Intrigued? Read on to discover the synopsis and an excerpt from Evie Walters Takes the Wheel by Kathleen Fox, which releases on October 6th 2026.

Evie Walters has lived most of her seventy-one years according to others’ expectations. But on the day of her husband’s funeral, she receives an anonymous delivery: an egret orchid. The same flower a Montana ranch hand once gave her decades ago—Novel Daniels, the boy who thought she could do anything.

So now, she does.

Defying her children’s plans to move her into a retirement home, Evie buys a camper van and leaves life in North Carolina abruptly behind. Accompanied by her devoted rescue dog, she heads west to find her cowboy, befriending an unlikely cast of characters along the way. Free-spirited young vanlifers, roadside waitresses, eccentric billionaires, and kindhearted widowers all show Evie a side of life worth living.

But Evie’s drive toward the future takes her back to the past, to memories of the family ranch and childhood dreams. Now, with a second chance as open as the road before her, there’s no telling who Evie Walters will become.

EXCERPT

“It can’t be,” she whispered into the flower.

And like she did for all questions these days, Evie googled it.

Her screen filled with images of one orchid after another, articles on orchids, and experts on orchids. After tapping a dozen images of the same feathery flower, Evie was certain of one thing: it was an egret orchid. Pecteilis radiata. Gorgeous species of terrestrial orchid native to China, Japan, Korea, and Russia. Leaves number up to seven. Flowers in July. Petals jut out and up like wings.

What greenhouse had gotten it to bloom so early in the year? The pit in Evie’s stomach grew. She lifted the orchid and tugged at the moss-lined pot, careful not to damage a stem.

“Mom, are you okay?” Tess asked, taking the flowerpot from Evie’s hands and placing it back on the buffet.

“Of . . . of course. I was just seeing if it . . . it . . . was real.” Why did I say that? “

I can see why. It doesn’t look like it’s from this world. Those petals are a phoenix rising.” Tess ran her fingers over one of the few unopened buds.

“You shouldn’t touch it. Your fingers can leave oils on the petals that can cause a virus.” The warning flowed right out of Evie’s mouth.

Tess’s eyes widened. “Wow, Mom, I didn’t know you knew anything about flowers.”

“I-I don’t. I’m probably just recalling one of those nature programs your dad started watching after he got sick.”

“I never thought Dad’s nature vibe extended beyond the greens of a golf course!”

As much as the family teased her, Tess’s insight was always spot on.

“I’m going to miss him,” Tess said, her voice cracking.

“He loved you kids so much.”

They stared at the orchid for a moment, each in their own memory. Evie forced hers far back into the corners of her mind.

“Hey, we’re getting ready to take off, but I wanted to make sure—like absolutely sure—that you’re cool with being here by yourself tonight. I can totally crash and chill with you. We could bird-watch, order pizza, and do the Netflix thing.” Tess reached for Evie’s hand. “But I also totally respect your need for space and personal boundaries, so I can support you from afar if that’s better.”

Evie held in a smile, wondering in what woo-woo workshop Tess had learned such terminology.

“I could use a little solo time tonight. I suspect I’ll be fast asleep before dark,” Evie assured Tess as she walked her toward the door.

Tess’s deep hug swallowed Evie up. “I love you, Mom. I’ll check in on you in the morning.”

Wells and Melony and their families followed behind Tess with their goodbyes. Mel stepped aside and glanced back at the kitchen.

“Remember, your kitchen window is still open, and turn on the house alarm once we’ve left.”

Evie never turned on that alarm, but she nodded like she would.

Melony was every bit Royce’s daughter, down to the same determina tion that pressed her mouth together into a disapproving line.

Grabbing her car keys from inside her bag, Melony handed them to her daughter. “Shea, go start the car. Music at a minimum, please.”

Evie grinned. “She reminds me of you at her age.”

“Mom, I was a far more responsible driver. Why these kids don’t crash daily is beyond me. Texting, music, seat dancing, putting on makeup.”

How quickly Melony had forgotten her own youth. Or maybe, Evie thought, we simply choose what we want to remember.

As the sunlight began to fade, Evie held in the last bit of emotion until she heard the caterers’ van back out of the driveway, then she let out a heavy sigh.

The house was quiet. Silence echoed loudly living alone. She hadn’t adjusted to it yet.

On her way upstairs, the egret orchid drew her in. She closed her eyes and traced the silhouette of its petals in her mind, recalling the first time she’d ever seen such a flower. The Montana moonlight and—she shook away the memory, ashamed it had surfaced on the day she’d buried her husband.

In her bedroom, she unknotted the gray scarf and tucked it in the drawer. Then Evie reached behind her head to unzip her dress. The zipper didn’t budge.

“A little help here, Royce?” she pleaded toward the ceiling, tugging harder.

He laughed inside her head. Call someone, love.

She tried to pull the dress over her head, but the jewel neckline fit so snuggly, getting it over her head was impossible.

Her bed was inviting comfort. She was so tired. She could just sleep in her dress and deal with the zipper tomorrow.

“So this is what it’s come to. A woman stuck in her clothes.”

Reta’s words resurfaced. Never underestimate the strength of a quiet woman. Evie considered what quiet really meant.

She pulled open the nightstand drawer and grabbed the scissors she used for loose threads. Sitting atop the nightstand was the envelope Melony said arrived with the orchid. No address or florist’s name appeared on it.

Evie lay down the scissors and picked it up, letting the envelope sit in her hand until she felt tiny beads of sweat in her palm.

After gently gliding her fingernail under the seam, she pulled out a pale-blue card.

I’m sorry. You were meant to have this years ago.

Evie lingered over each word. She pinched the card to keep it from falling from her fingers as her body buckled.

Today, of all days.

She hid the card and envelope in the nightstand.

With the scissors now firmly back in her hand, she chopped a ragged line right up the front of her dress. The crepe shredded and curled with each snip. Then Evie peeled the dress off her body, kicked open the lid to the trash can, and tossed the fabric in. “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” The lid slammed with a hearty thump. She closed her eyes and inhaled so deeply her lungs ached.

Evie unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. She pulled down her underwear and stepped out of each little hole, leaving it lying on the carpet. Then Evie slipped under the sheets, naked, something she hadn’t done since before her wedding night.

The post Read An Excerpt From ‘Evie Walters Takes the Wheel’ by Kathleen Fox appeared first on The Nerd Daily.