Moving On

Chapter 12 - Part 1

Evelyn stepped into Dan's office and found two desks on opposite sides of the wall.

Joanne sat behind one of the desks, filing her nails. She wore a peach-colored lace headband that pushed her wavy blond curls back.

Evelyn could never pull off that kind of headband. It was simply too sweet for her personality.

It didn't suit Joanne either. She wasn't sweet; she tried to be, but it always came out so forced, so feigned.

Across from her, another blonde sat behind the second desk. Unlike Joanne, she wore a white, buttoned-down shirt. Her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail, and she appeared to be actually working.

"Hi, can I help you?" the working blonde asked as she glanced up from her computer.

"I'm Evelyn. I'm looking for—"

"What are you doing here?" Joanne barked, putting down her nail file.

Rolling her eyes, Evelyn continued without acknowledging Joanne. "Dan."

The working blonde nodded politely and picked up the phone, but Joanne marched over and snatched the phone from her, slamming the phone down.

The assistant sighed softly and gave Evelyn an apologetic smile.

"What business do you have with my brother?"

Evelyn shook her head. This girl never learns. "If you think I won't dare to beat the brat out of you simply because this is your brother's company, then you're wrong." Taking a step closer to Joanne, Evelyn glared at her. "Get your brother out before I put actions behind my words."

"Are you threatening my daughter?"

Evelyn turned around as a heavily made-up woman sauntered in with a series of click-clops announcing her entrance. Despite the layers of freshly applied powder on her face, the age lines that were deeply carved into her face were crystal clear.

Evelyn pursed her lips as she took in the skin-tight dress and the chunky necklace around the creased skin of the woman's neck.

She tried to stop herself from giggling at the absurdity of the old woman's outfit. People in their sixties shouldn't be dressing as if they were still in their early twenties.

"Were you the one who threatened my daughter?" the woman asked as her eyes scrutinized Evelyn from head to toe.

Joanne crossed her arms and smirked.

"Yes," Evelyn replied without hesitation.

Joanne's mother raised her hand and swung her open palm at Evelyn. Without even flinching, Evelyn easily caught her attacker by the wrist and shoved her back.

Evelyn even had time to grace Joanne with a smirk of her own.

"I grew up with people much worse than you. If you think I'm a lamb that you can intimidate, think again. I don't care how old you are. If you dare try that stupid stunt again, I'll peel your flaky skin off you."

"What's going on?"

Evelyn heard Dan's voice, but she didn't turn around. She kept her eyes on the outrageous woman in front of her.

"Evelyn, are you all right?" Dan asked as he strode up to her.

"Yeah," she said. Her eyes flitted over to Dan, trying to judge if she would have to fight him, too.

She relaxed a little when he smiled at her. "I just came to realize that your sister is a monster because she was brought up by one. How did you turn out so well?"

Mrs. Riley's jaw dropped, and she stared at Evelyn with disgust. "Are you going to let her speak about us that way?"

Dan merely shrugged.

That's a smart choice. There was no right answer in this situation. No matter what answer he gave, he wouldn't be able to appease both sides.

Taking her hand, Dan pulled her out of the office.

"Sorry about that, but you seem to have handled yourself pretty well," Dan said when they were out of earshot.

"Are we still going to meet your wood guy or are you throwing me out of your office?" Evelyn asked as she was dragged to the parking lot.

"Of course we're still meeting my wood guy. But if you are too distraught by what happened, I can take you home."

She pulled her hand from Dan, laughing at the thought that a pair of spoiled mother and daughter could scare her. She pointed to her own car. "I drove. I'll follow your car."

"That's just wasting gas. I'll drive you there. After that, we can have lunch, and I'll send you back here."

"Are you trying to spend more time with me?"

He blinked and laughed. "Is that all right?"

Evelyn shrugged half-heartedly. "Is it all right if I ask Kate to join us for lunch?"

"Sure."

She took out her phone and sent a text to Kate as she got into Dan's car. "Why are your parents so protective of Joanne? Did she almost die when she was a child?"

Her candor stunned Dan for a moment, but he recovered quickly and answered, "No. It took my parents a long time to have the both of us, and they'd always wanted a daughter."

Her head bobbed up and down as she came to an epiphany. "That's why they spoiled her. And since their attentions were focused on her, you grew up to be independent and successful while your sister lives off you like a parasite."

"I didn't know you were an expert on families."

"I'm not. I've just seen more than my fair share of dysfunctional families."

Dan didn't say anything, but she knew the question he had in mind.

"I grew up in foster homes. It's all right to ask. If you haven't realized it, I'm pretty straightforward. I say things as they are; no drama, no secrets."

"What happened to your parents?"

"I don't know. I've never met my dad. And all I remember of my mother was her dropping me off at the hospital and never coming back."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Evelyn said with a wry smile. "And don't look at me that way."

"What way?"

"The oh-poor-thing way. I survived it. I'm still in one piece, mentally and physically. And I must say I'm at a pretty good place in my life."

"How do you know Kate?"

"We met in college, but that's a long story. Speaking of Kate, I want you to know that even though I'm grateful you're introducing your wood guy to me, I'm still going to say this. If your sister does anything stupid to Kate, I'll kill her."

"It's difficult to believe you and Kate are friends."

"I know, she's like the complete opposite of me," she said with an indulgent smile.

When they finally got to the warehouse, Dan's wood guy had everything she needed. And thanks to Dan's good relationship with him, she would be able to get the wood before the day was over.

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