Page 51 of Naughty or Nice

She looks at me oddly and I shake off the madness. It’s five p.m. on Friday. If his PA was going to get in touch she would have done so by now. Is he getting cold feet? Has talk of Nate given him cause to rethink?

Well, would you want to get back in bed with the Beaumonts after...?

Less of the bed, Eva.

‘Eva?’

My eyes focus on Clare, my brain playing catch-up with what we were saying. ‘Sorry, I expected his PA to get in touch to arrange one, but maybe he’s expecting me to initiate it.’

It’s possible. Unlikely, but possible.

She squints at me. ‘Would you like me to do it?’

‘Hmm...?’

Even Clare’s professional mask is slipping now, at my dizzy behaviour.

‘Would you like me to get in touch and arrange something?’ she asks.

Would I?

My mobile starts to ring and I check my watch—Dad.

Great. No guessing what he wants to talk about.

I look back at Clare, but I’m not confused now. I’m fed up with being told what do, being controlled and manipulated into whatever action suits the Beaumonts. This venture was meant to be my chance to break away and it still is.

‘Yes, give Waring a call—see what you can work out.’ I look back to my watch, still flashing at me. ‘Sooner rather than later, Clare.’

‘On it.’

‘Thanks.’ I turn back into my office and swing my door closed, bracing myself for Dad.

I take up my phone from the desk as the missed call alert appears and activate callback as I head towards the window and look out at the twinkling Christmas lights lifting the street below. They’re beautiful, innocent, a real contrast to the chaos going on in my head.

The phone doesn’t even complete a full ring in my ear.

‘Evangeline.’

Now I’m five years old. The contrast between Lucas saying my name and my father is marked. ‘Yes, Dad.’

‘You’ve remembered who I am, then?’

My head nods of its own accord and a surprising smile lifts my lips. This is just how it is with my family—how it’s always been—but I feel in control now, and it’s different.

‘I saw you a week ago, and it’s not like we haven’t spoken.’

‘Yes, well... I just expected a call, you know... A status update on how things are...progressing...’

He sounds shifty. With good reason. ‘You mean things in general or things with a certain someone?’

‘Your brother called—he said you were seeing him.’

‘In so much as it suits my business, yes.’ Okay, so that’s a lie. But it’s not like I let Dad in on my sex life anyway.

‘Evangeline, why would you do that? You know it’s only going to cause ructions, and God knows what his true intentions are.’

‘You sound like Nate.’