Chapter 8
Eva
“You good, Evy?”
I dug my nails into my palm, willing myself not to cry.
I hated this place.
I wanted to go back to the safety of my primary school. Where I knew all my teachers. Where I knew my way around the buildings, bathrooms and the library like the back of my hand.
I fidgeted with the thick waistband of my stupid, ugly skirt.
I'd already rolled it twice because it was much longer than everyone else's and still it wasn’t sitting properly.
Mum made it herself because she didn't have enough money to buy both Sebastian and I uniforms this year.
But the button was on the wrong side and the colour was a slightly different red making me more of a target than my stupid glasses already did.
“I'm good.” I sniffed, nowhere near okay, standing so close to the building I was hoping to become one of the bricks.
“Where are your friends?”
I wanted to scream and tell him I had none. That I would rather sit in the library and do my algebra homework than try to talk to anyone my own age. Maybe even ask him if it was those types of things which made everyone here think I was weird.
Or what it meant when someone called me a ‘Waylay’.
So many questions and for once, no energy to ask any of them.
“Where's Seb?” I asked instead, my loneliness pushed deep inside.
His laugh surprised me, and the familiar cadence pinched a small smile from me. “He has detention because he didn't do his homework.” Cooper’s smile encompassed his eyes as if just the idea of my brother in trouble was the most hilarious thing about his day so far.
“Are you sure?” My brother never had detention. Sebastian was the quiet one. He would have sat in the shadows, happy to do the bare minimum so long as it meant he remained on the periphery.
“It's true.” The glint of mischief in his eyes told me there was more to it. Missed homework had Coop’s carelessness written all over it, yet Seb was the one in trouble. Watching them hash it out later would be the highlight of my afternoon - that I already knew.
“Coop, you coming?” Their friend Derek asked as he walked past with a group of older boys.
I hated Derek. He was mean to me when Sebastian and Cooper weren’t around. Always calling me names or telling me how weird it was I carried my calculator around.
I wanted to tell him about our neighbour who had a rabbit called Derek and how it ate its own poo. I also wanted to tell him even without a calculator I knew if he were an equation, he would be the remainder no one wanted. Only those were things I thought, too scared to say them aloud.
“Nah. Evy and I are going to the canteen,” Coop stated. Simply. As if being with me wasn't an inconvenience and I wasn't just the annoying younger sister.
Again.
He slung his arm around my shoulder, guiding us towards the tuck shop, the weight of his touch as reassuring as it always was.
Only for the very first time, I noticed things about him I never had before.
Standing this close, I realised he wore spicy cologne.
I noticed he’d grown a lot over the summer and the hair on his forearms had gotten a little darker.
I noticed the envious eyes of some of the older girls we passed, who watched on as Cooper Dane had his arm draped around the unknown junior with the curly hair and large glasses.
And most of all, I noticed how comfortable and safe I felt when I was with him.
Marlee beelined for me the second we arrived, sweeping me into her coconut infused embrace, and whispering in my ear. “Has he tried to get frisky with you yet?”
“Of course. We just did it in the lift on the way up,” I replied quietly, before laughing at her scowl.
“But seriously, regardless of what you are about to hear, I can assure you, sex is the last thing on his mind,” I added in a hushed whisper so neither my brother nor the man in question overheard.
“What am I about to hear?” She asked surreptitiously.
I shook my head, not even sure how to begin to tell her. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I dragged her towards where Seb and Cooper were standing, mulling over some bottle of scotch Seb had been given by a supplier.
“All I’m saying is it tastes eerily similar to one of yours I’ve tried,” Seb insisted while pouring them both a glass.
Cooper twirled the drink before taking a sip while we all watched. He stared at Seb, not saying anything before smelling the liquor in his glass again and having another taste.
“Eerily similar or the fucking same?” He asked incredulously.
Sebastian nodded, never taking his eyes away from his mate.
“Where’d you say you got this?” Coop clarified, reaching for the bottle and scanning the label. I was semi-confused, but it was evident both of them weren’t pleased with the similarities.
“What’s the problem?” I asked and they both looked towards me as if they’d forgotten I was here.
“Sorry,” my brother said, coming around the bench to greet me with a hug. “I got this bottle from a supplier as a thank you, but it tastes exactly like one of Coop’s.”
“Too similar to be a coincidence?” Marlee asked.
“Doesn’t it all taste the same?” From the look both my brother and new boss shot me, it was a stupid question.
“Mind if I take it with me, I’ll look into it.” Cooper was scanning the label again as he spoke.
A shrill buzzer pierced the tense silence and Marlee reached for my hand.
“That’ll be dinner. We’ll be right back,” she said over her shoulder.
The second we stepped outside, a barrage of questions came at me, impressive even to someone as fond of asking them as I was. Drawing a deep breath, a smirk tugged at my lips and I answered the impromptu pop-quiz.
“No, it was not a Billy Maddison style interview. No, he hasn’t asked if I have a boyfriend. No, he did not profess his undying love to me and no we definitely did not bang on the barrels as you so eloquently put it.” I finished on an exhale, honestly miffed I had to even say those things aloud.
Marlee giggled, her green eyes dancing with mirth.
“Wasted opportunity, Eva. Although I imagine you’d probably get splinters. Yeah, no - that wouldn’t be good,” she postulated more to herself than me. Before leading into a discussion she had with Arna today about my new boss and I.
By the time we returned with dinner, I was exhausted from listening to her assessment of how she and the girls were certain Cooper was harbouring some one-sided crush on me and I was a blind fool to what was so obvious.
What they didn’t know was how wildly incorrect they were.
How he popped my teenage bubble like a balloon in a storm leaving a bitter taste in my mouth for far too long, or how he so viciously reminded me of one of the most embarrassing days of my life.
Reinforcing exactly who it was I was working for and how there was not a chance in hell he had feelings for me.
I would help him, sure. He’d always helped me whenever I needed anything, but that was the extent of it.
I could share a space with him for a few months.
I could be his fake fiancé and act madly in love with him, especially with the amount of money he was going to be paying, but as for feelings, this was purely platonic and that was how it was going to stay.
By dessert I was openly yawning, and Cooper still hadn’t mentioned anything. My patience was wearing thin and still a little pissy from his earlier reminder of exactly how he still saw me, I decided he needed some assistance.
“I think I’ll head off otherwise I’ll be exhausted tomorrow.”
“What’s tomorrow?” Marlee asked.
“My first day as an intern of Golden Spades Distillery,” I responded on another yawn and she grinned, looking between us mischievously.
“I’m glad you guys could come to an agreement. It’ll help you both out,” Seb said as Cooper shifted in his seat.
“It will,” I said with a smirk, enjoying how uncomfortable my boss had suddenly become.
“Although I’m not sure you'll be as glad when you hear the terms of our agreement,” I stated with deliberate mockery, and Marlee leaned forward, face cradled in her hands, fully settled in like it was prime-time drama.
“What do you mean?” Seb asked, pitching his question to his friend more than me and I too looked towards Cooper to explain. This was his idea after all, and I was desperate to see how this played out.
“Okay,” he started, sending me a narrowed gaze of admonishment. “Hear me out before you lose your shit.”
Seb waited, while Marlee’s smile only grew.
She was clearly loving every second of this, and honestly, her expression alone made bringing him worthwhile despite my own lingering apprehension.
I didn’t have any other internship lined up so I was going to accept his proposition no matter what Sebastian said, but still, I’d much rather have his support.
“Ev is going to work for me, but for four months rather than six weeks.” He let that settle as a little taster before continuing.
“I’ll pay her, so she doesn’t have to work elsewhere and she’s going to stay with me, so she doesn’t have to commute as far.
You know I’m barely there anyway.” He shrugged, trying to appear unfazed.
Seb turned his eyes to mine. He was as pragmatic as I was. A risk assessor with a logical mind so I knew he would be studying me for any sign of discomfort. “How do you feel about that?” He asked, confirming my assessment of his scrunched brows.
“It makes sense,” I offered. “I told him I wanted to see his kitchen before I agreed though, because if I can’t bake then I’d rather commute each day.” Seb nodded with a small smile, but didn’t offer more so I continued.