Chapter 62: Roses
*Become friends with Fred and Phil out at the nursery. They’ll grow anything you want in their greenhouses. – Celt*
Thanksgiving rolled around and although she had been invited to the clubhouse, she went to Joshua’s instead. She continued to talk to both Ink and Tank. Neither pushed for more than she was willing to give.
This was one of the things that she spoke to Joshua about. Again, he reminded her that moving on in her life was not a bad thing. He encouraged her to explore where it would go with them. That night, after the family call, she messaged with Law for quite a while. He gave her the same advice.
Black Friday shopping was not quite the same as it usually was. She had no one to go with. No one to fake fight with. After getting the few things that she had already scoped out, she went back to her apartment. Just a few hours after she arrived home, there was a knock on her door.
Opening the door, she was greeted by a delivery of flowers. Among the yellow roses, were also blue bonnets and Indian paintbrushes. Evie brought the bouquet in after tipping the teenager. She placed them on the bar and pulled out the little white card with her name and address on it. Inside was a simple card that read:
Thought you might be missing home. Tank and Ink
She snapped a picture of the flowers and then the card and sent it to the two people who could understand what she was feeling. Within minutes Joshua called her.
“Sweetheart, I can’t tell you what to do. But I can ask what you want to do.”
Evie considered for a moment and then quietly answered, “Go to them.”
“Then do that. Would Daniel or Cade want you to spend the rest of your life alone?”
Fighting back tears, she softly answered no.
“And they would not want you to spend the rest of your life mourning them either. I keep telling you, moving on is not a bad thing. There is nothing to feel guilty about. They died doing what they loved. And they died together. The last thing either of them saw, was you. You were their world. Don’t let their world end. Let it live again. Let it bloom.”
“There are times that I want to die. I feel so guilty for living. The kid that shot them, was my student. Had he taken those pills a few hours earlier, it might have been me that died.”
“If it had been you, would you want your men to spend the rest of their lives alone?” Joshua asked over the phone. “Would you want them to stop doing everything that they loved? Everything that made them who they were?”
“No." Came the soft reply.
“Then stop demanding it of yourself."
“Thank you, Joshua.”
“You’re welcome sweetheart.”
They ended the call and she sent a quick message to Ink and Tank. Rather than sit and wait for a response like one of her students, she went and took a shower. Afterwards she dried her hair, pulling part of it back with a piece of black leather and a chopstick. Evie left her makeup light and natural.
She debated on jeans or a skirt and finally settled on a pair of black jeans. The corset she chose was black lace that hooked in the front and laced in the back. It stopped at the bottom of her hips and had simple garters attached.
The thigh highs were black and had skulls running down the back. Just like with her sexy corsets, they were more for her than anyone else. Even the Corps and Guard had to adjust to her corsets. Not that you could tell under her uniform. Her sergeant knew. But he certainly wasn’t going to tell anyone.
She considered panties and decided against them. Then she turned her attention to picking a shirt. Standing in front of the mirror, she held up a red satin spaghetti strap and then a purple long-sleeved peasant blouse. Remembering that it was nearly December, she opted for the peasant blouse. She matched the outfit with five-inch strappy black heels and silver teardrop diamond earrings.
Only when she was satisfied with her appearance did she allow herself to look at her phone. The first message was from Law telling her to go after any man that is able to send blue bonnets in November.
There was also a message from Ink stating that he was at the shop, but could leave if she needed him. The second message from him clarified that he could leave if she wanted him to. She smiled at that and then replied that she didn’t want to get him in trouble with his boss. However, she doubted that would happen.
The message from Tank said that he was at the clubhouse. She was welcome to come by. Or he could meet her somewhere. Evie knew what she was going to do. She simply replied back see you soon.
Shoving her phone with her driver’s license and credit card in her pocket, she grabbed her keys and scratched Scruffles as he lay on the arm of the couch.
“Behave.” She told him. At the door she added, “Don’t wait up.”
