DON’T STOP (Lila and Darrell) novel Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Norman

Evelyn’s voice came from beside me, casual and light. “Daisy’s here.”

“Yeah.” I said. “I saw her.”

She tilted her head slightly and looked up at me. “You don’t want to go greet her or something?”

I turned to look across the room. Daisy had fallen into conversation with a small group near the far end of the floor- a st commissioner I recognized and two people I didn’t. She was smiling at something one of them had said, a wine glass held loosely in one hand, completely at ease. The black gown catching the light every time she shifted. She looked like she belonged in every room she’d ever walked into and had never once doubted it.

The group gradually broke apart the way gala conversations always did, drifting in different directions until she was stand alone, still drinking her wine, eyes moving unhurriedly across the room.

“Come,” Evelyn said.

Her hand closed around my arm before I could respond, and she was already moving, pulling me gently but purposefully across the floor in Daisy’s direction. I didn’t resist. I wasn’t sure why I didn’t resist.

We crossed the room and then we were there, standing in front of her, and Daisy’s eyes settled on us both with an expression that gave absolutely nothing away.

“Hello!” Evelyn smiled warmly, her grip on my arm tightening slightly.

Daisy’s eyes dropped. Slowly and deliberately, they traveled down to where Evelyn’s hand was wrapped around my arm. fingers pressed close, I felt my hand shift without fully intending it to, a small involuntary movement like my arm wanted pull back on its own.

Daisy looked back up.

‘How can I help you guys?” Her tone was pleasant the way a closed door is pleasant.

‘We haven’t really been properly introduced, have we?” Evelyn said, keeping her smile in place “It’s nice to meet you, m Evelyn. Norman’s girlfriend.”

I said nothing.

There was a brief silence that lasted just long enough to be felt.

Daisy looked at Evelyn for a moment. Then she fitted her wine glass and took a slow, unhurried sip.

“I see,” she said. “But is it actually nice being his girlfriend and still his secretary at the same time?”

The air changed immediately

Evelyn’s smile didn’t disappear, but something behind it shifted. “Excuse me?”

“No,” Daisy said pleasantly. “You excuse me.”

She set her wine glass down on the nearest surface, turned, and walked away. No raised voice. No hurried steps. Just the clean, elegant movement of a woman who had said exactly what she wanted to say and had absolutely nowhere better to be

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Chapter 15

Twitchell her go.

The way her shoulders sat. The way the gown moved. The way she didn’t look back even once

A small smirk found its way onto my face before I could stop it. She still hadn’t changed.

Evelyn’s voice came low and tight from beside me. “What is that for?”

I turned. “What?”

“That.” She gestured toward my face. “You were smirking.

“I wasn’t-”

“Norman.” Her eyes were steady and very serious. “What is so funny right now? What is there to even smile about?”

I dropped my voice. “Evelyn, please. Let’s not do this here. We’re in public.”

Something hardened in her expression. She looked at me for a long moment, jaw tight, and then she laughed softly – 1 kind of laugh that had nothing to do with anything being funny.

“I thought you had changed,” she said quietly, her teeth barely parting. “I actually thought-” she stopped herself and sh her head. “And why didn’t you say anything? When she was standing there saying all of that, why didn’t you speak up for

me?”

“And what stupid things did she say, exactly?” The words came out before I’d thought them through.

Evelyn stared at me.

Then she scoffed, gathered her gown in one hand, and walked away.

“Evelyn.”

I followed her through the crowd, past the bar, past a cluster of people who turned to look, and out through the side door onto the terrace. The night air was cool and quiet out here, the city spread below us, and the noise of the gala muffled behind the glass.

She stopped near the railing, and I reached for her hand. She quickly pulled it away.

“Do you think this relationship will ever work?” she asked, still looking out at the city.

“What do you mean?”

She turned to face me then. “Why does it seem like you still care about that woman?”

I went still. “That woman?”

“Your ex-wife.” Her voice cracked slightly on the last word “Don’t play dumb with me. Norman I see it. I’ve been seeing

I exhaled. “Gosh, Evelyn–”

“Don’t.” She held up a hand. “Just

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