A Woman Like Eve Excerpt
A Woman Like Eve Excerpt
Prologue
1970—The young driver whipped her newly waxed ’66 Silver Blue Ford, top down, convertible Mustang into the Beverly Hills parking space, and came to an abrupt stop. A comfortable sixty-eight degrees Fahrenheit and a brilliant cerulean sky, accented with puffs of white clouds, framed the consummate Southern California autumn day.
In a hurry, dressed in her outfit de rigueur of well-worn 501 button-fly Levi jeans, black Converse high-top sneakers, a tie-dyed cotton t-shirt, and a denim jacket, eighteen-year-old Eve Hollywell leapt from her vehicle. It was a graduation gift she received from her mother only months before. Gently closing the door, Eve kissed her palm and lightly planted it on the Mustang’s windshield, a car she’d named Sally after the 1966 Wilson Pickett hit. “Be right back, Sally girl,” she said, before sprinting toward the law offices of C.C. Hadley, Beeker, Saunders & White.
Eve bounded up two flights of five red brick steps each, and rushed into the Spanish Revival building. Short on time, and her messenger job on the line—again—the documents she was picking up had to get back to the Hollywood VIP by no later than four p.m. A quick glance at her late father’s silver 1950 Hamilton Steeldon CLD wristwatch told her it was three-fifteen. With only forty-five minutes to make it across town during rush hour, she didn’t have a minute to spare.
Upon reaching the reception counter, Eve pushed her Walgreens aviator-styled sunglasses to the top of her head, nestling them into an abundance of platinum blonde shag-cut curls. She leaned against the counter and beamed a bright and winning smile down at the petite female clerk.
The clerk, dressed in navy pinstripe bell bottoms and a cream-colored turtleneck top, had her long, medium-brown braid draped lightly over one shoulder. The neat braid came out thick and tapered to a whispery point just past her smallish breast. With a small head and equally diminutive features, Eve likened the young woman to a mouse. Judi The Mouse, Eve silently mused as she suppressed a grin.
“Hi—” Eve peered at the clerk’s name badge, “Judi T.,” she said cheerfully.
“Hi?” Judi replied in a high-pitched voice. “Can I help you?”
“Yep. Yep. I’m from Hollywood Delivery? I’m picking up a package from here. From—” she quickly glanced at her palm, where she’d scribbled the name of the sender in black ballpoint, “Mr. White. Mr. White to Mr. Evans, and, going to Paramount?”
“Mmm.” Judi tilted her head. “Mr. Evans?”
“Yeah, y’know, Bob Evans?”
Judi tilted her head to the other side and doubtfully squinted.
“The Bob Evans?” Eve stressed as she nervously tapped the countertop, ultra-conscious of precious time flying by. “Head of Paramount Pictures?”
“Mm, uh, okay.” Judi shrugged. “Let me—” Bewildered, Judi pivoted to glance at the empty shelves on the back wall. “Hmmm. I don’t seem to see it,” she mumbled, then turned back to Eve and confessed, “I’m sorry. I’m just the intern. It’s kinda my first day.” Judi grimaced apologetically. “Saundra had a dentist appointment. That’s the real receptionist, so, I… I’m all by myself. She promised no one would come in,” she said with a scowl, “but, I’ll see if—”
Not wanting to take her impatience out on the mouse intern who seemed not much older than twelve, Eve clenched her teeth with frustration, stifling a powerful urge to roll her eyes. While quietly observing Judi search for the documents in what appeared to be slow motion, Eve tapped one foot incessantly, growing more anxious by the passing second.
“Maybe it’s—” Judi’s voice trailed as she squatted down behind the front desk to search underneath. Unable to see what the clerk was doing on the other side, it sounded to Eve as if an actual mouse were pawing through the contents below.
“Oh, wait—” Judi said in a muffled tone from below. “No. Hmmm… Oh! I think… this might—?” A large manila envelope landed with a slap on the countertop as Judi stood up facing Eve. “This it?” she asked, pushing vintage cat-eye glasses higher on a modest nose, her small face filled with hope.
Eve grabbed the filled-to-capacity envelope and gave it a quick scan to verify it was the one she sought. “Yes!” Eve took the package and tucked it under one arm. “Thank, God! I just might make it.” She pivoted to exit the building.
“Wait!” Judi exclaimed, startled by her own voice.
Also surprised by the vocal volume coming from Judi The Mouse, Eve stopped mid-stride and whirled around.
“I… I’m so sorry, but—” Judi stammered. “You… I’ll… I think… I’m pretty sure you need to sign for it?”
Eve’s shoulders slumped. “Oh, right. Crap,” she muttered. “Right… right on.” Acute frustration threatened to burst through her patient facade. She snatched up a blue ink Bic pen and slapped the packet back onto the surface of the reception counter. “It’s just, y’know, I’m in a major rush. I gotta get downtown before—” Eve sucked her teeth. “Tsk. So… where do I sign?”
“Oh, right,” Judi replied. “ Okay. Let me get the clipboard with the—”
Eve’s body stiffened as she thwarted the urge to get cross with the poor new desk mouse or lose her mind—or both. She took a deep breath, calmly exhaling as Judi retrieved the clipboard before meticulously logging Eve’s pickup.
“Sign right… there,” Judi said finally, pointing to the spot on the form as she handed the sign-out clipboard to Eve.
Eve grabbed the clipboard from Judi, scratched a signature onto the paper, and then slid it across the counter to the clerk. She scooped up the delivery, once again tucked it under an arm, and bolted toward the entryway. “Thanks!”
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Eve charged through the lobby hoping to make her deadline and save her job. Blinded by the sun as she exited the lobby doors and out onto the entryway, she collided with full force into a man hurrying into the building.
“Oofta!” he exclaimed upon impact. Though the several stacked binders he carried were knocked from his arms to the landing, he managed to keep his footing and remain standing. Eve, however, tumbled to the ground, landing hard on one buttock. As she attempted to catch herself from falling, the large manila envelope she held flew from her grasp and landed on the brick walkway, and burst open, with its contents scattered across the entryway. Meanwhile, one of the man’s thick binders wantonly skidded over the bricks and down the first flight of stairs. Its binder rings opened, littering released reports and notes all about the steps.
The stranger immediately bent his lanky frame over to tend to Eve, ignoring his own binders. “I am so sorry!” he exclaimed. “I did not have time to… Are you all right?” he inquired with a strong foreign accent.
In slow motion, Eve rolled over onto her hands and knees and groaned. “No, no. It was my fault, but, shit,” she muttered. Still on all fours, she began retrieving the contents of the exploded package while attempting to shove loose papers into the hopelessly torn envelope. “I’m gonna for sures get fired now.”
“No, no… this is not possible,” he came back, his voice tinged with doubt. “Is it? It was, after all, an accident. Accidents happen. Here, let me—” He offered a hand to help her up from the ground. Taking the stranger’s hand, Eve was swiftly pulled to her feet, mere inches from his body. Though five foot nine, not counting two inches of curls, Eve had to lean back in order to catch the gaze of the man who towered over her. His pale blue eyes gleamed with delight as they met Eve’s sultry sable browns. Their eyes locked for several moments until a slight breeze fluttered, stirring the stranger’s notes into the air and farther away, disrupting their captivating moment.
“Oh, no!” Eve exclaimed with distress, reluctantly pulling her gaze from his.
Still clinging to her own documents with one hand, Eve and the stranger both lunged for his floating strays. Within a few hectic minutes, all were captured, though a little worse for wear.
“Gosh, I’m really sorry,” Eve apologized, handing over crumpled rescues to him.
“Nonsense. Like I said, it was an accident,” he answered with a warm smile, thoroughly smitten. “Oh,” he added while attempting to maneuver the sheets in order to offer her his hand. “I am Teodor.”
“Eve,” she responded, extending her free hand, but withdrew it as Teodor began juggling the binders that threatened to unloose again.
“Look, man, I’ve really gotta jet,” Eve began, pointing out the mess clutched in her hands. “I’ll see you around, eh? I might still make it—if I break every speed limit and hit every green.”
“Oh,” Teodor muttered, at a loss for words. “Do you…? Do you work here?” he asked.
“Me? Work at a law office?” Eve responded with a chuckle while attempting to organize the mess in her hands. “Nah. I just… I’m just a lowly messenger. You?”
“I am interning—for a Hollywood film producer. He left these behind… for his meeting. I am wondering… would you like to—” Teodor stammered, supremely conscious he might never see her again.
“Hey, uh—” Eve said hurriedly, oblivious to his clumsy overture. “Nice to meet you, man. Sorry about… y’know, everything, but, I’ve seriously gotta fly. These are, y’know, time-sensitive,” she added. “Ciao!”
“Ja, ja. Adjø… ciao,” Teodor mumbled as Eve sprinted to her car. Watching her speed away in her sexy convertible, his heart fluttered.
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Minutes after the beginning of her shift, Eve strolled into the Hollywood Messenger office, a grungy hole in the wall on the north edge of Hollywood.
“Hey, Hollywell,” said Big Dave, the dispatcher. “Got a run for ya, babe, and… a message.” He waved a dispatch sheet and a light yellow message slip in the air with two fingers.
“What? A message? For me?” Eve scoffed. “No way.”
“For real. Some foreign dude—says to call him,” Big Dave added in a high-pitched, singsong voice.
Eve studied the burly, pony-tailed man wearing his trademark black leather vest over a white t-shirt, trying to figure out if he was playing with her, and glowered with disbelief.
He pulled the papers back, crossing his bulging, muscled arms. “What the fuck? You think I’m lyin’?”
Eve laughed. “No, but, c’mon, B.D., who’d call li’l ol’ me? Lemme see.” She reached for the slips of paper.
Big Dave pulled his hand back. “Nope. Say you’re sorry.”
“C’mon, B.D.,” Eve whined at the large, furry man.
“No. You hurt my feelings,” he said, pouting.
With a chuckle, Eve shook her head. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry.”
Big Dave’s eyes narrowed as his face expressed doubt.
“No, I’m really, really sorry,” Eve said contritely. “Thank you, B.D., for taking the message… and, for the run. I’m sorry I hurt your feelings, okay? Really. I swear.”
Big Dave turned his head away from Eve. “Mmmm… somehow it doesn’t feel super authentic.”
“Ugh. C’mon, man. I’m sorry. I reeeeeeally am so sorry. Cross my heart.” Eve waited for a beat. “So? May I please have my run and message now?”
Big Dave huffed. “Fine. Okay. Apology accepted. Here,” he replied, handing the papers to Eve. “Now, who is this foreign honey? Is he cute? Is he my type? Tell Papa everything.”
Eve glanced at the run—a pickup over in Century City—and the message from Teodor. Huh.
“Nah,” she replied. “He’s just some guy I ran into about a month ago at a pickup. And, I mean I ‘literally’ ran into him and ate the pavement. I had a giant bruise on my ass for two weeks!”
“Mmmm, hmmm,” Big Dave purred. “Cute? The guy, I mean, not the bruise.”
“Ha, you’re funny.” Eve chuckled sarcastically. “Yeah, actually. He was super cute.”
“Like?”
Eve sat against the edge of Big Dave’s 1940s grey metal desk. “Way tall. Mmm, six four… taller? Maybe?” She shrugged. “Thin, sandy-colored hair, wispy-like. Mmm… blue eyes, but light… frosty. Kinda like, y’know, like a… snow dog?”
“Huskies? Malamutes?”
Eve shrugged. “Yeah.” She cocked her head. “But, they were oddly warm, too. Huh. He had a friendly smile. Oh, and y’know, that sort of unshaven thing?”
“Mm, hm.”
“He had that going on. He looks like—” Eve pondered for a moment. “Kinda like a professor, but—” She shrugged. “Not sure. Said he was interning—for a producer.”
“Sounds yummy. And, oh, Daddy—that accent. Delish! Where’s that from?” Big Dave asked.
“Mmm—” Eve tried to remember how Teodor sounded. “Sweden? Norway? Germany?” She thought for a moment, then shrugged. “Definitely European, but, other than that, I couldn’t say for sure.”
The instant the shop phone rang, Big Dave snatched the black receiver from its base and smiled. “Hollywood Delivery,” he said. “How may I deliver for you today?”
“Gotta go,” Eve whispered as she waved the dispatch sheet in the air. She blew Big Dave a kiss, and turned to exit the office. She shoved Teodor’s message into the back pocket of her 501s and rushed out the door.
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“You may kiss the bride,” Elvis said.
Teodor leaned down, cupping his new wife’s face in his hands, and kissed her lips. While returning her new husband’s kiss, Eve marveled at how tender was.
At the same moment, she wondered if she did the right thing offering herself in marriage to give him easier access to the U.S. Though they’d only known each other for a short time—not quite three months—they’d become the best of friends. Soul mates. She loved him dearly, but she wasn’t in love with him. Much of the time, it seemed as if she’d made the right decision, but other times, it didn’t. Those times of doubt often felt stronger than the times of certainty, which always gave her pause.
More than anything, Eve fretted about how her mother, Evangeline—for whom Eve was named—would react to her news. What would upset Ev more? That Eve had gotten married without telling her, or that she and Teodor were joined in holy matrimony in Las Vegas by an Elvis impersonator? How to break the news to her mom loomed greatest. Though, once Evangeline met Teddy, Eve believed she’d be thrilled. That he was from Norway and working in the film industry would no doubt earn bonus points with Eve’s Hollywood-obsessed, full-Norwegian, mother. Still, it might take Ev a while to accept a quickie Las Vegas marriage, despite marrying Eve’s father there.
There was also her younger sister, Alice, to consider. Alice was still in high school and busy. Once Eve graduated high school and began working, they rarely saw one another; yet, they still managed to remain close. Alice and Teddy seemed to get along, but their meetings had been too few and far between for Eve to be sure. One thing Eve knew for certain, both her mother and sister were not going to appreciate having missed Eve’s wedding—immigration sham or not.
As Teodor pulled from Eve and smiled, his frosty blue eyes shining, she immediately dismissed all concerns to focus on the occasion. Because at that precise moment, only weeks before turning nineteen, she was the new Mrs. Teodor Aksel Ludvig Magnussen. If she were honest with herself, the whole thing was well beyond weird.
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With her shoulder-length blonde curls still damp from her morning shower, Eve entered the tiny Hollywood kitchen and dropped her canvas bag on a 1950s chrome and yellow vinyl dining chair. Teodor sat at the matching yellow Formica and chrome table.
“I think… I might be a little nervous,” he declared, fiddling with his coffee mug.
“Your interview?” Eve asked.
“Ja. I am meeting Ev’s big boss this afternoon.”
Eve walked over and lightly kissed her husband on a clean-shaven cheek. “You’re going to be great, Teddy. You are great, and he’s going to love you. I promise.” She dropped two slices of Wonder Bread into the toaster and plunged the lever to start the toasting process. “Thanks to Mom, he’s already seen your reel and portfolio. He wouldn’t have asked to interview you himself if he didn’t want you. You’re in, Teddy, and Mom promised, too. I swear on a stack of Oscar-winning scripts.”
“Okay, okay. I believe you,” Teodor responded with a loving smile. “What is your day today?”
“Y’know, I’m not sure,” Eve replied. “Thought I’d be on this film for a while, yet; but my boss said he’s assigning me to a new one. Some big-budget movie. Who knows? As long as I’m not running all over town as a messenger? I’m happy as hell, no matter where he puts me. Being a courier was kind of a shit job. More coffee?”
“Yes, please,” Teodor said. “Thank you, Evie. Well, I, for one, am happy for that shit job… so we could meet.”
Eve chuckled as she filled Teodor’s cup. “Ah, is that what that was—meeting?”
“Well,” Teodor shrugged and smiled. “I did knock you off your feet.”
Eve rolled her eyes and laughed. “Oh, brother.” She quickly checked her wristwatch. “Oh, shit! How did it get so late? Teddy, I’ve gotta run, sweetie,” she said, popping the half-finished slices of toast from the toaster. “Break a leg today, and I’ll see you after work, okay? We’ll celebrate, yeah?”
“I hope so.”
“We will. No doubt.” Eve bent down and kissed Teodor’s cheek. “Bye, babe.” She clenched both pieces of toast between her teeth, grabbed her bag, lifted keys from a hook by the kitchen door, and rushed from the apartment.
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“Please, please, Teddy—” Eve sobbed. “I’m so sorry, I… it just happened, and, I… I didn’t mean to—”
“But you did it, Evie,” Teodor said, sitting on the edge of their bed. “You decided to do it, and you… you cheated on me. For months! I love you so, so much, but you? You do not care. You are just my wife of convenience, ja? And, now? You… you have shattered my heart into a million little pieces.” His hands covered his face.
Eve leaned against the dresser, overwhelmed with discomfort. She wanted to go to him, to comfort him, seeing how devastated he was, but she couldn’t do it. “Teddy… Teddy, it… I mean, it just happened. I… I didn’t realize I was… that she—”
“Do not say it!” he responded with force. “She!” he scoffed. “It is tragedy enough you cheated on me, but, with her? A woman? And, now you… you want to leave me? Why? Why can you not… just… end it? Stop it now. Just stop it, and say… bad decision, then, we can… we can go back to… I will forgive you, Evie. I promise I will,” he pleaded. “Just leave her! Stay with me!”
“I… I can’t,” Eve breathed, “because, I… Teddy, I’m sorry, but, I love her. I’m in love with her, Teddy. I mean… I love you, I swear, I do. I wouldn’t have married you if I didn’t, but, I’m not in love with you—you know that. I’m just… I’m sorry.”
Eve’s blunt words cut Teodor to the quick, yanking him to the crux of their situation. He got off the bed and down on his knees, his body feeling twice its age, and pulled two suitcases from under their bed.
“What? Teddy, what are you doing?” Eve inquired.
“Do not worry,” he replied, his voice tinged with a quiet rage. “You do not have to leave me, Evie, because I am leaving you. I will go home.” He scoffed. “I cannot stay here—not without you. I will not stay with someone who does not—” he caught a sob as he placed the larger suitcase on the bed and opened it. “No, I will go. I am sorry I could not make you love me, though, I… tried.” Teodor began transferring clothing from the small clothes closet into his suitcase.
“Please, don’t, Teddy. You’re my best friend, my soul mate!” Eve pleaded.
“Best friend? Soul mate? That is what I am to you?” he spat. “I do not need a friend. Not one like you. I do not want a cheater for a soul mate. No. I am going home.”
“Don’t go, Teddy. You… Please,” Eve begged. “I… I… You stay. I’ll leave. Come on. Your job. It’s such a great job, and your career—it’s going so well now. Please don’t ruin it over—”
“I am not the responsible one!” Teodor shouted, his face reddened. “I did not cheat on you! I did not fall in love with someone else! If anyone has ruined my career, it is you!” Teodor stopped yelling and attempted to calm himself, taking a deep breath. “Please go now, Eve. I… I cannot see you now.”
“Teddy… I feel so… I’m so sorry. I don’t want you to—”
“GET. OUT!”
Eve jumped at the intensity of Teodor’s anger, which shocked her. She caused it—she knew that—but, she had no choice but to break up with him. Remaining with Teodor was hopeless because their whole marriage was a lie—it had been since the beginning.
For the first year, she had tried to love him as he deserved to be loved; but after Rose, she knew she could never sustain the lie. She was different now. Eve had sensed the possibility of her true nature for many years; but, until Rose entered her life, doubt remained. Now she was certain, and the longer she attempted to pretend with Teodor, the more devastated he’d be. No, she couldn’t bear hurting him any more than she had already. Tears spilled at the realization they were truly over.
“Do you want a… a divorce?” she asked, her voice quivering.
Teodor stopped packing and stood up straight while keeping his focus on the near-filled bag. “I cannot think of that now. I just want to leave and go far away from this… you. When I figure out what, maybe I will tell you. But, for now? Please, if you would please, just go. Leave me. Let me go with some small amount of dignity. Please.”
Eve pushed her tears away and studied the man she married and had shared a bed with for eighteen months. She wanted to hug him and take everything back, but what would that accomplish? They’d only be right back where they were at that moment—sooner than later. Eve quietly observed Teodor pack his few belongings. It was clear she’d broken his heart, which made her own feel as if someone were squeezing the life from it. Perhaps that was her own heartbreaking as well. She grabbed her denim jacket from the bedpost.
“I’m sorry, Teddy,” Eve whispered as she turned and left.
Hours later, upon returning to the apartment, all traces of Teodor Aksel Magnussen were gone—except for the thin silver wedding band he’d left on the kitchen table.