Jude (Beautiful Mine #2) Read Online Free PDF Page B

contact her,” I said. “When you’re ready, of course. Tell her you need access to the cemetery.”
    “Easier said than done.” Her hands began to visibly tremble at the mere thought of contacting Caroline. Whatever my mother had said or done to Evie had left her terrified. “Can we not talk about her anymore?”
    “Of course,” I said, brow furrowed as I stood up. “Let’s get you out of this house. I have a feeling once I leave, you’re going to be stuck moping around here until I come back again.”
    She popped her head up at me, seemingly shocked by the mention of my future return.
    “I’ll be back, Evie,” I said. “This won’t be the last time.”
    Her face softened.
    “I told you,” I said. “I’m taking care of you. It was my dying brother’s last request. Now, come on. Get up. I’m taking you out for dinner.”
    ***
    We cozied into a corner booth in a little eatery on the south side of the square, Evie’s eyes constantly perusing the room in search of something.
    “What’s up?” I asked after a bit. “You keep looking around.”
    “I feel like people are staring,” she said, squirming uncomfortably and smoothing her long, dark hair.
    “Why would they stare?” I asked, confused.
    “People talk, Jude,” she said, her eyes sad and tired. “They all have their opinions about me.”
    “What could they possibly say about you? You’re the sweetest thing,” I replied.
    “They say I’m loaded now. I’m a millionaire. That I only married Julian because I knew he was going to die. They say I had a master plan. They say I poisoned him,” she muttered dryly. “Want me to go on?”
    I raised a brow. “And how do you know all this?” I asked.
    “It all gets back to me,” she said. “One way, or another.”
    “You know it’s just a bunch of bored locals trying to make themselves feel better about their own miserable lives,” I assured her. “Besides, what other people think of you is none of your business.”
    My words soured my tongue as I tasted the irony in them.
    “I’m drinking tonight,” she announced, standing up and heading to the bar.
    “Good for you. I’m sticking with water. Someone’s got to be the responsible one.” I threw her a wink as she strolled away and returned a short time later with a blue cocktail in her hand and a relieved smile on her face. I wanted her to relax and have fun. She needed it.
    My phone buzzed in my pocket. I didn’t need to look at it to know that it was from Veronica. She’d been blowing up my phone all day, begging me to come back home to work on business things. I’d casually mentioned my mother’s investment and Veronica was chomping at the bit to expand, though I was quite sure it had more to do with us having to spend extra time together than anything else.
    “Anything good?” Evie asked as I typed a response to Veronica.
    “Oh, just good old V. Up to her usual antics.” I rolled my eyes.
    “Oh,” Evie said. For a split second she almost sounded jealous. Almost.
    “She’s very high-maintenance,” I said. “Nothing like you.”
    Her lips curled into a shocked smile as I compared her favorably. “Thanks, I think.”
    “Nah, I just mean you’re a cool girl,” I said. “They don’t make ‘em like you where I’m from.”
    Evie was the quintessential girl next door. There was nothing fake or plastic about her.
    “Does everyone in California have fake boobs and blonde hair?” she asked.
    I laughed. “No, not everyone. It’s not unusual, though. You just get used to it.”
    “Are you into that?” she asked, biting her lip. Her shoulders fell a bit as if the drink had suddenly made her relax and loosen her filter.
    “I don’t actively seek out girls like that,” I said. “But I don’t discriminate.”
    Evie rolled her eyes.
    “I tend to date women based on whether or not we click. The physical attraction is just a bonus,” I explained.
    “Do most guys in California like that stuff, though?”
    “I