Tell Tale Kiss

Chapter Twelve

Evelyn was here. Not just here, but standing in his kitchen, cooking with his mom? 

How the hell...

He ran around to the front of the house and tore up the stairs, stripped, and jumped into the shower. 

What is she doing here?  

He scrubbed the dirt from a long day's work on the farm from under his nails.

Calem didn't know how to feel about Evelyn being here. He swore to Fennick he wouldn't be in contact with her. He flew home to ensure he wouldn't be tempted to see her again and here Evelyn was standing in his kitchen.

Calem showered and dressed in under 10 minutes. He had to get to the bottom of this without his mom learning who she was. He stayed close to the kitchen door and listened to their conversation.

"I'm going to get more blackberries to make syrup for the ice cream. Will you be alright here on your own for a little while?"

"Yes, absolutely," Calem heard Evelyn say, and the moment he heard his mother walk out the back door he went to open the kitchen door to confront Evelyn. Only the door swung the other way hitting him in the face.

"Son of a...mmmm."

"Oh, Calem! I'm so sorry."

Calem rubbed his nose which thankfully was still intact. "You keep saying that, but then you keep turning up and causing havoc in my life. Evelyn, what are you doing here?"

"Your mom invited me to dinner."

"No, not here in my house. I mean here in Missouri. Running into you in the park by chance is one thing but you have to admit this seems a little..."

"Stalkerish," Evelyn provided with that damn smile of hers. Calem tried not to grin back but found it impossible.

"Yeah. A little."

"I read the article that Kaylee Bardot wrote about you. I had to know I didn't just screw up your entire life. I called but you wouldn't answer."

"And you didn't take that as a hint because...?" Calem didn't mean to sound irritated but to be put into yet another situation, not of his making annoyed him greatly. However, he immediately regretted his words the moment he'd seen the hurt expression on Evelyn's face.

"I should go. You're right. It was stupid of me to come here. You're obviously trying to put this whole thing behind you and I'm just f'ing it up. I won't stay for dinner. Tell your mom I said it was fun working with her in the kitchen but something came up."

Evelyn went to walk away and Calem grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Oh no you don't. There is no way I am facing that hellion on my own to explain things to her. You will have dinner with us but you are not to say a word about knowing me."

"Um... Calem. I'm pretty sure she already knows who I am."

Calem paled. "And what would give you that impression?"

"She called me Ms. Quinn and I never gave her my last name. I met your mom at River Market today looking for something to cook for dinner. We talked, she invited me here but we've only exchanged first names. I think your mom knows exactly who I am."

Calem let out a weary sigh and fell into a nearby chair. "This is hopeless. A disaster. How am I going to explain...?" Calem rubbed his hands over his face feeling exhausted.

"She probably has seen what's going on social media. I'm sure she knows," Evelyn offered.

"Do you see a computer anywhere? My mom still uses a flip phone. She is completely anti-technology. She doesn't believe there is enough time in a day and doesn't want to be bothered by the distractions."