Closing Books

Chapter 3 - Part 3

Dan could see that Evelyn was already deep in her own thoughts, dismissing him from whatever or whoever was occupying her thoughts.

He looked away and caught Marianne staring at him.

Throughout the whole hot and cold cycle that Evelyn and Dan were going through, Marianne had been nagging him to step up and show Evelyn that he was serious about being together.

Each time, he had trusted Marianne and did what she said.

Each time, the result that followed was a period when he became the invisible man to Evelyn.

When that happened, Marianne would tell him that he wasn't serious enough, and he didn't show her that he'd meant what he said.

Sometimes, he was tempted to snap back at Marianne and tell her to stop meddling in his business. It was easy to blame Marianne for things going downhill, but he had to admit that she was only giving him the push he needed.

He did know what he wanted, and he wanted everything with her.

He'd heard people talk about how they knew the person they were with was the one, and he knew.

It didn't matter that they were running in a circle. It didn't matter that they might be with someone else in between. There was a knowing in his heart that they would end up together.

She would be the one he would grow old with; the one he would create great memories with; the one he would have a family with.

Dan had lost count of the number of times he'd looked at Evelyn and heard the small voice in his heart telling him that they belonged together.

But Evelyn didn't seem to agree. She knew what she wanted as well.

She had told him right from the start that she wasn't interested in relationships, never had and never will. Still, he dove in head first, thinking things would change.

There was nothing for him to complain about. Evelyn did tell him straight to his face; it was purely his stupidity in thinking that he could change things.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe it was just the spillover effect of Tyler finding love that made him think otherwise. Maybe this time, things were really through between them.

Pushing the food away from him, he tuned in to the conversation around the table.

"Eve always said she wanted to learn self-defense. We just never got to it. If you start one, I bet she'll be your first customer," Kate said.

He had tuned in just in time to disapprove of Kate's idea.

"Yeah, of course," Evelyn replied after a moment's lapse as if she, too, was daydreaming. "It shouldn't be too difficult for you guys to come up with the lessons. You guys learned judo, right?"

Ryan raised his brows. "True."

"Will you ladies be our guinea pigs?" Joseph asked Kate.

"Why not?" "No."

Two people spoke at the same time, but all heads turned toward Tyler. Even if they hadn't recognized his voice, it was obvious he was the one rejecting the idea.

"They're clumsy; you might get hurt," Tyler said to Kate.

"Thanks for thinking about me, too," Evelyn stated sarcastically.

"Both of you may get hurt," Tyler corrected.

For once, Dan was grateful for Tyler's protective nature.

Dan grew up with the guys and had lost count of the injuries he'd sustained while playing basketball with them. He didn't think it would be dangerous; he knew it would be. But unlike Tyler, he'd no right to speak up about it.