A Prior Engagement (42 page)

“I love you, but I’ve got to shower, honey.”

A grunt of disappointment was all she got in return.

It was Monday morning and as they walked out of their building, her dad was waiting in front of his town car, which was parked at the curb. They stopped, somewhat surprised to see him, somewhat happy, and somewhat nervous. “Dad?”

“Good morning, Everleigh, William.”

“Good morning, Richard,” William replied, holding tight to Evie’s hand. This was an odd time to visit, especially since they all saw each other last night. He was guarded and feeling very protective of Evie right then.

“There’s been a strange discovery, and I need your opinion, Everleigh.”

“Okay.” She was cautious.

Richard glanced to William. He was well aware nothing was kept a secret between the two of them, so he didn’t request privacy. He also got straight to the point. “Mr. Whitney put some of his assets in your name. They were hidden in a side account. His company, now my company, has no rights over them since his name is not listed as the primary holder. I need to know how you would like to proceed with these accounts.”

She stepped forward. “I’m confused. Why would there be anything in my name?”

“I don’t have the answers. I only know what we’ve found. I’d advise you to come by this afternoon and look the papers over. I can have my accountants and lawyer there if you have questions. It’s several large sums of money. You should act quickly,” Richard said, closing the gap and embracing his daughter. “How are you?”

She smiled as she hugged him back. “I just saw you last night, Daddy.”

“I know, but I missed you.”

She felt such happiness in her father’s arms, realizing the name ‘Daddy’ slipped out.

“Evie,” William started to say as he stepped forward, “you don’t work today. I think you should go after class and settle this sooner than later.”

She turned around, and asked, “Will you come with me?”

“I’m out at three today. I can go with you then. Are you sure you want me there? I know this is a personal matter.”

She smiled at him, turning and taking his hand in hers. “I want you there. I have no secrets. We have no secrets.”

He nodded.

Turning back to her father, she said, “We’ll be there at three-thirty.”

“I’ll see you then.” Richard leaned forward and shook William’s hand. “Good to see you as well, William.”

“Did you miss me too, Sir?”

They laughed. “Yes, well, I guess I did.” They continued laughing.

William met Evie outside the English building just after three. She was sitting on the nearest bench and was stunning in the autumn afternoon. The sun was golden and bright, revealing the different colors highlighted by the waves she now wore, shades that were hidden when she lived in darkness all the time.

They took a cab to the financial district and walked through the lobby of the high-rise. William felt underdressed and tried to straighten some of the wrinkles out of his shirt as they entered the elevator.

Evie walked with confidence past the three gatekeepers and straight into her father’s office without knocking.

After a quick greeting, two of his accountants and his legal advisor joined them and they set up at the large table by the window. They went through and explained how they thought Tom was scamming by trying to hide the money from the government in some way. The silver lining is the auditors had been contacted, and if Evie pays the due taxes on the new accounts, she could have full claim to the remaining dollars.

As they walked back out the building an hour later, William asked, “Hey, for old time sake, you want to go for a ferry ride?”

“I’d love to.”

They caught the next ferry, but remained in a bit of a daze from the meeting.

“Evie?”

She turned to William and just seeing his face made her relax. She cuddled into his side, the wind blowing around them as they stood on the deck of the ferry and the sun started to set. “How are you?” she asked, tilting her head up to see the truth in his expression.

“I’m fine. How are you?”

“Believe it or not, I’m great. He set those accounts up to dupe the government and used me to take the fall. My dad said he’ll help me pay the taxes to make the accounts legal if it means Tom will never see a penny again.”

William didn’t fear Tom. William feared him having any part in their lives, including his money. “What are you going to do with it?”

She looked back down, resting her cheek on his chest. “I don’t know.”

That would have to suffice for now for both of them.

“Is it silly to feel this good?” Evie asked William once they made it home and climbed into bed later that night.

“No, not silly. Not silly at all. I feel the same.” He rolled onto his side and wrapped his around her.

She rubbed her hand up and down his arm, feeling his muscles as they flexed under the skin.

William sat up, easing his brow with his fingers. “I don’t want us to change or for his money to come between us.” Looking down at his bent knees, he sat there quiet in thought.

A minute passed, and Evie was anxious from the silence, so she said, “It won’t. On the ferry tonight, I realized I want the money to mean something and make a difference to someone. It means nothing to me. It’s a bad reminder of him, so I’m giving it to the women’s shelter that I helped to raise money for at the fundraiser.”

William lay back down next to her. “I think that’s a great idea.”

“I’m going to have my father make the transfer in the morning, an anonymous donation. I don’t want the glory. I just want it to be used for something good.”

“Evie, you don’t know what that means to hear you say that. I know four million is a lot of money, but it’s blood money—”

“I have no problem ridding him from of our lives. I want no part of anything to do with him ever again.”

“He’s out of our lives for good now. Our future can now begin.”

Chapter 36

In early November, William surprised Evie by meeting her after class. He talked her into taking another ferry ride despite the chilly weather. She thought they were going to visit his family, but they got on a different ferry—the ferry that took passengers around Manhattan.

William wrapped his arms around her, her back to his chest and they watched the cityscape before them. As they rounded the curve of the river, when they were just about to be shaded by the skyscrapers, he got down on one knee, held her hand in his, and asked her to be his forever.

After wiping her tears away, she pulled him to his feet before grabbing him around the neck and saying, “Yes. Yes. A thousand yeses.” As he slid a delicate gold band with a small inset diamond on her finger, she gasped. Her sentimental side recognized the ring and she was overcome with pure joy. Evie kissed him again. “Is this my great-grandmother’s ring?”

“Yes, your mother gave it to me in case I was planning something like this.”

“My mother has fallen in love with you. She’s been trying to get you into the family since she met you . . . well, since you came to dinner that first time.”

“She made it easy for me. She said you would like the ring. I hope you do.”

“I love it. My great-grandfather came from a fortune, but he hadn’t inherited it when he married my great-grandmother. This ring was all they could afford. It cost him twenty-eight dollars in 1926, which was his entire savings. They were our age when they married.”

William smiled at his soon-to-be bride. “I was hoping we could marry right after your graduation. Is that too soon?”

“It’s never too soon to start forever with you, my love.”

When they docked, they took a cab straight to her parent’s home to share the news with her family. He called his family on speakerphone to join in the celebration. The moms started in on their elaborate plans, but this time Evie would have her fairytale wedding. It wouldn’t be conventional for her family’s expectations, but instead be everything she wanted and nothing she didn’t.

In mid-December, both of their families gathered at her graduation. They stood and cheered as she walked across the stage to accept her degree. William and Evie had a private celebration just the two of them at the apartment over Mexican food and tequila.

She decided tonight was the night to reveal the only secret she had been keeping from him for his own sake and sanity. So, after two shots and a full stomach, she tried for casual, and said, “We need to talk about money, but I’m afraid you’ll get upset.”

“Why would I get upset?”

“Sometimes you seem to have issues talking about money.”

“I don’t have issues talking about money. I have issues wi—”

“Just let me get this off my chest, okay?” She turned to face him, crisscrossing her legs in front of her. “I have a trust fund. My grandparents set up a trust on my behalf.” He could see how nervous she was, so he took her hand and held it in his lap as she spoke. “Audrey has one, too. We both do.”

“All right, so you have money you’ll get one day.”

“Exactly. When I’m twenty-five, I’ll inherit it. But, I thought you should know it might be a lot.”

“Have you always known about it?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Okay, one day we’ll get a few thousand. It’s rightfully yours to do with as you please. Do you want me to sign a pre-nup?”

“No, no. That’s not why I’m bringing it up. The money is ours. I don’t want a pre-nup and it might be more than a few thousand.” The last few words rushed from her mouth.

“Do you know how much it is?”

“No, it’s supposed to remain sealed until received so my life path wasn’t altered by it, but they were wealthy.”

“Okay, a hundred thousand or so.” He had a great idea. “That will help with our retirement fund then.” William leaned over and kissed her.

Evie didn’t have the heart to tell him it would be in the millions because she didn’t want to overwhelm him. She had three more years before she had to deal with it anyway.

A few days before Christmas, William and Evie exchanged vows in an intimate ceremony inside the New York Public Library Genealogy Room. Once married, the doors opened and they ran out hand-in–hand, and were greeted by their families, including Dallas and Audrey, who had become attached at the hip, Bobby, Tracy, Professor Lang, and Walter. Flower petals rained down on them as they jumped into a waiting taxi and headed to their favorite park wanting to spend a few minutes together there alone. On the ride over, she picked a lone pink petal off of his hair and smiled. The petal reminded her of how much her life had changed from that first defiant act of visiting the park last spring. Remembering the blooms she saw that day in the park to the flower petal she held in her hand, she felt her life had come full circle. Her happily ever after was as real as the rose petal she now cherished. She tucked it inside her small clutch, planning on saving it forever.

Evie leaned against her husband and kissed him over and over on his lips and chin and jaw and cheeks. William used the large tree, their tree, as support, holding his bride in his arms and enjoying her mouth on him and affections.

He stopped her before she pulled away. “Please don’t ever stop kissing me, Mrs. Ryder.”

After placing one last quick peck on his lips, she said, “I will kiss you forever, my dear husband. You have made me the happiest woman in the world.”

“Words can’t describe the happiness I feel. I love you, my beautiful wife.” He smiled, cocking one eyebrow up, and added, “I really like this wife business. You are officially my wife.”

“Yes, I am.”

A few minutes after they strolled through the park, they caught another cab and headed to Pizzeria La Cucina for their small reception. Everyone cheered as they entered and greeted them with hugs and kisses. Champagne was served and then William dragged his new wife over to the cake, but Evie started tearing up as soon as she saw there was no cake. Instead, there was a table full of blueberry muffin tops and no bottoms. “I made the decision that you should have all the best things in life on this day and that means just the tops for you, my love.”

“You are the most wonderful man.” Evie stroked his cheek then joked with him. “Did it hurt to know that all those bottoms went to waste?”