Chapter Fifteen:
……They finished up using the rest of the tokens and John and Evangeline told the girls goodbye and headed back to Llanview…….
As they pulled out of the bowling alley parking lot, John asked, "So, Diva E, is our date over now or is there more?"
Evangeline replied, "That’s the end of our date because I have to be up early tomorrow to prepare for a case. Sorry. And, I only let those 4 girls call me Diva E, McB, so watch it, alright?"
"Come on Diva E", John replied with a sly look on his face." Let me call you that too. Obviously it fits you and I like saying it."
"Well", she said, "you can call me that, but ONLY in private. If anyone else calls me that, especially Nora, I’ll spread it all over the station how I beat you at bowling with that pink bowling ball."
"Uncle, uncle", John said helplessly. "You really know how to play hard ball. However, since I like the name, Diva E, so much, I’ll go along with your deal. Diva E, Diva E, Diva E, Diva E…"
"Okay McB", Evangeline retorted. "Cut it out."
John just smiled.
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As they pulled into the Angel Square Hotel parking lot and stopped, Van leaned over and kissed John on the cheek and said, "Goodnight".
In shock, John said, "What? What kind of end of the date is this? You should at least walk me to my door."
Evangeline squinted her eyes at John and said, "No way Lieutenant. I’m not getting anywhere close to your room. You know what happens every time we end up there. I can’t. I have to get up really early."
With a sly smile on his face, John reminisced about all the times they’ve been in his room. He didn’t snap out of it until Evangeline flicked him in the arm. She said, "See, that right there. That is why I’m not walking you to your door."
John laughed and said, "Okay, you can at least walk me to the lobby."
Evangeline was hesitant before she finally said, "Alright, I’ll walk you to the lobby."
As she got out of the car and had turned to lock the door, John came up behind her. As soon as she turned around, he pushed her back up against the car and started kissing her. First slow and lingering and then it became more intense. Evangeline’s head was spinning as her logical self was thinking that she should stop this because she needed to get home, but her emotional self was thinking, "Oh my God, I could kiss him like this forever".
As they needed to come up for air, their lips parted and they stood leaning against her car, forehead to forehead. John started placing soft little kisses along her left jawbone to her left ear while simultaneously saying, "Come on Diva E, stay for a little while longer. I don’t want our date to end yet."
Evangeline, trying to be strong, responded, "No McB, I need to get a good night’s sleep. I have to get up early and I have a lot to do tomorrow."
John continued to kiss her ear, which he knew was one of her weak spots, as he held up his left arm to look over her shoulder at his watch. He purred, "Come on, it’s only 8:30 pm. Compromise with me. Come up to the roof with me for a little while and I promise that I’ll make sure you get home by 10 pm."
Evangeline only hesitated for about a microsecond before she replied, "Okay, but I have to be home by 10 pm." She thought to herself in mock disgust, "Girl, you are just too easy."
John grabbed her by the hand and led her to the roof.
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Antonio was sitting in the Angel’s Square Diner playing with Jamie as RJ sat across the room sneering and Carlotta watched from behind the counter. Tico Santi looked in the window and gathered that this was a perfect time to start his new plan of distracting Antonio from investigating him as El Tiburon. Under the ruse of visiting his Tia Carlotta, Tico entered the diner.
As Tico approached Carlotta at the counter, he said, "Buenos Noches, Tia Carlotta" as he kissed her on both cheeks.
"Buenos Noches", Carlotta replied in kind.
As Tico conversed with Carlotta, Antonio stared from across the diner as RJ glared at Antonio from his booth. The tension was high. Antonio still had not forgiven Carlotta, but he didn’t like seeing his snake of a brother around her either. He knew that Tico was trouble. "Why is he here?" he thought to himself.
RJ was still glaring and thinking to himself, "Why does Antonio, the new Manuel, have the right to even see his daughter? He’s too consumed by this Santi mess to be any kind of father, not that he deserved that right after the way he treated Keri. I may have to do something about this situation."
After his conversation with Carlotta, Tico walks over toward Antonio and says, "Hey Jamie. How’s my little niece this evening? Jessica and I talked about you so much last night. She really misses you."
With that statement, Antonio jumps up with Jamie in his arms and intensely tells Tico, "Back off Tico and leave my daughter alone! I know you had something to do with our Mother’s death and I will prove it!" At this point, Antonio is yelling and Tico has a snide smile on his face.
RJ jumps up and runs over to the table to grab Jamie. He says, "What are you doing Vega? You don’t yell in front of her like that."
At this point, Carlotta says, "Come here Jamie. Let’s go back to the kitchen and get you an apple." As she grabs Jamie from RJ’s arms, she gives all of them a mean look.
As she walks out with Jamie, Antonio grits his teeth and stares at Tico. He finally says, "I’ll get you Tico, so you better be watching your back." Then, he walked out of the diner.
Tico looks at RJ and says, "Really, how can Social Services let a man with a temper like that have custody of an innocent child? Someone’s going to get hurt around him one day." Tico then left the diner. When he got outside, he turned back to look at the expression on RJ’s face. He knew his plan was working.
As Carlotta walked back out of the kitchen with Jamie and her apple, RJ said, "You better tell your boy to control his anger around my granddaughter." He grabbed Jamie from Carlotta and then he left. Carlotta stood there alone with a sad look on her face.
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Evangeline and John sat up on the roof on the bench that was there. They were wrapped in a blanket that Nigel had told them they should take if they were going on the roof. Evangeline had her head on John’s shoulder while he ran his right index finger up and down her right arm. They were looking at the stars because it was a clear night.
Finally, Evangeline broke the silence by tentatively saying, "So, did you enjoy our date?"
John replied, "You bet I did. The more I learn about you, the more intrigued I am by you. Thank You for letting me see a part of your life that you don’t show many people."
"So you really had a good time?" she inquired.
"Yeah", he said. "By the way, your friend Cynthia is great. The part I liked best though, and I liked all of it, was meeting the girls you mentor. Those are 4 savvy teenage girls. Remember, the next time Tamika comes over to Llanview, I told her I’d take her to the hospital to meet Michael and get a tour."
Evangeline smiled and said, "You know, you’re the best", and she turned her body toward him and gave him a hug.
"Not that I’m complaining, Diva E", he said, "but what’s the hug for?"
"The more I intrigue you, the more you surprise me. I just really appreciate you taking an interest in one of my mentees. Thanks", she said.
He stared at her eye to eye and said, "You’re welcome", as his lips got closer and closer to hers and they ended in a kiss.
After about 45 minutes of making out like teenagers, Evangeline came up for air and grabbed John’s arm to look at his watch. She exclaimed, "It’s 9:45 pm! I have to go. You promised."
He smiled and said, "You’re right, you’re right, I’ll walk you back to your car."
As they stood up and John was folding the blanket, Evangeline said, "No way McB. You stay right here. If you come to the car with me, I won’t get out of here for another hour."
John just laughed his acknowledgement that he knew she was right.
Evangeline gave him a quick peck on the lips and left. John yelled after her, "I’ll call you tomorrow."
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As Evangeline walked to her car, she thought to herself, "My God. When did this happen? When did I get to the point where it takes everything in me to pry myself away from him? Oh no, I’ve really lost all control. I’ve really fallen for him." Even though it scared her more than a little, she had a smile on her face as she thought of him and the day they just spent together.
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As John walked back to his room, he thought to himself, "She is such a beautiful, intelligent, and warm human being. When did this happen? When did she embed herself so far into my heart where I never want to be away from her? Oh no, I’ve really fallen for her." These feelings made him nervous because he hadn’t felt anywhere close to these feelings for someone since Caitlyn.
