by Zoe Allison
She laughed. “Good choice. Don’t want you passing out again.”
He cocked his head to one side. “Although if that were to happen, I would of course have my personal physician to tend to me.”
She nodded. “True. Though I’m not sure you can afford my private fees.”
He raised his eyebrows. “How much would I owe?”
She shrugged, enjoying her newfound role as an insufferable flirt. Lydia Bennett, eat your heart out. “Let’s see what we can work out.”
She felt his eyes on her. “You look beautiful.”
Despite her best efforts, her heart did a somersault. No. Don’t fall for it this time. Don’t let yourself hope.
She turned and met his gaze. “Thank you. You’re very handsome yourself. Blue suits you.”
He was wearing a light blue shirt and dark trousers and was indeed very handsome. But then again, she thought he looked handsome in anything.
Damon smiled. It appeared as if he was about to say something, but just then they arrived at the front door of the hotel. Everyone was going inside.
He took her hand to help her up the steps. She went ahead of him and joined Rachel and Jane in the reception area.
Rachel gestured along the hallway. “It’s in the suite down there.” The six of them followed the corridor into a huge room.
“Wow,” Jane said. “They’ve done a great job.”
Eva nodded, taking in the large welcome banner. There were big round tables around the periphery of the room, which had all been decorated with fresh flowers. There were also copies of the class photos from their year placed in photo holders.
Their group headed to an empty table to deposit their jackets. The DJ was playing at the front just under the banner and next to a huge dance floor, which was already pretty packed. There was a bar at the back with a long buffet table running along the wall adjacent to it.
Damon came to stand next to Eva. “What can I get you guys to drink?”
He placed his hand on the small of Eva’s back and she tried to suppress the resulting shudder of desire. It was difficult because the partially open nature at the rear meant that his fingers were touching her bare skin.
Jane and Rachel requested their drinks and Damon turned to Eva. He stroked his thumb lightly across her skin and her head spun.
“I’ll have the same as Rach, please.” She had no idea what she’d just ordered because she’d been so distracted by his touch. He smiled and dropped his hand to move to the bar.
Rachel huddled the girls together. “Right, I want an update. Jane, how’s it going with Dave?”
Jane smiled broadly. “Great. We haven’t kissed yet but I’m really hoping it’ll happen tonight.”
Eva touched Jane’s arm. “I’m so pleased it’s going well. Dave’s a great guy.”
Jane glanced at the floor, still smiling. “He is, isn’t he?”
“You guys are so lovely together,” Rachel said. “I’m sure you’ll be smooching away before the night is out.”
Jane looked at Eva. “What about you and Damon?”
Eva frowned. “It’s complicated.”
“It doesn’t need to be. Just go for it.” Rachel said.
Eva raised her eyebrows. “I’ll handle it my own way.”
Rachel held her hands up. “Okay, handle away.” She craned her neck towards the bar. “Where’re our drinks? Oh, there’s Marcus now.”
Marcus approached and handed each of them a glass, then was taken to one side by someone who recognized him. Eva tried to spot Damon but couldn’t.
A female voice called out from behind her. “Hi!”
Eva closed her eyes for a second, her heart rate picking up. “Hi, Tracey.”
Tracey drew up next to Eva. She was wearing the tallest stilettos Eva had ever seen and she found herself trying not to speak to Tracey’s chest, which was nearly at eye level and peering out of her strapless dress at her.
“Well,” Tracey said, looking Eva up and down. “Don’t you look…cute.”
Rachel rolled her eyes. “I think you pronounced ‘drop dead gorgeous’ incorrectly.”
Tracey hesitated, clearly thrown off her stride. “Yeah…that’s what I meant.”
Rachel raised her eyebrows. “Then say what you mean.”
Tracey tossed her hair over her shoulder. “You’d better get that drink in you, Rachel. It might sweeten you temper. Anyone seen Damon?”
Eva shook her head. “Not for a while.”
Tracey glanced around the room. “Okay. I’ll see you later.” She turned and walked towards the bar.
“Good riddance,” muttered Rachel.
Eva touched her arm and smiled. She was grateful for Rachel sticking up for her, even if she was rather blunt about it. “Thanks, Rach.”
Rachel circled her shoulders and gave her a squeeze.
Jane shook her head. “She’s so mean.”
“You’re not wrong,” Rachel said. “The woman’s a bully. She used to be horrible to us all at school and now we’re just supposed to forget about it? Why do some women seem to think that tearing the rest of us down will elevate their own self esteem?”
Eva sighed. “I figured that everyone had changed and grown up—but maybe not.”
Jane frowned. “I didn’t really know her at school. I’m glad now that I didn’t.”
Rachel nodded. “She was off with Eva in particular, doing her down behind her back and calling her a boring nerd when she got a good grade.”
Jane shook her head, frowning. “She must’ve been jealous of you, Eva.”
Eva was starting to think that her initial instinct about coming here was correct. She hadn’t fitted in at school and she didn’t fit in here.
Respite came in the form of another classmate who approached and greeted them. She took them to join her group of friends and they studied the photos that were being passed around from the nearest table. Eva glanced up to look for Damon. Marcus was laughing with Dave and a couple of others, but Damon wasn’t there. She went back to the conversation with her old classmates. Someone had fetched another round of drinks and the alcohol and conversation were both flowing. Eva was surprised to find she was enjoying herself. It occurred to her that high school had been a difficult time for everyone and she was likely not the only one who’d felt out of place and marginalised.
The people they were speaking to drifted in and out, with new people joining for a chat and others heading off for the dance floor. Eva hadn’t had chance to get anything from the buffet but she didn’t mind because she was having fun. She laughed at something Rachel said and glanced up. She thought she’d spotted Damon across the room and so craned her neck to peer through the crowd.
Eva’s insides turned to ice. Tracey McKenna was hanging off him, her arms around his neck as she smiled at him with her scarlet red lips.
A wave of nausea enveloped her. She couldn’t see Damon’s face, but she imagined him smiling and making one of his flirtatious comments. She drew her mouth into a thin line. She could sense Jane and Rachel looking at her.
“Eva—” Jane said.
Eva shook her head and drained her drink. “I’m going to get some fresh air.”
She headed for the door then decided she’d rather have more alcohol. After getting another drink, she surveyed the room. The dance floor was packed, and in the same corner she could see Tracey was still hanging off Damon, her head tipped back as she laughed. Eva gritted her teeth. She headed to the opposite end of the room where she recognized one of her friends from class. She heard from him now and again on social media.
“Hi, Andy,” she said as she reached his group.
“Hi,” he said. “Great to see you.” He turned to his wife who was standing next to him. “Sweetheart, this is Eva. Eva, this is my lovely wife, Nicola.”
Eva shook Nicola’s hand. How sweet that Andy had specifically added the ‘lovely’ to describe his wife. He’d always been a great guy. How come she wasn’t with a great guy? First Callum
had jilted her and now Damon was giving her the run-around. Though when she thought about it, Damon had given her the run-around long before she’d met Callum. She’d been in love with him at school and he hadn’t even known she existed. Then he’d gone on to shag Tracey, who’d been a total bitch to her.
A lot of what she was feeling was exaggerated by alcohol but that was little comfort.
Eva became involved in conversation with the new group, which included a couple of single guys. She got the feeling they were staring at her appreciatively in a not-very-subtle manner due to the freely flowing drink—but she didn’t care. Someone might as well look at her like that and the phrase ‘beggars can’t be choosers’ entered her mind.
A couple of people drifted away from the group and one of these single guys was then standing next to her.
It was only then that she recognized him—Eric Donovan.
She remembered the echo of Eric and his friends laughing at her and a feeling of humiliation washed over her as acutely and painfully as if it had happened yesterday. Then Damon’s voice appeared in her head. ‘You mean you haven’t heard of Eric Donovan…serial father?’ Eva shuddered at the thought. Eric hadn’t been much of a catch because he was a smug git who thought he was God’s gift, despite not even being that attractive.
Eric eyed her and grinned. “Hello, Eva. You’re looking sexy this evening.”
Eva blocked the urge to gag. “Hi, Eric. How’re the kids?”
Her dry tone was lost on him. He winked at her. “Oh, fine. Always on the lookout to make some more though.”
Eva felt she might vomit, and it wasn’t due to the alcohol. She was now on her own with Eric. Oh hell no. She was not having this. The evening was getting shitty pretty quickly, so she’d be damned if this smarmy idiot, who’d made her feel like crap at school just for being intelligent, was going to think he could try it on with her.
Eric leaned in, clearly about to use another one of his crappy pick-up lines. She was getting ready to let rip with the mother of all knock backs when an arm slid around her waist from the opposite side and a male form leaned in front of her, effectively blocking Eric’s advance. Eva smelled Damon’s scent before she spotted him.
He spoke at her ear loud enough for Eric to hear. “There you are, gorgeous. I’ve been looking for you.” Damon leaned back and met her gaze. She could tell exactly what he was up to.
Damon addressed Eric without looking at him, a dangerous edge to his voice. “Eric, excuse us.”
Eric nodded, muttering “no problem,” but appearing as if it was in fact a really big one.
Damon led Eva away towards the door where it was less crowded. She opened her mouth to say something, but he drew her into him, his lips grazing her ear. “Just a minute… He’s still watching us.” He nuzzled his face into her neck.
Liquid fire spread through her veins. His lips were brushing her skin and every part of her was tingling in response, but she fought it because she was livid. She was sick of this—on the one hand desperate for his affection and grasping at any flirty comment but then disappointed every time he qualified their relationship as platonic. Then, to top it off he’d been all over Tracey bloody McKenna. Not interested in her, my arse.
She stayed silent as her rage built.
Damon lifted his head to make eye contact. “Okay, he’s slunk off now. I hate to tell you this, but he was only interested in you for your amazing body.”
He gave her a look that set her on fire, but it only caused her fury to build further—at him for leading her on again and at herself for being so affected by him. She’d had enough. It was her turn to lead him on.
She met his gaze. “How do you know I have an amazing body? You’ve not seen it. Yet.”
His eyes burned into hers and he took a sharp breath.
She stepped away. “Excuse me.” She stalked off and disappeared into the throng.
Eva emerged out of the other side and approached their table. Rachel was on Marcus’s knee whispering in his ear, clearly taking advantage of a childfree evening. Jane and Dave were a couple of seats along, kissing. Eva’s heart swelled, before remembering how angry she was with Damon and crashing fury followed. She reached the table and grabbed her handbag from the chair next to Rachel and Marcus.
“Where’ve you been?” Rachel said. “We were looking for you. “
Eva turned to go. “Never mind. I’m leaving now. I’ve well and truly had my fill.”
Rachel stood. “Wait a minute.”
Marcus frowned. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m fine,” Eva said. “I’ve just had enough, so I’m going home.”
“We’ll walk you,” Marcus said.
Rachel nodded, moving towards her coat.
Eva held her hand up. “I want to be on my own. Say bye to Jane and Dave for me. I don’t think they’re coming up for air anytime soon.” She turned and started to walk away.
“Okay, but text when you get home,” Rachel called after her. “And I’m calling your mum to say you’re on the way and to watch for you!”
Eva lifted her hand over her head in a backward wave. She hurried out of the hotel door and down the steps, gulping in the cool night air. She was determined not to cry and instead let her anger wash over her as she set off at a quick pace along the road towards home. Rachel and Marcus needn’t worry. No criminal would dare mess with her the way she was feeling right now.
* * * *
Damon stood blinking as Eva was gone, melting into the crowd. What the hell just happened? It seemed like she’d given him a come-on then just walked off. He tried to spot her but couldn’t, so he went out to see if she’d gone to the toilet. Maybe she’d felt ill? She did seem pretty tipsy. She’d been overtly flirty with him and she normally wasn’t like that.
He waited outside the loos for a bit, then decided if she was in there, she’d been gone so long that something was wrong. So he decided to fetch Rachel and Jane to go into the toilets and check on her. He rounded the corner into reception and thought he saw her leaving through a crowd of people, so he shouted her name but there was no response. Maybe it wasn’t her.
He headed back into the party and over to the table where the others had been sitting. The guys weren’t there, but the girls were. Rachel was speaking to Jane, both with concern on their faces. They looked at him as he approached, and it might’ve been his imagination, but neither of them seemed pleased to see him.
He reached the table. “Have you seen Eva? She disappeared and I’m not sure what’s going on.”
“She’s gone home,” Rachel said.
He frowned, anxiety rising and driving up his heart rate. “Home? Why? Is she walking on her own?”
Rachel folded her arms. “We don’t know why. We thought you could tell us.” She threw her head back in a nod towards a group of people. Damon glanced over. It was a group of men with Tracey McKenna laughing loudly in the middle.
He frowned. What did that mean? His anxiety spiked. What if it’s something to do with why she was tearful at the movies? “I’m going after her,” he told them.
“She wants to be alone,” Rachel said.
“I need to talk to her,” Damon replied.
“If you upset her any more, you’ll have me to answer to,” Rachel said.
Guilt stabbed him in the gut. “She’s upset because of me?”
Jane must’ve registered his concern because she softened. “We don’t really know, to be honest. She didn’t say why. But maybe it’s a good idea for you to go after her and sort it out. Plus, we are a bit worried about her walking alone. She wouldn’t let anyone go with her.”
Damon nodded. “Okay.” He turned and set off through reception and out of the front door. Then, as he hit the pavement, he began to run.
Chapter Fifteen
Eva walked the last leg towards home, kicking at sticks and stones along the way. “Fucking bloody bastard. They’re all the bloody same.”
After Rachel’s SOS call, her mum and als
o more than likely her dad would be up waiting for her. She’d be treated to a healing cup of tea—and maybe even a biscuit this time. She smiled through her pain.
Eva passed by the neighbour’s and spotted her parents’ downstairs lights shining brightly. The kettle was bound to be on. She turned onto the driveway. Footsteps sounded on the pavement behind her, coming at quite a pace.
Her simmering temper erupted. Whoever it was must be up to no good at that time of night and they were going to get what was coming to them, courtesy of her right hook. She spun around to face the unknown ne’er-do-well and Damon rounded the corner, colliding with her. She grabbed his forearms to prevent being knocked off her feet.
“What the hell?” Eva said. “What’re you doing here?”
He was breathing so hard that he couldn’t answer at first. “What do you mean what am I doing here? I came to find you. Why did you bolt all of a sudden?”
Anger pierced her insides. “All of a sudden? Nothing about tonight was sudden.”
He frowned. “What d’you mean?”
She rolled her eyes. “Do you really want me to spell it out?”
He shook his head. “You’ll have to, because I have no idea what’s going on.”
Eva released his arms and threw her hands into the air. “Fine! I’m bloody tired of all your crap. That’s what’s going on. You act like you find me attractive with all your little compliments, but then you’re quick to back off or point out that we’re just friends. I’ve no idea where I stand with you and it’s driving me crazy.”
“Eva—”
“I keep hoping that something might happen between us, but you’re blowing hot and cold all the time and it’s so confusing. I’m happy to be your friend but I want more than that, and I deserve to know whether or not you want it too.”
“Eva—”
“And, if you do just want friendship, then you should have the courtesy to say so and stop leading me on. And don’t lie to me saying that you aren’t interested in Tracey McKenna then be all over her like a rash.”
