As they reached the Quinns' residence, Derek pulled the car to a stop without looking at Sandra. He barely waited for her to unbuckle her seatbelt before unlocking the doors. His gaze remained fixed forward, his expression unreadable.

"Thank you, Derek," Sandra said softly, hoping he would soften.

But Derek didn't respond. Instead, he turned his face away and waited. She opened the door, pausing as if expecting him to say something, but he only stared straight ahead. With a frustrated sigh, Sandra climbed out of the car and closed the door. The moment it shut, Derek drove away, leaving Sandra staring after him in the dim light of the front porch.

As he pulled away, Derek felt a wave of relief wash over him. She was finally out of the car, and he could breathe again.

He reached for his phone, dialing Evelyn's number as he turned onto the empty street leading back toward Rayna's bakery. The phone rang twice before Evelyn answered, her voice calm and warm. "D? Has she left?" she asked, excusing herself from a group of ladies.

"Yeah, I dropped her off," he said, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he thought about Evelyn and Sandra's earlier exchange at the bakery. "You handled her really well earlier. That was impressive."

Evelyn chuckled softly. "I was just hoping I didn't go too far and embarrass you."

Derek's smile softened. "Oh, trust me, I had fun. Honestly, I was probably just as entertained as everyone else. You were fire."

Evelyn's laughter drifted through the line, light and genuine. "Glad I could amuse you. I had fun, too but I feel a bit anxious now that I've provoked her even more."

Derek hesitated, remembering Sandra's words to the hitman. For a split second, he considered telling Evelyn, but decided against it; she was already tense, and he didn't want to add to her anxiety. "Hey, don't worry. I'm not going to leave you alone. I'm actually planning to hang around until the reunion is over so I can take you back myself. I don't think I can rest easy letting anyone else pick you up."

Evelyn let out a small sigh of relief. "Thank you, D. That makes me feel a lot better." She paused. "By the way, do you know why Michael called me earlier? He kept calling, and it felt strange."

Derek's jaw tightened, but his tone remained calm. "It wasn't Michael. The call was part of Sandra's plan. She told the hitman to call from Michael's phone to make it look like he was the last person you heard from before you disappeared." Evelyn shuddered and took a slow breath. "I have to admit, Sandra is disturbingly thorough." "Just relax," he said gently. "Enjoy the night. I'll be nearby when you're ready to leave."

"Alright, I'll let you know. And actually, I have something to tell you," Evelyn said mysteriously.

"Oh? What is it?" Derek asked, his curiosity piqued.

"You'll find out when I see you," she said with a small smile.

Derek groaned. "You shouldn't have mentioned it if you weren't going to tell me now. Now I'm dying to know. Is it good or bad?" He wondered if it had anything to do with her earlier behavior at home. She chuckled softly. "It's not exactly bad but it's up to you to decide how you feel about it." "What does that even mean?" he asked with an amused smile.

Evelyn only smiled. "It means I can't tell you now. It's not a conversation for the phone. You'll understand when we talk."

"Now you've really got me wondering." He laughed, shaking his head. "What if I just pop in there and pretend I'm mad at you for embarrassing Sandra, just to drag you out and make you tell me?"

Evelyn laughed. "That wouldn't make any sense. You can wait a little while. I'll be out soon, I promise."

"How soon is soon?" Derek asked impatiently.

"An hour," she replied hesitantly.

"An hour?" he echoed, feigning outrage.

"Yeah. I think I've been on the phone long enough. I need to join the others."

"Tell me the truth—is anyone flirting with you?" Derek asked suspiciously.

Evelyn chuckled. "You must think everyone is like you. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're in a hurry to leave me and talk to someone else. I saw some guys checking you out earlier—especially the one who asked if you had a kid," Derek said, and she laughed. "Oh, really? Don't tell me you're jealous," Evelyn said with a grin.

Derek raised an eyebrow. "How can I not be jealous when I have the most beautiful woman in my life? I don't want anyone else looking at her."

Evelyn laughed, a warm sound that melted his heart. "Don't worry. No one but you could hold my attention. Besides, you saw how Rayna praised you tonight," she said, and Derek shook his head, chuckling. "That friend of yours is really something. I owe her big time. She's wonderful," Derek said, and Evelyn grinned as she looked across the room at Rayna, who was busy interacting with the others.

"Yes, she is an angel. I'm so lucky to have her," Evelyn said, grinning when Rayna caught her gaze and winked.

"Well, you're the only angel I know, and I can't wait for everything to end so I can make us public. That way, everyone can stay away from you," Derek said softly.

Evelyn giggled. "And everyone can stay away from you too. It goes both ways. Now, can I go back to the party? You have me to yourself every day, but I don't know when else I'll see everyone here."

Derek felt his chest swell at her words.

"Alright. Go have fun. I'll be waiting. I love you," he said softly.

Evelyn's voice softened. "I love you too. I'll see you soon."