Evie's Knight Read online

  Kelly gave her a nod while taking a backward step. “Yep. See ya. Good luck on your art thing. They’re going to love it.”

  “Thanks. You too.” Only Evie wasn’t thinking so much about the art thing anymore. She wasn’t thinking about the eerie sketch, either. She was thinking about the redhead and Calvin, strolling along campus side by side. She hurried into the art room, dreading it all the more, and noticed the jock in his usual chair behind hers. Her shoulders slumped. She spotted the duo at Calvin’s desk. He had taken a seat in his chair. She sat on his desktop, facing him, dangling her stubby legs off the edge and laughing wildly.

  As she slipped into the chair, Evie scrutinized the waif-like girl vying for Calvin’s attention. All her life Evie had been told she was small. Both short and thin, she was used to being one of the smallest in her class. This girl was smaller. Even her head seemed narrow, which made Kelly’s nickname almost cruelly appropriate. Yet, she was pretty. Large jade eyes, flowing ringlets of strawberry hair, freckled skin even lighter than Kelly’s.

  Calvin leaned away from the little thing as he replied to her, looking as if he wanted distance. The rich tone of his deep voice cut through the chatter like the hypnotic tenor of a beating drum– one designed for Evie’s ears only. Even in a low mumble it was beautiful.

  The professor announced himself with a few short coughs. “We’ll be analyzing the remainder of your art in just a minute, but first I want to let you in on an upcoming project.” He stopped and eyed the girl on Calvin’s desk.

  Calvin nodded toward the professor, and the redhead retreated down the aisle in an annoying fit of giggles. She pointed a glare at Evie before dropping like a feather into the chair in front.

  Evie rolled her eyes.

  The professor continued. “Each of you will create a piece of art that represents a momentous event in your life. You’ll need to select a partner within the class to analyze this piece.”

  Partner? The word repeated in her head like a call to action.

  “I advise you to pair up with someone you are not well acquainted with, as you’ll want to receive an unbiased opinion on your art. I’ll give you a moment to take care of that, and then we’ll move on.” Professor Milton folded his arms and looked at the class expectantly.

  Evie pulled in a nervous breath. A sudden wave of chatter broke over the room, and she realized people were already selecting their partners. She glanced at Calvin, panic rising within her, when he turned to look over his shoulder.

  Is he looking at me or the redhead? She blinked a few times, unnerved by the thorough effect of his gaze. Me. Definitely me.

  “Evie,” he said. The word sounded wonderful as it rolled off his tongue. He pointed at himself, and then at her, raising one dark brow. “Partners?”

  She nodded, gave him a smile. “Yeah.”

  When he returned the gesture with the easy flash of his flawless grin, a rush of triumph spread through her body. Me and Calvin Knight–partners.

  “Now that we’ve got that out of the way,” the professor said, “ I want you to be thinking of the event you’re going to portray. It can be the most beautiful moment in your recollection, a time of complete joy and accomplishment. Or you may opt for the darkest, most dismal time in your life, portray the grim affects of utter loss or failure. The choice is yours.” He stepped toward the stack of projects.

  Holy crap! There were too many things going on inside her head. The idea of working with Calvin Knight. Critiquing his art–having him analyze hers. That on its own was major. Plus she had to decide what to paint, pick some momentous event from her life. Not to mention, at any minute her piece would make it to that easel for all to see. Her art–all the work and emotion she’d put into it–would soon be vulnerable before a vicious sea of wild sharks and one redheaded piranha.

  The first piece shifted from the desk to the easel. Not hers.

  That critique was over in a blink and the second went up on display. Not hers either. On the third piece, the loud guy and the redhead picked up on their regular game of tag team, pegging the overall idea as shallow and overdone, which seemed to be the theme for the day. Still, Evie’s art lay nestled somewhere within the stack. She watched with morbid fear as each new canvas took its place, waiting for hers to drop into the spotlight. At last Professor Milton propped her artwork on the high-standing easel. A lump of nausea rolled through her stomach.

  “Materials?”

  “Acrylic paint,” someone hollered.

  “Yes. And what do we see here?”

  A different voice spoke out. “Looks like Grandma’s house to me.”

  “Be a little more specific,” the professor urged.

  Evie cringed. There seemed to be only two kinds of paintings as far as the class was concerned: ones that provoked interest and emotion, like Calvin’s, and ones that didn’t. She already knew where hers fit in.

  The loud guy piped up, “It’s just a white house with black trim.”

  “It’s serene,” a girl in back said.

  Evie turned to see the tattoo-covered girl as she continued. “It’s got a cozy, wrap-around porch, an old patio swing. Sitting there, an art pad in hand, I’d be complete.”

  “Good,” the professor said.

  The redhead thrust her hand in the air. “I’ve seen a million pictures exactly like this one. It’s your standard calendar picture. There’s almost nothing of interest there.”

  “Not a whole lot of talent displayed, either,” someone else spoke from behind.

  Ouch. Squelching the urge to see who said it, Evie kept her gaze down. She trailed a finger over the scratches in the desktop, wishing the embarrassed heat would leave her cheeks.

  “That’s not exactly what we’re supposed to comment on, right?”

  Evie’s eyes widened as she recognized Calvin’s voice.

  “Besides,” he continued, “I disagree. It’s not a simple composition at all. The artist is clearly skilled with a paintbrush.”

  “Good point,” the professor said. “Remember, class, we’re not measuring artistic talent. Just the overall impression of each piece, like we did with the historical works. Any other thoughts?”

  Evie looked at Calvin. He couldn’t have known the piece was hers, but she loved the way he’d spoken up. Before she could look away, he glanced back at her, light reflecting in the deep brown of his eyes. He held her gaze while an invisible current–as live as the energy that streamed from the sun–surged between them. It was as if she’d tapped into some electric passage, a direct line that fed her with something she’d never known, something she desperately wanted more of.

  A sudden flick to her arm startled her, and she turned to look at the loud guy at her side. His hand rested near her arm where he’d tapped her. “Check out that one,” he said, eyes wide with excitement. “Now we’re talking.”

  The new art on the easel portrayed a silhouette of a couple, intimately locked in an embrace. A blazing sunset illuminated the pair, yet Evie mused she’d felt more heat from the moment she’d just shared with Calvin from across the room.

  The incident stayed with her the remainder of class. She relived the euphoric sensation again and again, nearly forgetting the mean comments about her art. As the professor dismissed class, Evie heard her cell buzz from the bag at her feet. She grabbed the small phone to see she’d missed a couple of texts from Kelly. She read the last one first:

  Did U get hold of Jessica?

  “Why would I need to do that?” She looped her backpack around one shoulder and scanned over the other text.

  I’m so, so sorry, Evie, but I gotta bolt. Zack’s having a moment and he can’t get hold of his AA buddy.

  Already? Kelly’s brother had only been out of rehab for two weeks.

  Hopefully I can get back 2 U in time, but just in case, U might want to call Jess, see if she can pick U up.

  Students shuffled around her, making their way to the door. Evie glanced up to see if Calvin had left yet, thrilled to see him st
rolling down the aisle toward her–not the exit. A smooth smile eased onto his magnificent face as he neared. He wore black today, a polo shirt with a rugged pair of Levi’s. The color seemed to change him; in white, with the sunlight at his back, he had shined like the glowing exhibit of a Spanish god. In black, he was dark mystery and devilish allure.

  “I’m going to have to confiscate that, Miss.” He nodded toward the phone. “Texting during class is a misdemeanor.”

  She stood up, shoving the phone into the pocket of her jeans. “What if I promise to never do it again?”

  His eyes narrowed as he scrutinized her. “Fine. But I’ll still need to escort you out of the building.”

  She let out one short chuckle, almost forgetting she still had a call to make. “You don’t have to cuff me for that, do you?”

  A wide grin spread across his handsome face. “As a matter of fact I do.” He reached forward, wrapping one strong hand around her wrist, and then turned her to face away from him, seizing the other behind her back as well. His chin hovered over her shoulder as he urged her forward in a slow shuffle. “Cooperate and we won’t have to make a scene.”

  She reveled in his closeness, enjoying the feel of his warm body against her back. The other students had filtered out of the classroom, making their pathway to the door clear. Just before they reached the noisy hall, her cell began ringing loudly.

  “Now I’m just going to have to take you to jail,” he said, releasing her arms.

  She dug into her pocket. “Then I get a phone call, right?”

  Calvin gave her a smile as she put the phone up to her ear. The action exposed hints of a dimple in his cheek. Her heart sped at the sight.

  “Tell me you got hold of Jessica,” Kelly said.

  “I’m going to call her right now. I’m sure she can come.” Before Kelly could respond, Evie spoke up once more, “I’ll call you right back if I need you.”

  “Got it.” Kelly sounded relieved.

  “Everything okay?” Calvin’s expression had turned serious.

  “Yeah. My ride had to take off, so I’ve got to call my sister.”

  He paused at the doorway, waiting for her to step through, and walked closely beside her once they entered the noisy hall. “Well I don’t know where your sister lives, but I could take you home.”

  Evie had to force herself not to pause mid-stride. Delighted excitement and anxious nerves warred within her as she continued toward the exit, wondering what it’d be like to actually ride home with Calvin Knight. “I couldn’t ask you to do that. I don’t live here in Ogden. I’m out in Roy.”

  Calvin held open one side of the double doors. “That’s not a problem for me, but if you’d rather call your sister I understand.”

  She stepped outside, squinting from the sunlight, and motioned to the side of the building, away from the flow of the crowd. “I might as well just call her real quick and see where she is. She could be close by already.” Secretly hoping her sister wouldn’t answer, Evie hit the speed dial, tapping her foot nervously as it rang.

  “Hello?” the frantic voice came. A baby cried in the background.

  “Jess, it’s me.”

  “Evie?” More screeching blared from the receiver.

  Evie held it away from her ear and glanced up to see a smile on Calvin’s face. “Yeah, Evie. I was wondering if you could–”

  “Just a second. Skyler,” Jessica sighed loudly into the phone. “You better get back here. Sorry, we’re having a bit of a crisis.”

  Evie nodded, wishing she hadn’t called her at all. “Hmm. Well I was going to see if you could pick me up at the university. Kelly had to leave early.”

  Her sister let out another sigh and followed it up with an extended pause.

  Evie looked at Calvin once more. “I um, might be able to catch a ride from,” she had no idea what to call him, “a friend of mine.”

  He nodded encouragingly. “I’m happy to take you home, Evie.”

  A pool of warmth encircled her heart when he uttered her name.

  “Is that a guy?” The pitch of Jessica’s voice had risen.

  “Yeah.”

  “Do you feel safe with him, Eve?” The question came through loudly; there was no doubt Calvin heard it as well.

  “Yeah. He’s actually like some campus cop or something. He had to escort me outside once for bad behavior.” Evie stifled a laugh. Calvin did the same.

  “Are you joking?” There wasn’t a hint of humor in Jessica’s voice.

  “Yeah. I’ll let you go, Jess. Bye.”

  Calvin shook his head. “How much older is she than you?”

  “Four years.”

  “Campus cop, huh?”

  The grin remained on Evie’s face while she nodded.

  “Follow me onto the lot then, Miss.” He held his arm out for her. “I’ll make sure you get home safely.”

  Evie linked her arm through his, realizing that, to any onlooker, the two would look like a couple. She fought to keep the excitement off her face, unable to believe she was about to get a ride home with Calvin Knight.

  Chapter Five

  “Thanks for doing this,” Evie said as they headed to the back corner of the lot. “Sounded like my sister was having some real trauma. She’s got two kids, so…” Probably no need to elaborate.

  “No problem.” As Calvin led her through the sea of cars, Evie spotted his black Jeep Wrangler along the far edge, close to the mountain’s base. The sleek, hardcover top was gone, exposing the rugged cage of the Jeep. Good thing it was such a warm day.

  He opened her door for her. The wheels weren’t too high, but high enough to make her glad she hadn’t worn a skirt. Evie stepped onto the running board and climbed in.

  “Thought you might need a step ladder,” he teased, closing the door behind her. He opened the driver’s side and settled into his seat.

  “With some trucks I might.” She pulled the buckle across her lap. “In fact, I had this one guy ask me out–the wheels on his truck were ridiculous. He seriously had to help me in and out of the cab each time. It was awful.”

  Calvin started up the engine. “Not for him, I bet. Sounds pretty sly to me.” He slid his arm behind her seat, easing the Jeep out of the stall, his hand just barely grazing the neck of her blouse.

  She cursed herself for enjoying the feel of it so entirely, and rambled on, “I remember spending the whole evening dreading the climb back into that truck.”

  “Was there ever a second date?”

  She shook her head. “Nope.”

  “All because of the truck?”

  She shook her head again. “Nope.”

  “This is getting good. What kind of guy gets a second date with you?” He eyed the busy intersection, back and forth before pulling onto the main road.

  Evie shrugged. “I’ll have to get back to you on that one.”

  Crisp hints of pine and sage danced in the breeze. Though the scents belonged to the winding canyons in the east, they reminded her of Calvin as well. Fresh, woodsy, and masculine.

  She tuned in to the city noise: pounding thuds of bass blaring from distant speakers, the rushing traffic speeding by, the hush of the wind as it blew across her face. Everything about it made her feel more alive, more part of the world around her.

  As they picked up speed, Evie’s hair tossed and flew in all directions. She chuckled, swooping the blond strands into one fist. She hadn’t worn a hairband on her wrist today, so she reached into her bag and pulled out a long, sharp pencil.

  “What are you doing with that?” he hollered over the rushing breeze.

  “Tying my hair back.” She rested the pencil on her lap while twisting the length of it into a high bun at the back of her head. “See?” She turned so he could watch as she speared the pencil through the knotted bun.

  He raised a dark brow. “Impressive.”

  She pulled in a deep breath, glad to have her hair out of her face once more. “Okay, so you need to know where I live, right?�
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  He shrugged. “Unless you want to grab a bite to eat first. My treat.”

  If her heart could tumble, it’d be doing cartwheels. Lots of them. “Okay. That’d be great, but I don’t want you to pay for me.”

  A playful spark gleamed in his eye. “Why not? If you let me pay then I can count this as a first date, right?”

  She smiled. “Maybe.” Cardiac backflips were happening now–her heart was going wild.

  “Good. So where do you want to go?” He checked over his shoulder before switching lanes.

  Evie eyed the signs along the busy street. “I’m okay with anywhere. Do you have something in mind?”

  He veered into the left lane, took a turn at the light. “How about we pick one of these?” The boulevard was lined with several restaurants. “We’ve got Chinese, Mexican, Italian, fast food and pizza.”

  “Well, since this is a first date, you may as well know this about me now–I love every kind of food. There’s almost nothing I don’t like.”

  “Really? Your mom must have loved that.”

  She smiled, knowing the comment wouldn’t sting for long.

  “Have you been to that one on Twenty-third Street?” he asked.

  “The Mexican one? It’s one of my favorites.”

  “Alright, then. Mexican it is.”

  “I’m going to take a wild guess and say, you come here a lot.” Calvin dug his fork into the oversized bowl between them, spearing one of the miniature scones. “What are these things called again?”

  “Sopa dots. And yes. I’ve been coming here since I was little.” Evie swirled the small, warm treat in the melted pool of honey butter. “They taste best when you get them drenched, like this.” She spun the fork as she lifted it from the bowl.

  “That does look better than the one I just ate. You going to feed it to me?” A playful smile spread over his lips.

  She let out a surprised laugh. “No.”

  “Why not? You said they taste best that way. Show me.”

  “You want to have one of those cheesy girl-feeds-guy-across-the-table moments?”