by Annie Dyer
Evergreen
Annie Dyer
Copyright © 2020 by Annie Dyer
All rights reserved.
Apart from any permitted use under UK copyright law, no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any former by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
Evergreen is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are a product of the author’s imagination and are fictitious. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events or establishments is solely coincidental.
Please note this book contains material aimed at an adult audience.
Editing by Eliza Ames
Cover design by Najla Qamber Designs
Cover image copyright ©2020
Imprint: Independently published
Created with Vellum
For the Callaghans:
Jackson, Claire, Maxwell, Payton, Ava, Callum and Joseph, Marie & Grant.
This is my love letter to them.
Also by Annie Dyer
The Callaghan Green Series
In Suggested Reading order (can be read as stand-alones)
Engagement Rate
What happens when a hook up leaves you hooked? Jackson Callaghan is the broody workaholic who isn’t looking for love until he meets his new marketing executive? Meet the Callaghans in this first-in-series, steamy office romance.
White Knight
If you’re in the mood for a second chance romance with an older brother’s best friend twist, then look no further. Claire Callaghan guards her heart as well as her secrets, but Killian O’Hara may just be the man to take her heart for himself.
Compromising Agreements
Grumpy, bossy Maxwell Callaghan meets his match in this steamy enemies-lovers story. Mistaking Victoria Davies as being a quiet secretary is only Max’s first mistake, but can she be the one to make this brooding Callaghan brother smile?
Between Cases
Could there be anything better than a book boyfriend who owns a bookstore? Payton Callaghan isn’t sure; although giving up relationships when she might’ve just met The One is a dilemma she’s facing in BETWEEN CASES, a meet-cute that’ll have you swooning over Owen Anders.
Changing Spaces
Love a best friend’s younger sister romance? Meet Eli, partner in the Callaghan Green law firm and Ava’s Callaghan’s steamy one-night stand that she just can’t seem to keep as just one night. Independent, strong-willed and intelligent, can Eli be the man Ava wants?
Heat
Feeling hungry? Get a taste of this single dad, hot chef romance in HEAT. Simone Wood is a restaurant owner who loves to dance, she’s just never found the right partner until her head chef Jack starts to teach her his rhythm. Problem is, someone’s not happy with Simone, and their dance could be over before they’ve learned the steps.
Mythical Creatures
The enigmatic Callum Callaghan heads to Africa with the only woman who came close to taming his heart, in this steamy second-chance romance. Contains a beautifully broken alpha and some divinely gorgeous scenery in this tale that will make you both cry and laugh. HEA guaranteed.
Melted Hearts
Hot rock star? Enemies to lovers? Fake engagement? All of these ingredients are in this Callaghan Green novel. Sophie Slater is a businesswoman through and through but makes a pact with the devil – also known as Liam Rossi, newly retired Rockstar – to get the property she wants - one that just happens to be in Iceland. Northern lights, a Callaghan bachelor party, and a quickly picked engagement ring are key notes in this hot springs heated romance
Severton Search and Rescue
Sleighed
Have a change of scenery and take a trip to a small town. Visit Severton, in Sleighed; this friends-to-lovers romantic suspense will capture your heart as much as Sorrell Slater steals Zack Maynard’s.
Stirred
If enemies-to-lovers is your manna, then you’ll want to stay in Severton for Stirred. Keren Leigh and Scott Maynard have been at daggers drawn for years, until their one-night ceasefire changes the course of their lives forever.
Smoldered
Want to be saved by a hot firefighter? Rayah Maynard’s lusted over Jonny Graham ever since she came back to town. Jonny’s prioritised his three children over his own love life since his wife died, but now Rayah’s teaching more than just his daughter – she’s teaching him just how hot their flames can burn.
Shaken
Abby Walker doesn’t exist. Hiding from a gang she suspects is involved in the disappearance of her sister, Severton is where she’s taken refuge. Along with her secrets, she’s hiding her huge crush on local cop, Alex Maynard. But she isn’t the only one with secrets. Alex can keep her safe, but can he also take care of her heart?
Standalone Romance
Endless Blue Seas
Two broken souls, one hot summer. Anya returns to her childhood island home after experiencing a painful loss. Gabe escapes to the same place, needing to leave his life behind, drowning in guilt. Neither are planning on meeting the other, but when they do, from their grief, love rises. Only can it be more than a summer long?
Tarnished Crowns Trilogy
Lovers. Liars. Traitors. Thieves. We were all of these. Political intrigue, suspense and seduction mingle together in this intricate and steamy royal romance trilogy.
Chandelier
Grenade
Emeralds
Crime Fiction
We Were Never Alone
How Far Away the Stars (Novella)
Contents
1. A cock ring (size small) – From Claire to Maxwell
2. A first edition of Naughty Amelia Jane by Enid Blyton – from Owen to Payton
3. Tour of a gin distillery – from Claire to Marie
4. An emerald and diamond eternity ring – from Killian to Claire
5. Hot Firemen of the Year Calendar – From Claire to Lainey
6. Six personal training sessions – from Marie to Grant
7. A Xylophone – From Teddy to Eliza
8. An experience day racing supercars – Claire to Killian
9. A leather-bound version of Hans Christian Anderson’s Fairy Tales – From Owen to Payton
10. Her favourite perfume – from Grant to Marie
11. A pair of Louboutin’s – from Maxwell to Victoria
12. A rugby ball – From Maxwell to Teddy
13. An atlas of lost places – from Ava to Callum
14. A day at an outdoor aerial park – Shay to Max, Jackson, Killian, Nick, Owen, Eli & Callum
15. The History of London in Maps – from Marie to Victoria
16. A dining experience with a Michelin starred chef – From Grant to Marie
17. How to Win at Poker, a book – From Jackson to Seph
18. New bed linen with a high thread count – from Marie to Ava
19. Four romance novels – from Payton to Lainey
20. An axe throwing experience – From Max to Eli
21. A spa day – from Claire to Maven and Lainey
22. A new masonry drill set – from Maxwell to Grant
23. ‘How to Improve Your Sexual Performance’ – from Jackson to Maxwell
24. A set of gin glasses – from Claire to Ava
25. A pair of binoculars – from Killian to Nick
26. A hand painted mug – from Callum to Wren
27. A box of condoms, extra small – Seph to Shay
28. An interior design book - from Marie to Seph
STIRRED
CHANDELIER
Also by Annie Dyer
About Annie
1
A cock ring (size small) – From Claire to Maxwell
Seph
“How about this?” My sister, Payton, held up some body moisturiser set that must’ve been made by specially trained elves and plated with platinum given how much it cost. “I’m pretty sure Mum will love it.”
Her tone did not make her sound sure. In fact, she sounded completely the opposite of sure and her face look rather like she was trying not to have a replica tantrum that the small child that was a few metres away was having.
“I’m pretty sure she won’t.” I picked the set from her hands and placed it back on the display, praying that I didn’t knock the fucker over. I wasn’t blessed with dexterity, unless it involved my fingers and female body parts. “Look, let’s forget what I’m buying people, you just sort out what you need to get. I’ll get something online for everyone.”
“Seph!” My twin looked even more mad.
It didn’t compute. Me getting Christmas presents for my family on the last minute, or even slightly later, would be nothing new and not a shock for anyone. In fact, if I had a sack full of beautifully wrapped gifts ready on Christmas day, my family would choke on the Christmas turkey.
“You won’t get it delivered on time. And I’m not wrapping everything for you on Christmas Eve. Which is three days after tomorrow, by the way. So nearly to-mor-row. Please tell me you have got presents for the kids.” Her hands were on her hips and her eyes were blazing.
“You look so much like our mother right now.”
They clearly weren’t the right words to say. Payton shook her head and stormed off, leaving me trying my best not to laugh.
Tormenting my twin wasn’t something I was ever going to feel guilty about. She would get revenge at some point and it would likely be far more painful than her frustration with me. Payton could be creative and lethal in equal amounts, although I wasn’t entirely sure why she’d stormed off instead of just reaming off a mouthful of abuse at me.
I picked up the moisturiser set and stared at the contents. Honestly, I wasn’t unfamiliar with those sorts of products. I moisturised. That was pretty much it despite what my brothers would say, and I knew for a fact that Max – my eldest sibling – had a better skin care regime than me and possibly his fiancée, Victoria. I wasn’t exactly ugly, and thanks to my sister-in-law, I’d ended up being in front of the lens a few times. Meeting people who dealt in the make-up industry had taught me a few things about looking after yourself, and I didn’t want to end up like my Great Uncle Harold, with leather skin and lines as deep as the Mariana Trench across his face, bless his soul.
This set was something that my mum, Marie - and the real pants-wearer in the family – would smile at and stick in a cupboard, possibly give to her Aunt Lucille for a birthday gift as she was definitely in to recycling presents. I’d been on the receiving end of one once, a book about cathedrals in Britain. I had no idea why she thought I’d like it, but she hadn’t even opened it once – if she had, she’d have seen that the aforementioned Uncle Harold had neatly written an inscription to her on the second page.
I was stumped. I had no idea what to get my parents or siblings, and given that every single one of my brothers and sisters were now paired off, none were wanting to give joint presents anymore. Or not with me. They were giving joint gifts with their respective partners and if I mentioned contributing the responses ranged from being gently let down (Vanessa) to being told to sort my life out and get organised (Ava). Maxwell had just ignored me.
Which was probably for the best.
Payton still had to buy Owen a present, hence she’d dragged me out with her before we set off on the drive to our parents’ house in Oxford. London, three days before Christmas Eve, was not for the faint hearted, just the certifiably insane. I wasn’t sure which of us qualified as being insane enough to think that it was a good idea to head onto Oxford Street and mix with the rest of the last-minute shoppers, but somehow we’d decided to brave it and headed into the trenches.
Now I wished I’d just gone to the bar after work and bought a couple of rounds in. It would’ve been far less sweaty, and I wouldn’t have witnessed Payton’s epic strop.
I had managed to buy presents for Teddy – Jackson’s son – and Eliza – Claire’ s daughter, as well as Claire’s nieces who were joining us with their parents over the Christmas period, so I wasn’t going to be castrated. There was no way I wouldn’t see my niece and nephew unwrap something from me, even if Teddy didn’t understand what was going on yet. Everyone else could live without a gift, or maybe just consider my presence as being enough.
We’d all be together, thankfully in a big house with lots of alcohol, preparing for Maxwell’s wedding to Victoria. The big house was necessary, given that the size of our family had exploded in recent years, and the alcohol was definitely an essential. Luckily, Max and Vic had opted for a small low key affair, which meant that we wouldn’t be spending Christmas tending to a groomzilla.
I hadn’t even worked out what to buy them as a present for their wedding.
I was fucked.
My phone vibrated in my pocket once and then again before I could even pull it out. Everyone had pretty much finished work for the Christmas holidays, apart from probably Killian, who ran his own security business with his brother, and Callum, who was a vet and currently in Marrakesh with the animal charity he and his fiancée volunteered for. Everyone being off work meant they had more time for making last minute plans and sending group messages.
The small child who’d been having a tantrum ran straight into me as I brought my phone out, knocking it out of my hand and onto the floor, before his foot stepped straight on top.
The inevitable crunch was punctuated with the sound of jingling bells from the speakers and the supposed laugh of Santa Claus.
There was a worried look from the boy, and he stepped backwards, eyes open with what I hoped was fear. I wasn’t into scaring small children, I actually quite liked kids, well-behaved ones who didn’t come with an inbuilt attitude anyway.
“Ralphie, come here, now!” His mother – or whoever she was, I assumed mother – looked tired and harassed. “This is what happens when you don’t do as you’re told!”
I bent down and picked up my phone. The screen had shattered although it was still managing to vibrate with yet another message.
“This is what happens when you don’t do as you’re told.” I held my phone up to show what had happened.
“Could’ve been like that already.” The boy spat the words out.
I looked down at my suit – going home to get changed hadn’t been part of the plan – and my tie only slightly loosened. “Somehow, kid, I don’t think someone who wears a suit like this goes around with a broken phone.” I looked at his mother. “He,” I pointed to the kid, “owes me a new screen. How do you suggest he pays his debt, because this isn’t your fault?”
The kid looked pale. “You can’t make me do that.”
He was right. I probably couldn’t. But he really did need to learn not to be dick sooner rather than later.
“I’m a lawyer. Try me.”
“You don’t even know who I am.”
I looked at his mother who was starting to smile. “His name’s Ralphie Bradfield. We live in Greenwich. And he absolutely will pay you back.” She gave me the rest of his address while he stood there horrified. “He’s my little brother and has no idea how to behave.”
“Justine!” He dragged out every one of her vowels. “What you saying that for?”
She smiled and pulled out a receipt and a pen from her handbag, scrawling down her number. “I appreciate any lesson you want to give – either of us.”
I forced a smile and felt my skin crawl at the same time as wanting to hide under a rock.
Being hit on used to be a cause for celebration. Now it was just a curse, one that was the first thing my siblings and other partners at our law firm mentioned. Never that I
did well on a case, or earned mention in a law journal, or that my figures were the highest out of everyone over the last three months. No, it was always about what girl had said what to me or someone turning up at reception asking if I was free. And that was just the tip of what was a very big, greasy, dirty iceberg.
Ninety minutes later I had a new phone – one of the perks of earning a decent salary – and I was sitting in a café bar with a bottle of beer with no idea where my twin actually was. She hadn’t answered my call or sent a message, so I could only assume that she’d been kidnapped and dropped off somewhere as soon as she opened her mouth.
The family group message had been very active. I braced myself as I opened it, knowing full well that there would be endless speculation as to why I wasn’t responding.
Marie: What time should I be expecting you all? I need to make sure your father and I are decent before you get here.
Maxwell: And by decent, you mean dressed in jeans and jumpers and not sweatpants, don’t you?
Marie: I meant behaving in a way becoming of parents/grandparents. We’re used to having the place to ourselves and don’t have to consider being… discreet.
Jackson: Bleach my brain. I’m never sitting on any surface in that house again.
Ava: You just gotta hope that when you reach that grand old age, you’re still able to do it, Jacks.
