapter 3

Brad sighed as he dumped the box on the floor. It was the last of the things that we had with us in the bed and breakfast. Today was the day that the removal company was bringing our furniture. It was nice to be settled or at least on the path to becoming settled.

The thought of spending a year in this house and this town made me think about Brad's apartment that we'd left behind when we began this journey. Brad always said that we'd return to it one day but he never elaborated on when that would be.

We'd taken the essentials and the sentimental items but left behind the unnecessary things. It seemed odd to leave them behind, but Brad's boss wanted him in the next town by a specific date. So, we packed what we could into the bags that we could find and left.

I knew that Brad would have been given a lot of warnings about leaving to go on the road but like always, Brad would have flaked on it. He did it constantly. We would have to find a hotel to stay in when arriving in the new town because Brad didn't book ahead. Nothing was ever planned and there were times when it drove me crazy.

"So when exactly is your boss planning on making you return to the office?"

Brad dropped his bag and looked at me. I wanted to say that he didn't understand the question, but that didn't seem right.

"In a few months," he murmured. "Probably sometime after the year is out."

"Good."

I didn't miss Brad's poky apartment, but the town he lived in was far better than this place.

"I guess we'll sell everything that there are doubles of, right?"

Brad shrugged, more interested in shuffling things around the room.

"Because we are going home after we're done here, right Brad?"

"Sure."

My eyes narrowed. He was murmuring, a sign that Brad was trying to avoid the conversation.

"Has your boss said something?"

"No, Evie."

Moving to the open door, Brad stood on the threshold and sighed.

"I'm glad the rain stopped."

"Yeah, it's great."

He was changing the subject, which meant that there was something he wasn't telling me. It was guaranteed that his boss was already planning the next move. Either that or he wanted to set up a permanent base here. Yes, that would be it. We'd never be able to leave, and that's why Brad was avoiding the subject.

"We're being made to stay here, aren't we?"

"Nothing has been said. I don't know why you're making a big deal out of this."

"Because it feels like you're hiding something."

"Evie," he chided.

I rolled my eyes and lifted my legs onto the bay window seat that I was sitting on.

"My job is not going to make us stay here. You've got to make the best of the situation. I don't like moving all the time, but the positive thing is that I get to visit lots of great towns and meet new people. What positives can you find?"

He sat beside my feet, shooting a bright and happy smile at me.

"How about new friends?"

"Sure."

I wanted to say that I'd tried to make friends in the past, but I now saw it as a waste of time. At the first school that I was in after moving in with Brad, I made a lot of friends. It broke my heart to say goodbye. We'd promised to write to each other, which we did for a few months. Then after a while, the emails stopped.