Forever Eva [Sequel to When Kat's Away] (Siren Publishing Ménage Amour) (9 page)

Zach moved to take her hand. “Of course not. She had me fill out a request form and pay a small fee for them to do a hand search of the old files. She said it could take a week or six months. She has no way of knowing how long it’ll take to go through all the old boxes. For the most part, the years are divided out correctly. But some of them, especially the ones that go back to the 1800s, are all mixed up. She said I had to be patient, but she would work as fast as possible.”

“What if we offered to search the boxes for her? I’m a policeman. She should be able to trust me.”

Zach shook his head. “I suggested that, and you would’ve thought I’d suggested she sell herself on the steps of the county courthouse. Apparently nobody is allowed into the bowels of the courthouse but her and her staff.”

Tony sighed. “Okay, I guess I can understand that. I guess it’s all supposed to be confidential.”

“So, what happens now?” asked Eva.

Zach grinned. “Now, princess, we’re gonna take you shopping to get you some clothes.” He turned his gaze to Tony. “Are you coming with us, officer?”

Tony snorted. “You’d better believe it. I’m not turning you two loose with a credit card.” He held out his hand to Eva. “Are you ready to see a little of our world, Eva?”

Slowly she placed her hand in his. “Okay, gentlemen. Lead on.”

* * * *

Eva looked around in wonder at the crowds of people all trying to get through the store at the same time. She held tight to Zach and Tony’s hands as she gazed at the bright store signs. People walked by pushing babies in strange small carts with wheels, while others had their small children tethered to them with long, slender cables much like a horse’s reins.

Tony looked at Zach. “Where do you suggest we take her?”

He glanced around. “There’s a Richmonds upstairs. They should have everything she’d need. It’ll cost a little more, but it’ll be better than dragging her through twenty different stores.”

Tony shuddered and looked at Eva. “Is that okay with you?”

She shrugged. “I’m willing to go wherever you want me to.”

“Richmonds it is.” Tony pulled her toward the right side of the large room.

As they got closer to the wall, her mouth dropped open in shock. As she watched, people stepped on a moving staircase that carried them up toward another floor of stores. The two men pulled her forward and then laughed when she jumped over the first two narrow steps, landing safely on a full-size step ahead of them. She turned and then scowled at the amusement on their faces. “Don’t laugh at me. They don’t have anything like this where I come from.”

“And where might that be?”

Eva looked over Tony’s shoulder at the slender woman who’d spoken. Her shoulder-length brown hair hung in silky-looking waves, framing her round face, which was painted heavily, making her large brown eyes stand out.

“Shit,” Tony whispered as he turned abruptly. “What are you doing here, Laura?”

Laura’s eyebrows rose, and she placed a hand on one hip. Her head cocked sideways as she studied Tony’s face. “I wasn’t aware this was your personal shopping mall. It’s my day off, and I needed some things.” She glanced at Eva, and a brief, angry look crossed her face. “Aren’t you gonna introduce me to your friends?”

Tony grabbed Eva’s hand and pulled her closer. “This is Eva Bennington.” He pointed to Zach. “And you’ve probably seen Zach Carlson around the office. He’s a park ranger. Guys, this is a coworker of mine, Laura Kennedy.”

“Are these your house guests, Tony?”

“Yes, and we’re in a bit of a hurry.”

Laura glanced at Eva, her gaze running up and down her body, her lip curling up in amusement. “I’m guessing the young lady needs a wardrobe boost. Maybe you’d like me to come along to offer some female advice and support. It’s obvious she needs some guidance.”

Tony motioned for Eva to turn around. When she looked, the stairs were shrinking and disappearing underneath the floor. A feeling of panic swept through her, and she had to control the urge to back up. His hand tightened as he leaned down to whisper in her ear, “Just step over the end. You’ll be fine.” Watching the end come nearer, Eva prepared herself mentally and stumbled but made it safely onto the next level.

Eva stood a little taller and turned to watch Laura come off the moving steps. “That won’t be necessary, ma’am. We’re only here because my trunk was lost and I need to pick up a few replacement things. It was nice meeting you, but I’m sure you’ll excuse us now since we’re on a tight schedule.” She glanced at Tony and almost laughed at his openmouthed astonishment. “Are you ready?”

Tony took one of her arms while Zach took the other. Both men chuckled as they walked away from a fuming Laura. Tony leaned down. “What was all that about losing your trunk? What are you playing at?”

She sighed and released his hand. “It’s what Papa Beau and Papa Zeke told people when Mama arrived in Hamilton. They said the train had lost her trunk before she got to the stage and they needed to replace her clothes. Mama said it gave them an excuse to buy her everything she needed without it seeming strange. I thought the same thing would work here. Did I say something wrong?”

Zach laughed and pulled her into a one-arm hug. “Absolutely not. You gave the perfect excuse. I’m just glad you didn’t say the train lost your bags. It doesn’t run through here.”

Tony snorted. “Come on, you two. Let’s get this shopping over with, and I’ll buy you dinner at the diner near home. I’m not in the mood for pizza, and they have the best fried chicken I’ve ever tasted.”

Two hours later, Eva was exhausted. Her head pounded from the constant barrage of noise with people talking as she stood in line waiting for the men to pay for the clothes they’d chosen. It never stopped. There were even people walking alone talking to the small boxes she now understood were cell phones.
And how can people stand the smells?
People’s body odor mixed with various different kinds of perfume scents competed with something called a
food court
that reeked of grease, buttery smells, and meat grilling. She couldn’t quite decide if she was hungry or nauseous. The guys had made her try on so many different outfits, each one more beautiful than the last. In the end, she’d let them make all the decisions because nothing seemed right to her.

Now, she just wanted to be finished so they could go back to Tony’s quiet house. She wanted to be alone with her men.
Yes, they are my men. It feels right, and I know we’re meant to be together. I’m pretty sure Zach feels the same way. I just need to work on Tony and bring him around. And I’m going to have to do it fast. That Laura was awfully pretty, and it was very clear she thinks Tony belongs to her. Course, it was also obvious he didn’t agree. I just need to work fast, and make my two guys see how good we could be together.

Eva watched Zach hand the sales lady behind the counter a small, rectangular card. She leaned closer to Tony. “What’s that?”

Tony rolled his eyes and tapped Zach on the shoulder. “We have the perfect woman.”

“Huh?”

“One who doesn’t know what a credit card is.”

Several people in line glanced at her and laughed. Eva felt her face flush and quickly pulled away, turned, and walked out into the crowd. She went toward the moving stairs, blinking back the moisture in her eyes.
I’m just a big joke to him. How can I make him fall in love with me if he thinks I’m something to laugh at?
The sound of him calling her name made her walk even faster. She was almost to the steps when someone grabbed her arm and yanked her around.

Tony’s nostrils flared as his eyes narrowed, his eyebrows lowering, drawing together. He shook her arm lightly. “You don’t run away from us. It’s not too late to turn you over to the department and let them figure out what your game is.”

Eva tried to blink back her tears, but one escaped and ran down her cheek. “I don’t have a game, Sheriff Grandy. I didn’t have any control on how I got here, but I am beginning to see that this isn’t the time for me. Why don’t you take me back out to the Silver Rush, and I’ll see if I can figure out how to get home?”

Zach pushed Tony aside and moved to stand next to Eva. “Nobody is going anywhere but out to dinner.” He glared at Tony and then smiled at Eva. “He wasn’t making fun of you. You have to understand that your situation is just as strange to us as it is to you. In our day, there isn’t a woman alive, over the age of three, that doesn’t know what a credit card is. It’s just a small card that identifies the person that owns it and lets stores charge their purchases. The credit card people send a bill to me at the end of the month so I don’t have to carry money around all the time. The people in the store just thought he was making a joke. I promise he wasn’t making fun of you.” He cut his gaze to Tony. “Were you?”

Tony sighed. “No, of course not. I’d never consciously make fun of anyone. You looked so tired and worn out, I thought I would try and lighten the mood. I’m sorry if what I said was in bad taste. I never meant to hurt your feelings.”

Eva glanced down at her shoes. “Apology accepted. I’m sorry if I overacted.”

Tony smiled. “I accept your apology.”

Zach slid his free arm around Eva. “Now that that’s settled, can we go eat? I’m starving.”

“Sure, I’m hungry.” Eva looked up at Tony. “You lead the way.”

Zach looked at the diner and then over to Tony and raised his brow.
Is he kidding? This is the worst dive I’ve ever seen.

Tony chuckled. “Don’t worry. I swear the fried chicken is to die for.”

Zach snorted, put his arm around Eva, and led her toward the door. “Maybe so, but I’d rather not die to eat it,” he mumbled.

Eva giggled then immediately clamped her hand over her mouth.

Tony glared at them both and opened the door, motioning for them to go in first. The scent of deep-fry permeated the room. Zach glanced at the specials listed on the chalkboard by the door. Deep-fried fish and fries, corn dogs and fries, fried chicken, and he guessed it, fries.

Zach gripped Eva’s hand tighter and followed Tony to an empty booth. He watched as Tony slid in, stopping in the middle, leaving the other side for Zach and Eva to share. Duct tape covered the cheap vinyl bench in so many places their booth appeared mummified. He glanced around as Eva slid across the seat. Glass domes covered appetizing-looking pies on their main counter where a cook with a stained white apron stood talking to one of the patrons. In the background, a radio belted out country music. Zach shook his head and sat down next to Eva, jerking a napkin from the holder to wipe away the sugar crystals on the table.

Eva looked around, her eyes wide. “This is one of your best restaurants?”

Zach laughed, propped his elbows on the table, and looked at Tony.

Tony scowled. “It’s not always what’s on the outside that counts. Sometimes you have to look deeper.” He turned his attention to Eva. “Do you like fried chicken?”

She nodded, licking her lips, making Zach groan softly.

“Then I promise you’ll like the food here.”

A gum-snapping waitress, in a one-color uniform, holding a coffeepot walked up to the table. She wore a nametag that read
Diane
. “You folks need a menu?”

Tony flashed a bright smile. “The lady and I will have the fried chicken.”

Diane grinned at Zach. “What about you, handsome?”

Zach felt Eva stiffen and quickly put his arm around her. “Might as well make it three.”

“What about something to drink?”

Eva looked up. “Do you have tea?”

“Sure thing, honey. What about you gents?”

“Sounds good,” Tony said.

“Make it three.”

Diane winked. “Right away.”

The waitress was back in less than a minute, setting silverware down for the three of them. Zach watched Tony pick up his mangled fork and bend it back into shape. Eva was busy reading the names scratched into the marred Formica tabletop.

“I’ve got the next few days off. When do you have to go back to work, Tony?”

“I’m off tomorrow, and then I have to go back.”

Eva sighed. “I’m gonna have to look for a job if I’m going to stay here. I can’t depend on you for everything.”

Tony narrowed his eyes. “Do you have any identification? A driver’s license, a birth certificate, a social security card?”

She blushed and lowered her eyes. “You already know I don’t.”

Tony shrugged. “Then there’s no way you can get a job.”

Diane brought their food to the table, setting the first plate in front of Eva. “Can I get you folks anything else?”

Zach had to admit, everything looked good. He glanced at Eva, who shook her head. “That’s all, darlin’.” Diane nodded and walked away.

Eva picked up a chicken leg and took a big bite, frowning as she chewed.

“What’s the matter? Don’t you like it, Eva?” Tony asked.

“It’s kind of hot, like spicy hot. I haven’t had much spicy food, but every once in a while Mama would get her hands on some different peppers and spices and experiment. Papa Zeke didn’t like it much, but I always thought it was good for a change.”