‘What I want to know is, why? Why me? Fine, we had a bit of a connection at first, but there’s no reason on earth to imagine he’s going to listen to me, or take any notice of this video of yours.’ She stressed yours, still feeling miffed that they hadn’t given her the chance to record her own message of support. ‘I’ve tried to reason with him, I’ve tried to get him to change his mind. And look where it got me. It got me here, standing with you lot, pinning all our hopes on a stupid video. It won’t work,’ she said again, and only just stopped herself from stamping her foot like an angry child.
‘How will we know if we don’t try?’ Stig drawled. She glared at him and he shrugged. ‘Got to be worth a go, don’t you think?’
She looked around at the others. Each of them wore the same stubborn expression. Sarah lifted her wrist and checked her watch.
‘We’re going to be late,’ she said conversationally. Evie threw up her hands and let out an exasperated sigh.
‘Fine. If this is what you want – humiliation and ridicule and a pointless waste of time – then let’s go. Let’s just get this over with.’
*
In the lift on the way up, Mavis regarded Evie with wounded eyes. ‘We put our heart and souls into that video, Evie. It’s not stupid.’
‘I’m sorry, Gran. I didn’t mean to upset you.’
Mavis turned away with a huff, and Evie looked through the glass wall and watched the floors surrounding the atrium drop away. They were all packed into the one elevator, and it was pretty clear that Stig still didn’t have a handle on the whole personal hygiene thing. For reasons Evie couldn’t fathom, Bob had brought his video camera with him – he had to hold it up above his head to even fit the thing in the lift with them. It was just as well Pip and Cissy had decided to stay home because Cissy was feeling sick.
Evie rested her head on the cool glass and tried to steel herself for what was to come. Her mind was still spinning, playing catch up, but she knew there was no backing out now. Somehow, while she’d been nursing her wounds in her grandparents’ spare bedroom, the residents of Cupid’s Way had been running around hatching this plan. If she really cared for them, she had to do this. She knew that. It didn’t make it any easier to swallow.
They emerged into the wide, carpeted space outside Michael’s office, and a spiky-haired youth who looked about sixteen told them Mr Andrews would be with them shortly. Mavis and Frank perched on the arms of a white leather sofa, while Bob and Freda leaned over the balcony and gazed in awe at the atrium. Alun had stayed home with Eloise and the boys, which Evie thought a very good thing indeed. Bob Peacock wasn’t nearly so bolshy – or so downright embarrassing – without his clan to back him up.
She wandered over to Sarah and Tim, who had taken up positions on either side of a glass coffee table. She had the ridiculous idea that they were watching her to make sure she didn’t try and make a run for it.
‘Sarah, tell me again why you think he’ll listen to me?’
‘Oh, Evie.’ Sarah looked at Tim, then pulled Evie back towards the lifts, out of earshot of the others. She regarded her friend for a moment, then said, ‘First of all, why don’t you tell me why you think he won’t?’
Evie laughed. Where to start? ‘Okay, first of all because he’s a hard-headed businessman and not remotely sentimental. That,’ she said, pointing to the video Sarah clutched in her hand, ‘is lovely and touching – and just the sort of thing the press will lap up. But Michael? Not a chance. Don’t you think I’ve tried, Sarah? Do you think those times I tried to talk to him we just chatted about the weather?’
‘No. I think you opened a place inside yourself and let him inside of it. And that’s why you’re so angry with him.’
Evie stared, then shook her head. ‘I’m not angry with him. Well, okay, I’m angry about some of the stuff he said to me, and I’m angry that he’s going to destroy Cupid’s Way, but no more than any of you lot.’
Sarah wasn’t having any of it. ‘That’s crazy. You and Michael, you’ve got more than a special connection. You told me yourself how it was when you first met.’
‘Before I knew who he was,’ Evie corrected.
‘Fair enough. But I’ve seen the way he looks at you. Like he’s drowning and you’re dry land. And I saw how hard he avoided looking at you in the planning meeting last week. Like it would hurt his eyes or something.’
‘Well, there you go then. Whatever “thing” he might have had for me, it’s over and done with now. Just like it is for me.’ But she thought about his lips on hers that day, about the intensity in his eyes. What had he said? No more words. No talk. Just actions.
And his next action had been to buy out McAllisters. Which just showed how determined he was to let no one stand in the way of what he wanted.
She sighed. ‘The truth is, Sarah, that whatever I feel for Michael, and whatever he might have felt for me, there was never any chance for us. He believes in knocking stuff down and building everything new and shiny and better than before. What he does – what Dynamite does – is so against everything I believe in, we could never have made it work. Even if Cupid’s Way wasn’t standing there between us, it would never have got off the ground. I can see that now.’
‘But you admit you would have liked it to?’ Sarah said, her voice soft. ‘If things had been different?’
‘If things had been different …’ Evie’s memory gave her a montage of images and sensations – his finger tracing a line up her arm, his smiling face in the crowd at the conference, his eyes boring into hers, the dimples flashing his amusement when she drank out of the jug instead of a glass that day. But she shook her head, turning the thoughts to dust. ‘There’s no point thinking of what might have been. Things are as they are, and Michael is still the enemy.’
‘Sometimes you have to take a chance, Evie. That’s all I’m saying.’ Sarah looked up. ‘They’re calling us in. Do you think you can do this?’
Evie nodded. ‘Right from the start, all I’ve wanted is to save Cupid’s Way. If you think this is going to help, then I’m ready to give it a go.’
Chapter 28
The boy with the spiky hair ushered them into Michael’s office. Evie saw that a flat-screen TV had been wheeled in and positioned to the left of his desk, along with a video recorder, which looked ancient and incongruous next to the ultra-modern computer equipment and carefully styled modernity of the decor. One thing was clear: Michael was expecting to be shown a video. Stig had prepped him well.
They filed in and each took a seat in one of the black and silver chairs that had been pulled forward from the back of the room. Michael rose and shook everyone’s hands. Evie watched with interest when he reached Bob Peacock. On the way over, Evie had quizzed Sarah on Bob’s apparent change of heart. Didn’t he want to sell up anymore?
‘I’ve no idea,’ she said. ‘But I can tell you this – the whole video thing was Bob’s idea. He started going around, asking everyone what they loved about the street and videoing their answers. We all just kind of jumped on board with it.’
Except for her, Evie thought. She’d been too busy nursing her wounds, plus they’d gone to a lot of trouble to keep her out of the loop until the time for their revelation was nigh.
Bob Peacock shook Michael’s hand without the slightest hint of embarrassment, which indicated that Michael didn’t know about his change of heart yet. She smiled to herself. He was in for a shock. Sarah handed the video to Evie.
‘You give it to him,’ she whispered. ‘And remember what I said. He’s totally got the hots for you. You’ll be fine.’
Evie bit her lip. Michael reached Mavis, who was seated one down from Evie, and bent down to shake her hand. Mavis turned her head so far to the side it looked likely to dislocate, and kept her hands firmly folded in her lap.
‘It’s nice to see you, Mrs Stone,’ Michael said softly. Frank gave the man’s hand a brief shake, then wiped his own hand on his trousers. Evie figured the action was unconscious, but Michael see
med momentarily thrown. When he turned to her, she stood up. Her legs were shaking.
‘Evie. It’s good to see you.’ His words were polite, but his tone was guarded. Evie thought she could see something behind his mask of professional courtesy, but she couldn’t put her finger on what it was.
‘My friend here,’ Michael said, gesturing in Stig’s direction, ‘tells me that the Cupid’s Way residents’ association have something to show me. A video.’
My friend? Evie threw Stig a puzzled frown, but the old man was inspecting his fingernails. She gathered herself together and nodded.
‘It’s something the residents have put together to help you see things from the other side of the fence.’ Evie recited the words they’d come up with on the drive over. She could feel Michael’s eyes on her face, but she kept her own gaze trained on Sarah.
‘Smile,’ her friend mouthed. Evie obeyed and forced her lips to turn upwards. As Michael went to take the video out of her hands his finger touched her thumb and she let go with a start. The video dropped to the ground, and Michael and Evie both bent to retrieve it. Their heads nearly knocked together, and for a suspended second Evie looked across into Michael’s eyes and saw a flash of heart-stoppingly familiar warmth and affection. But then it cleared, replaced by the CEO’s blankly professional politeness. His hand reached for the video case, and Evie stood up and took a step away. She felt her chair dig into the back of her knees and flopped down into it.
There was a moment of panic when it was unclear whether the video recorder was actually working, but Bob intervened and soon the giant TV screen showed a burst of static, followed by the wide-angle shot of Cupid’s Way looking resplendent and green and full of springtime promise. Michael leaned back in his chair, his fingers laced under his chin as he watched. He glanced Evie’s way once and once only, during Mavis’s emotional revelation. The room was so silent Evie could hear her heart thumping in her chest.
After Mavis it was Tim and Sarah’s turn. They were sitting together on a tiny sofa in what Evie guessed must be Tim’s house. Tim held Sarah’s hand in his like it was a priceless object. He looked into the camera and said, ‘Cupid’s Way is special because this is where I met the woman I’m going to spend the rest of my life with.’
Evie glanced across at Sarah and smiled, but her friend only had eyes for the man seated by her side. Evie returned her attention to the video.
‘I grew up here,’ Tim was saying. ‘When my parents died, I stayed on because this is the kind of place where you can feel safe and needed. And when I lost my job, it was incredible how everyone rallied round.’
The on-screen Sarah took over, telling the story of how the residents began to invent jobs to keep Tim occupied and to stop him sinking into depression. The whole time she was speaking, both the real-life Tim and the on-screen version gazed at her with blatant adoration.
‘A good friend brought us together,’ Sarah said direct to camera. ‘Evie Stone, who has worked tirelessly to save this wonderful street, finally made me see that you have to take a chance on love.’
Evie looked up in surprise, feeling her cheeks start to burn. Sarah grinned and Tim nodded solemnly. Michael kept his eyes trained on the TV, but Evie thought she saw one eyebrow raise just a little.
Last of all came Bob Peacock. There was a moment where the camera was trained on an empty seat in the Peacocks’ crazy cramped living room, and then Bob appeared from stage left and plonked himself down with a sigh. He stared at the floor for half a minute, then turned his gaze to something off-camera. He said, ‘My pa, he told me he won’t leave this house unless it’s in a box. He’s nearly ninety. Mr Andrews, you offered us a right good amount of money for these houses, but my old dad, he’s worth even more than that.’ He looked into the camera and grinned. ‘Cupid’s Way is special alright, and that’s why we here are gonna keep it no matter what.’
The screen went blank, and then a handwritten piece of card appeared, held from underneath by a shaky hand. Listed were all the names of the contributors, and the Facebook and Twitter addresses of the Save Cupid’s Way campaign. Frank gave Bob a pat on the back. Evie wondered what Michael thought of Bob’s about-turn. Would it help their case or make him all the more determined?
After a few more minutes of the so-called credits, the screen went blank again, and then up popped Doris Day. She was halfway through Secret Love, walking down an unnaturally green hill picking impossible flowers. Bob leapt from his seat and fumbled for the video controls.
‘Did you record over my Calamity Jane video?’ Freda bellowed, landing him a thump on the head as he ducked back into his seat. Tim and Sarah laughed and Mavis shushed them, but Evie was watching Michael, gauging his reaction to the video. While Bob and Freda bickered, Michael got up and stood in front of his window with his back to them. Sarah nudged Evie in the ribs.
‘Go on,’ she hissed. ‘This is your moment.’
Knowing she was fighting a losing battle, Evie reluctantly pulled herself to her feet and walked across the room. She took up a position next to Michael, looking out over the cityscape below. She was still trying to figure out what to say when he nodded in the direction of the river.
‘I wonder if there are two people sitting in a cafe over there, looking up at these buildings and discussing how well the modern architecture sits against the historic buildings.’
She turned to him, ready to bring it back to the now. He was watching her, his expression unfathomable. She said, ‘Look, let’s not–’ but he interrupted.
‘There’s something missing from that video,’ he said, raising his voice. Sarah perked up her head.
‘What?’ she said. ‘What do you mean?’
Michael looked back at Evie. ‘Why aren’t you in it? Didn’t you have anything to say about what makes Cupid’s Way special?’
Evie flicked back her hair, annoyed that he’d picked up on the very thing she was sore about. ‘It’s irrelevant what I think. I don’t live there.’
‘You kind of do, though, my lovely,’ Mavis piped up. ‘She’s given up her job in Manchester,’ she explained to Michael. ‘She’s been living with us for weeks now.’
‘He knows that, Gran. He’s just being …’ Evie regarded him, taking in the spark of mischief that was back in his eyes. ‘He’s trying to avoid the issue.’
‘That’s not true, Mrs Stone,’ Michael said, turning his charm on Mavis. ‘I’m fully prepared to discuss this, and I do have some thoughts about your excellent video. But first, I’d really like to hear Evie’s contribution. That’s if she has anything to say.’
It was a challenge, that’s what it was. Evie knew he was baiting her. She looked around the room. Everyone was watching her, waiting to see what she’d do next. Everyone except Bob Peacock, who was actually getting the video camera set up on a bookcase and pointing it at one of the black chairs.
‘Hold on a minute,’ Evie told them, but Sarah flashed her a warning look. She leaned in so her mouth was almost touching Evie’s ear.
‘Evie, this is your chance. Don’t waste time like I did, when what you’re looking for is right under your nose. I meant what I said on the video – you gave me the courage to open my eyes. This is your big moment. Don’t let me down.’
Evie pulled back as though stung. But Bob was pushing her into the chair, and her gran was fluffing up her hair from behind like some octogenarian make-up artist. Evie swatted her hands away and glared at Michael.
‘Okay, fine. I’ll do it. Just give me a minute to think of what I want to say.’
‘And … Action!’ Bob gave her the thumbs up from behind the camera and Evie rolled her eyes. So much for having time to think. She opened her mouth to speak but her mind went blank. What could she say that hadn’t already been said? And what difference would her voice make anyway?
She opened and closed her mouth like a goldfish, waiting for inspiration to strike. Meanwhile, Michael watched her from behind Bob’s back. On his face was a smile she’d seen before, a smil
e intended for her and her alone. A smile of encouragement.
She looked across at Sarah, who stuck up her thumb. ‘Go for it,’ she mouthed, nodding meaningfully in Michael’s direction.
‘You do realise you’re erasing Doris Day for this,’ Freda said. ‘Just get on with it, will you?’
Evie filled her lungs with air and focused on the camera. She said, ‘Cupid’s Way is special because …’ and then she looked up at Michael. Suddenly she knew exactly what she wanted to say.
‘Because it brought me and a certain someone together. Through this crazy old street, with its bonkers residents and its ragged history, I met a man – a man I felt a connection with like I’d never felt before.’ She swallowed. Michael’s eyes had widened slightly but there was no other reaction to her words. The only sound in the room was the whirring of the video recorder.
‘If Cupid’s Way is demolished, I will never have the chance to know what might have been. If Cupid’s Way is knocked down, the fact of what’s been done would be an impossible barrier – a barrier that could never be demolished, not by all the dynamite in the world. And that would be almost as tragic as losing such a beautiful piece of history. Because I’m pretty sure I’ll never meet anyone else like him. As hard as I’ve tried – and boy, have I tried – I haven’t been able to get him out of my mind since the first time I saw him. And I’m pretty sure that he cares about me too. Despite everything, despite being on opposite sides of this enormous fence, I think I might be falling for this stubborn, irritating, infuriating man.’
Finally, Evie got her reaction. Michael grinned, his cheeks creasing into gorgeous dimples, and Evie smiled up at him through her sudden tears. She blinked them away and carried on, ignoring Freda’s huffing.
‘So, please help us save Cupid’s Way. For the street itself, for the people who live there, and to give this guy – this cut-throat developer – the chance to redeem himself. And for me. Because I need him to be a good person. Because I need him, full stop.’
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