Page 79 of Try Line Hearts
“Happy to,” she said easily, shaking his hand. Her gaze slid past him to Lucas with an ease that suggested she’d already decided Declan was background noise. “Hi.”
“Hi,” Lucas said.
Eli stopped a pace closer than necessary, bin bag resting against his leg. Close enough that Lucas could feel heat through damp fabric. Close enough that it readmineto anyone who looked close enough.
“Evelyn,” Declan said, gesturing like a game-show host.
“This is—”
“Eli,” Evelyn said before he could finish, turning to him fully. She offered her hand. “I’ve heard your name a lot before.”
Eli took it. Polite. Correct. His grip was firm. His smile… restrained. The kind he used when he was being careful on purpose.
“Good things, I hope,” he said.
“All of them,” Evelyn replied, studying him openly now. Not flirting. Assessing.
Lucas felt something twist low in his chest. Eli was usually sunshine with strangers—warm, teasing, effortlessly charming. This version of him had edges tucked neatly away, brightness dimmed just enough to signal ownership without ever saying the word.
Evelyn noticed that too.
“I have to say,” she went on, glancing back at Lucas, “I’m really enjoying spending time with him. He’s… grounding.”
Eli didn’t look at Lucas when he answered.
“Yeah,” he said icily. “He’s very good at that.”
The tone was forced-pleasant. The words were harmless.
The implication was not.
Lucas felt his ears heat.
Evelyn’s gaze moved between them—slowly. She took in the way Eli stood angled toward Lucas, the way Lucas hadn’t stepped back, the way neither of them seemed aware they were doing it at all.
Her mouth twitched.
Ah. That’s what this is. I see you – both of you.
“Well,” she said easily, stepping back and lifting her gloves, giving them space without calling attention to it. “Shall we actually do some good while we’re here?”
Eli nodded and gave a sickly smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “After you.”
As Evelyn turned away toward the volunteers, Lucas risked a glance at Eli.
Eli was already looking at him.
Not angry. Not accusing.
Just there. Steady. Claim staked without ever being declared.
Lucas swallowed—and followed them both down the beach.
They worked side by side for a while. Lucas answered questions when asked. Eli kept busy. Declan hovered like a proud ghost.
At one point, Evelyn crouched to free a bottle wedged between rocks. Lucas reached down to help at the same time Eli did. Their hands collided.
Eli stilled.
