Free The Scarlett Legacy by K.N. Lee

come forward to two seats he’d saved for them at the bar area.
    Evie avoided the looks from everyone and sat down on her barstool. She put her elbows up and shielded her face by resting her chin in between the palms of her hands.
    “Evie,” Elliot said with a bright smile. He came from behind the counter and gave her a warm hug.
    For a man in his fifties, he was unbelievably handsome. He had such a friendly face that Evie couldn’t help but smile back. With salt and pepper hair and blue eyes, he looked like Pierce Brosnan to her. She used to always call him James Bond when she was younger. Evie figured Parker had good genes and would be as attractive as he was now as they grew old together.
    “Good to see you, sweetheart,” he said with a charming Southern accent. He nodded to Parker as he went back behind the counter. “Glad you could bring your girl in to see your old pa.”
    “What are you talking about, dad? You saw Evie almost every day when you were the groundskeeper at Scarlett Hall,” Parker said rubbing Evie’s back.
    Pulling two glasses from the shelf, Elliot set them under the soda tap.
    “That was a long time ago. I started to forget what her beautiful face looked like.” Elliot gave Evie a wink.
    Evie grinned. “Thanks, Mr. Drake. I’ve missed you too. Is Sue around?”
    “Naw. She went home early. She can’t seem to get rid of this awful cough she’s been having. And her poor nose keeps running.”
    “She okay?” Parker looked concerned. He sat beside Evie and reached for two menus from the menu holder. He handed Evie one. “I spoke to her yesterday, and she didn’t mention not feeling well.”
    “She’s all right. Just those damn allergies.”
    “Oh good,” Evie said. “We will visit her tomorrow. I’ll make her some soup.”
    “She’d love that.” Elliot handed her a root beer float, her favorite.
    “Thank you,” she said. “You remembered.”
    Leaning on the counter top, Elliot put a straw in each glass. “How could I forget? You and Parker used to come in here in your school uniforms every day after school and order the same thing.”
    Evie’s smile widened. Those memories were her favorite. She didn’t know how she would have survived growing up in Scarlett Hall without Parker’s friendship and the kindness of her family.
    “Good memory,” Evie said, taking a sip of the cold drink before her.
    Elliot looked from Parker to Evie, his face becoming serious. “How are you holding up? I keep hearing so much about the whole Prince trial and his death today that I could barely focus on putting out orders for worrying about you. Tell me you’re ignoring all of that gossip going around.”
    “I’m fine,” Evie said. She sat up straight. “It is just gossip after all. I just ignore it.”
    “Good girl,” Elliot said.
    Parker rubbed her back again, relaxing her. “She’s been pretty strong through it all.”
    “I’m glad to hear it.” Elliot nodded. “So, what are you two having for dinner tonight?”
    “We’re actually getting take out. We want to go to Nightmoon Creek for a bit to watch the sunset.”
    “Now doesn’t that sound nice?” Elliot looked from Parker to Evie. “You know he gets his romantic side from me, right?”
    Evie laughed. “I believe it. Sue’s a lucky woman, and I’m a lucky girl.”
    He winked at her again. “Let me guess, a double cheeseburger with bacon and mushrooms and fries for Parker, and my famous fried chicken sandwich with tomato and avocado for the pretty lady.”
    “Sounds about right,” Evie said. “I’ll take an order of sweet potato fries too.”
    Her stomach grumbled. She couldn’t wait to get their food and leave. To eat her dinner in peace with the man she loved would be the perfect ending to her night.
    Elliot tapped the counter twice. “Coming right up.”
    Evie watched him head to the window into the kitchen and dictate their order to Parker’s Aunt Sally, the diner’s cook.
    “It’s packed in here