Nyght's Eve by Laurie Roma Read Free Book Online Page A

being in her living space, that was similar to
how he felt being in her presence.
    He remained quiet as he followed her into a
large, open kitchen that was almost identical to the set up at the boarding
house, except for a different color scheme. The room was decorated in warm,
earthy tones, and the cabinets had frosted glass fronts that added a modern
touch to the deep gold of the marble countertops. Dare’s gaze narrowed onto the
pie sitting on the center island, and he had to stop himself from sticking his
hand into it.
    As if she knew what he was thinking, Evie
pulled out a fork and picked up the pie, carrying it over to the breakfast bar.
“So you can have a taste,” she said with an impish grin.
    Without a word, Dare slid onto one of the
stools and stuck the fork in the pie. Evie shook her head as she set aside the
plate she’d picked up and went to the fridge to get two bottles of water. Today
was peach pie and Dare’s mouth watered at the first sight of the rich, golden
fruit surrounded by flakey pastry. The first bite hit is taste buds like
ambrosia. He closed his eyes, savoring the treat, then dug back into the pie
for some more. When he looked up, he found Evie watching him with an amused
expression.
    “You really do like your pie.”
    He grunted. “I do. Normally, I would share,
but I’ve been pushed beyond my limits.”
    She laughed. “No need to share. I also got
you some more soup and a few muffins. You can take those back with you with the
rest of the pie.”
    “The rest? Honey, I’m eating this all right
here.”
    Her eyes widened. “You can’t eat a whole
pie.”
    “Watch me.”
    “That isn’t good for you.”
    “I’ll run it off later,” he replied around
another mouthful. “I don’t have my wallet with me, but I’ll pay you back for
all the food you’ve been supplying me with.”
    She waved that away as she moved to a large
jar on the opposite end of the counter. She took out a few dog bones and
one-by-one handed them out to her dogs, who took them and trotted off to lay
sprawled out on the floor with their treats. “Consider it a welcome gift and
thanks for helping out around the center today. But now that you are back on
your feet, you are on your own for your meals.”
    “Fair enough. I was surprised how many
animals you’re housing, but everything is so clean and well organized that you
don’t notice it until you do a walk through the place.”
    She beamed a smile at him that made him
almost choke on his pie. “Thank you. We try really hard to keep the place in
excellent condition. The animals deserve it after all they’ve been through.”
    Dare’s mood darkened as he thought back to
all that he’d learned that day. “Hunter and some of the staff told me a few
stories. After all I’ve seen, I shouldn’t be surprised at the cruelty of some
people, but I am.”
    “Well, thanks again for helping out today. We
really appreciate any extra hands.”
    “I had fun,” he said, and was surprised that
it was true.
    “You’re welcome to come by anytime,” she
offered as she packed up the soup and muffins in a bag for him. He felt the
dismissal, but something made him push for more time with her, even if just for
a few minutes.
    “So, what made you open the rescue center?”
    Evie seemed pleased by his interest. They
spent the next few minutes discussing her love of animals and how she wanted to
help them recover in a safe environment while she sought to find them good
homes. Everything she said had the ring of truth to it, but Dare sensed there
was something she wasn’t telling him...something more to the story. Still, the
conversation wasn’t strained or stilted, and Dare found himself enjoying her
company as much as the pie. He drained the bottle of water after he ate the
last bite and felt a little queasy having eaten the entire thing.
    “I cannot believe you ate it all. That’s
just...”
    “I don’t mess around when it comes to pie.”
    “So you said. Well,