Eversea A Love Story

drink?”
    He nodded, still not releasing my hand. “Please.”
    I smiled at him then. The most natural smile I could muster despite the fact that holding his hand had launched a butterfly migration through my insides. I untangled my fingers from his after a few awkward beats, and Jack Eversea sat dutifully on the bar stool in front of his food.
    He snapped open the ketchup bottle. “Can I ask you a favor?”
    “Another one?” I winked to let him know I was teasing.
    “Can you please not mention to anyone ... I mean, anyone, including your blonde friend from earlier ... that you saw me?”
    I stayed quiet a few moments weighing the pros and cons. If anyone found out he was here, he’d never get his space to figure his shit out. And from what little I had gleaned from that tabloid article, he needed to. But this was Jack Eversea and Jazz was a huge fan.
    “Please?” he asked again, quietly. Pleadingly.
    “Of course.” I inclined my head. “Your secret’s safe. Not sure anyone would believe me, anyway.” I laughed lightly.
    He seemed to relax infinitesimally.
    I delivered him a fresh Bushmills, and then set about wiping down the bar and closing out the computer, trying to look as relaxed as possible and not trip over my own feet.
    Finally shutting the computer off, I calmly took a tray of plates through the swing door into the kitchen. As soon as it shut behind me, I put the tray down and sank against the refrigeration room door.
    A flood of pent up reactions ballooned inside me. Holy shit! Jack Eversea was on the other side of that door. The Jack Eversea. Oh my God, Jazz was gonna tilt. Except, I couldn’t tell Jazz. How was I supposed to keep something like this bottled up? Okay, okay, breathe. I was just a little star-struck, I would be fine in a minute. I mean, he was beautiful and everything, but he was also just a tad full of himself, and—I reminded myself—he was rude earlier. A spoiled celebrity. Not crushing material, at all. Well, maybe just a tiny crush. But only because I had seen him play Max from my favorite Warriors of Erath book series that made it onto the big screen.
    I thought back to the movie and his bare, muscled torso with the medallion tattoo on his bicep. That was his body.
    Jazz, literally his biggest fan, had watched every movie he had been in since she was fifteen, and had proudly declared he performed every one of his scenes with no stunt man or body double. It was natural a bit of her enthusiasm would rub off on me, right?
    My face flamed as I remembered I’d just lectured Jack Eversea on his manners. Nice. He must think me a complete pain in the ass.
    Hector was still there loading the last dishes. He turned and came for my tray, stopping as he saw me heaving for breath and clutching my middle.
    “What’s the matter, Chiquita ?” he asked urgently.
    I shook my head roughly and brought a finger to my lips. Oh man, I hoped Jack Eversea hadn’t heard that. My eyes flicked to the pass-through and Hector did a quick head duck to look through before I could stop him.
    He turned back to me, eyes wide. “Is that...?”
    Shit . I couldn’t keep a secret for ten minutes.
    I nodded.
    “ Dios mio !” Hector whispered, crossing himself.
    “Hector!” I hissed. “You can’t say a word, okay? Not. One. Word.” I bored my eyes into his crinkled gaze, willing him to get how serious I was.
    “Okay, okay.” Hector put his hands up in surrender.
    “Seriously, Hector.” I softened my whisper. “He’s going through a bad break up, I get the sense he’s here to get away. Let’s not invade his privacy?”
    He nodded sagely.
    I thanked my lucky stars Jazz had been in earlier, or I might never have known about his personal issues. I could tell Hector thought this a good enough reason not to tell his granddaughter about who he met at work tonight. He looked disappointed, though.
    “Sorry, Hector. Maybe you can tell Maria in a few months? I don’t know how long he’s staying in town, or even if he is,” I whispered.
    “Can I ask him for an autograph, as proof, you know?” Hector looked so hopeful.
    I sighed. “I guess we can ask him and tell him we promise to keep his secret until after he leaves.”
    I took a deep breath and went through the door followed by Hector.
    * * *
    “I can’t give you your change, I gave it to Hector as a tip. I thought you weren’t coming back.” I shifted nervously as I delivered the news a few minutes after Hector left out of the kitchen