Chapter 6

As the sun began to set behind the mountains in the distance, Claire parked her quad at the back of the house. It had been a beautiful day, the first real one of the year, with blue skies from sunrise to sunset, and Claire had taken advantage of the good weather, getting some gardening in outside her bungalow before realizing that it was getting late and that she had to deliver Evelyn's shopping up to the house.

This was her second week doing this, and since she hadn't seen Evelyn last week, Claire wasn't expecting to now, especially since it was almost nine-thirty.

The air was filled with the scent of freshly cut grass, and Claire wondered how Trish had managed to get the landscapers in under Evelyn Coleman's watch. Maybe Evelyn was okay with it if she knew when they were coming, and she could stay out of sight.

As Claire lifted the heavy crate with both hands and climbed the three steps that led up to the patio area, her steps slowed. Warm gold light filled the patio area, and there was Evelyn, sitting at the table with a glass of wine in hand, watching the sunset.

Evelyn turned when she heard Claire's footsteps. "I thought you'd forgotten about me," she said by way of a greeting. She stood, and dressed in jeans and a gray hoodie, her chestnut brown hair pulled back in a loose ponytail, her face free of makeup, Claire thought she looked even more beautiful than she did on screen.

Claire swallowed, shifting the crate as she met Evelyn at the back door. "Sorry, I'm so late. I got caught up in the garden. Days like this don't happen too often, so I like to take advantage of them."

"It's fine," Evelyn said as she opened the door and stepped into the kitchen, holding it open for her. "I've been outside all evening too. Yesterday I was thinking about going to Spain for a few days."

Claire laughed as she followed her inside and left the crate on the counter. "The weather here is incredibly unreliable. It's hard when it's May before there's any warm weather or sunshine like we had today."

"Right now," Evelyn said as she lifted out the meat and put it in the fridge, "That's the only thing I'm missing. Would you like a glass of wine?"

"Sure," Claire heard herself saying, even though the idea of spending any time with Evelyn Coleman made her jumpy.

Evelyn poured her a glass of red wine and topped up her own. Claire was beyond distracted by the whole scene, and it still felt surreal to be in this woman's presence. In the nearly three weeks since Evelyn Coleman had arrived, Claire had only caught glimpses of her when she was walking around the estate, but since that day that Evelyn had stopped by the stables to return her clothes, Claire hadn't actually spoken to her.

And apparently, Claire was starstruck all over again.

"I have a feeling the sunset is going to be worth watching," she said as she handed Claire a glass.

"Thanks." Claire followed her outside and took a seat at the table. The air was cooler now without the sun's warm rays, and Claire wished she'd brought a jumper with her. She suppressed a shiver as she took a sip of wine, and they both watched the sunset, the mountains dark against the sky that had been painted in shades of pinks and purples.

"So, have you thought about renting a car?" Claire asked after a moment.

Evelyn shook her head. "No. I don't think I will."

Claire raised an eyebrow. "You haven't left the estate at all?"

Evelyn sighed. "It might seem crazy, but that's what my life is like in Los Angeles. I have a beautiful house with an amazing pool and garden, and I spend most of my time there because leaving the house, unless it's very well planned, almost always ends in chaos."

Claire took another drink. Surely being famous wasn't worth that kind of hassle. And then an idea popped into her head. "I could take you sightseeing, you know. We're just an hour or two from so many beautiful places."

Evelyn looked at Claire like she'd just suggested something absolutely insane. "Do you know who I am?"

Claire felt her lips tugging into a smile. "Yes. Of course, I do."

Evelyn's expression remained serious. "Then you should know that I can't just walk around and go for a drive like a normal person."

Claire crossed one leg over the other. "Of course you can."

Evelyn turned to face her. "You don't think people will recognize me?"

Claire shrugged. "They probably will, but no one is going to bother you."

Evelyn shook her head, her frustration coming through as she spoke. "Why aren't you getting this? I have no security here. I can't just wander around."

Claire nearly sighed. This woman seemed nice, and she was undeniably stunning, but her ego was equally off the charts. "This isn't Los Angeles. You can leave the estate without being chased."

Evelyn sighed heavily. "Respectfully, you have no idea what you're talking about. Every time I go out in public, it needs to be planned. I'm always at risk, whether it's paparazzi or some crazed fan."

Claire met Evelyn's gaze. "Sarah Jessica Parker has been spending time in Donegal for the last thirty years. She's there every summer with her family, and no one bothers them."

"Yes, but I'm more famous than Sarah Jessica Parker ever was."

Claire couldn't keep herself from laughing at Evelyn's dead serious response. "Suit yourself," she said as she brought her glass to her lips.

They watched the last of the sunset, the pinks and purples fading into navy and black.

"I know I might seem paranoid," Evelyn said as Claire got up, "But anytime I've let my guard down, it's ended with me being swarmed by photographers or my car being chased."

"I can't begin to imagine what your life is like." Claire stood beside her chair, her heart beating faster, and she felt a twinge of guilt. "I'm sorry," she said with a sigh. "I was quick to judge you there. And I shouldn't have been."

"It's okay." Evelyn smiled softly. "Thank you for understanding. I know it's not easy to." She stood, hugging herself. "It gets cold quickly."

Claire nodded, following Evelyn back inside. "I better head back," she said, setting her glass on the counter beside the sink. "Thanks for the drink."

"Thanks for bringing me food for the week," Evelyn said, leaning against the counter, her arms folded across her chest, and Claire had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep herself from grinning like an idiot. Evelyn looked so effortlessly gorgeous in that hoody.

"Well," Claire said, finding her courage as she slid her hands into the pockets of her jeans, "If you're not comfortable leaving the estate, you should come down to the stables. We can go for a ride around the grounds or into the next field. Trish owns it, so we won't bump into a farmer or anything."

Evelyn's smiled, her eyes meeting Claire's. "I would actually love that."

Claire felt a warmth spread through her chest, and now she was unable to hide her smile. "Okay. We'll do that then." She held Evelyn's eyes for another second. "Goodnight."

"Night."

Claire showed herself out, her steps light as she strode back to her quad. She took a deep breath, inhaling the chilly night air. She might be keeping it together on the outside, but inside, Claire was on a high. She was almost giddy, and on the journey back home, her hair whipping as she drove the quad through the darkness, she let herself have that goofy grin. No one was there to see it, and she couldn't tell anyone, but she'd just spent the last hour with Evelyn Coleman watching the sunset and sipping on wine.

The whole thing was surreal, and Claire was pretty sure that she'd never forget it.