Page 74 of The Keeper

See what happens when you don’t listen to me?!

SAMSON

How tf was that my fault??

CHAPTER 29

NOAH

“Evie’s studying in her room. She has a big test on Monday, but she’ll be down in a bit,” I said. “You have the emergency numbers. If you need anything, call me. Immediately.”

“Yes, yes.” Oswald’s voice held a trace of impatience. “We understand the basics of babysitting.”

My teeth clenched, but I swallowed a caustic reply.

I still didn’t like the Andersons. When Evie wasn’t present, our interactions were strained at best. However, since Carina and I were both attending Samson’s party tonight, they were my best option for looking after Evie. She’d really warmed up to them, and I had to get used to having them around.

“This party is to celebrate the end of the season, yes?” Elizabeth’s eyes swept across my living room. This was their first time coming to my house since they showed up unannounced last month, and her frown suggested her opinion about its “lived-in”-ness hadn’t changed.

“Yes.”

My teeth clenched harder at Oswald’s little scoff. He didn’t say it, but I knew what he was thinking—there wasn’t much to celebrate. Blackcastle had lost our last match of the season, which put us at number two on the Premier League table. Excellent by most standards, but a big blow for our team when we’d topped the table the past two years.

“Well, we’re happy to help out. It’s always a treat to see Evie, but where’s your nanny?” Elizabeth asked. “It’s her job to look after your daughter. Is it not?”

“It’s her night off,” I said coldly. I didn’t like her tone when she was talking about Carina.

On the surface, it’d been business as usual since last Saturday, when I’d foolishly told everyone I had a date. Carina and I ate dinner with Evie every night, engaged in polite conversation with each other, and didn’t say a word about our upcoming dates. But I’d replayed our interactions at the pub countless times over the past week, and the closer we got to the party, the harder it was to ignore the knots in my stomach. I wasn’t sure what I dreaded more—seeing her with Samson or going on my first official date in years.

After I’d asked for his help, Adil had sprung into action. He’d secured me a date for the event via Konnect in exchange for my agreeing to make tonight a double date with him and Yasmin. Coincidentally, my date Whitney was Yasmin’s friend, which made things easier. At least she wasn’t a complete random.

To his credit, Adil hadn’t questioned why I suddenly needed a date or why I’d made him promise not to tell a single soul about our deal. As far as everyone else was concerned, I’d met Whitney myself weeks ago.

I was supposed to pick her up and meet Adil and his girlfriend at the party. That was the plan.

However, my plans went to shit when the doorbell rang less than a minute after I finished briefing the Andersons on Evie’s weekend-night schedule.

Elizabeth’s eyebrows rose. “Expecting company?”

I shook my head, filled with trepidation. It was never a good sign when someone popped up uninvited at my house, but nothing could’ve prepared me for when I opened the door to Adil’s beaming face.

“Surprise!” he cried out. “Before you say anything, yes, the plan was to meet at Samson’s house, but we decided to pick you up and carpool instead. I was thinking, hey, this is supposed to be a double date, but it’s hard to have a proper double date at a party. It’ll be so loud and crowded. This way, we can get to know each other during the car ride! Isn’t that brilliant?”

It was the opposite of brilliant. I’d been looking forward to some quiet time in the car first, and I was not mentally prepared for a group ride.

Adil rambled on, oblivious to my irritation. “Noah, meet Yasmin and Whitney. They got ready together, which made things much easier for me, logistically speaking. Anyway, Yasmin, Whitney, this is Noah Wilson. He’s the best goalkeeper in the Premier League right now.”

“Hi, Noah,” they chorused from behind Adil.

A fresh headache pounded behind my temple. He was trying to butter me up, but it wasn’t working. I was going to kill him.

“It’s nice to meet you.” Whitney’s gaze sparked with appreciation. “You’re even better-looking in person.”

I responded with a tight smile, too annoyed to return the compliment.

She was objectively attractive, with chestnut-colored hair and blue eyes. According to her Konnect profile, she was also twenty-eight years old, a marketing executive, and a part-time model. Overall, normal and unoffensive—except for her extremely tiny dress and extremely high heels.

To be clear, I usually didn’t care what people wore. Whether it was a business suit, an evening gown, or lingerie in public, their decisions were their business. But I wasn’t the only person in the house tonight, and I felt the icy gusts of the Andersons’ disapproval before I saw them.