CHAPTER 32: MORAL SUPPORT

[The Carter Residence]

The clink of cutlery and the faint aroma of coffee filled the dining room.

Evelyn sat at the breakfast table, stirring sugar into her cup while half-listening to the sound of her father flipping through the morning newspaper.

Gregory Carter was a man of quiet routine, coffee at nine, business calls at ten and unsolicited life advice scattered somewhere in between.

"Evelyn," he said suddenly, lowering the paper, "when are you planning on returning to work?"

The question caught her mid-sip. She blinked and set the cup down carefully. "I haven’t decided yet," she admitted. "Mr. Lopez said I could take as much time as I needed after everything."

Gregory’s expression softened but his tone carried that steady practicality of a man who raised his daughter to face storms and not hide from them. "Too much time off isn’t good for the mind. You need rhythm, Evie and a reason to get out of the house besides buying cooking ingredients for your mother."

Evelyn smiled faintly. "You say that Mom’s food isn’t reason enough."

"Your mother’s food comes with opinions," he said dryly, folding the paper. "That’s dangerous."

"True," Evelyn laughed softly. "You are lucky mom isn’t here to hear that."

"And what makes you think I would have said that if she was present?" He raised his brows, earning another laugh from Evelyn.

A few seconds later, the househelp ushered in a familiar voice.

"Good morning, Carters!" Patricia Wu strolled in wearing oversized sunglasses and her usual air of cheer. "I brought muffins and gossip."

Evelyn groaned. "Of course you did."

Gregory arched a brow, smiling. "Ah, the famous Miss Wu. The house has been exceptionally quiet since morning, I should have known that wouldn’t last."

Patricia grinned. "Mr. Carter, you wound me. I am here strictly as moral support." She dropped her bag on a chair then turned to Evelyn with exaggerated innocence. "So, how was your moral support last night?"

Evelyn blinked. "My what?"

"You know," Patricia said, tapping her chin. "Tall, handsome, brooding moral support who drives fancy cars and has a thing for pizza."

Evelyn nearly choked on her coffee. "Patricia—"

Gregory’s newspaper slowly lowered again but he did not say anything. He just raised his brows curiously.

Patricia’s grin widened. "Oh, don’t mind me, Mr. Carter. Just making conversation."

"Interesting conversation," Gregory said mildly, his gaze flicking toward his daughter. "I didn’t realize pizza was part of Evelyn’s healing process."

Evelyn glared at Patricia. "It’s not what you think, dad."

Patricia folded her arms with mock seriousness. "You are right. It’s better."

"Patricia—" Evelyn hissed under her breath, cheeks flushing.

But her friend only smiled wider and leaned close. "You look rested and don’t even try to deny that ’someone-made-me-laugh-again’ glow is hard to miss."

Gregory pretended to be engrossed in the newspaper again, though the faint twitch at the corner of his mouth gave him away.

"Glad to see my daughter is smiling again," he murmured, almost to himself.

Evelyn glanced at him, startled but Gregory only cleared his throat and stood.

"I will be in my study," he said. "Try not to burn the house down with all this moral support."

As he walked out, Patricia let out a soft whistle. "He totally knows."

Evelyn sighed, dropping her face into her hands. "I know."

There was no way the news of her going out with Alexander and he staying over for dinner hadn’t reached her fathers ears.

Patricia laughed and reached for a muffin. "Relax, he is just happy you are smiling again. You have been through enough darkness, a little light won’t hurt."

Evelyn peeked up and her lips curved. "You always find a poetic way to justify meddling."

"That is what best friends are for," Patricia said brightly. "Now, tell me everything and don’t you dare skip the part where he looked at you like you hung the moon."

Patricia plopped herself onto the couch, muffin in hand and curiosity in her eyes as she patiently waited for Evelyn to start spilling the details.

But when a whole minute passed and Evelyn did not say a word, she crossed her arms in the front and raised her brows. "So, you are really not going to tell me anything?"

Evelyn sighed and sat beside her. "It wasn’t what you think." She shrugged, "It wasn’t even a date, technically."

Patricia took a slow bite of muffin, chewed thoughtfully and said, "You mean it was accidentally romantic? Because those are my favorite kind."

Evelyn groaned softly. "It was just dinner, Pat."

"Uh-huh." Patricia nodded with mock seriousness. "Dinner that made you smile, dinner that made you blush, dinner that made your parents suspicious, dinner that—"

"Stop—" Evelyn said, laughing despite herself. "You sound like a bad headline."

Patricia grinned. "See? You laughed. That means I am right."

Evelyn shook her head but couldn’t suppress the tiny smile tugging at her lips. "You are impossible."

"I am delightful," Patricia corrected. "Now, was he charming?"

Evelyn hesitated, glancing down at her cup of coffee. "He was different."

Patricia’s brow arched. "Different how? ’Different’ like mysterious and broody or ’different’ like emotionally unavailable?"

"Neither," Evelyn said softly. "He is quiet but not cold and he listens, he actually listens, Patricia." Her voice grew fainter as she continued, "When I talk, he looks at me like I am saying something that matters."

Patricia’s teasing expression softened. "You like him."

Evelyn froze. "I didn’t say that."

"You didn’t have to," Patricia said gently. "Your face did."

Evelyn’s lips curved but her eyes betrayed her hesitation. "It’s just complicated. He is Jack’s brother and our families—" she sighed, shaking her head. "It’s not that simple."

Patricia leaned back. "Maybe it doesn’t have to be. Complicated doesn’t always mean wrong, Evie. Sometimes it just means real."

Evelyn looked up as her heart twisted at her friend’s words. "You make it sound easy."

"I make it sound possible," Patricia replied softly. "You have already spent weeks being miserable so maybe it’s time to let something good happen without questioning it."

Evelyn fell quiet thinking not just of Alexander’s words or his calm voice but also Patricia;s words.

Her chest tightened, a strange mix of warmth and fear. "Maybe," she murmured. "Maybe I will try."

Patricia smiled. "Good, because between you and me, I think the man is already halfway gone for you."

Evelyn didn’t answer. She didn’t need to because her silence had said enough.

.....