18. Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
M onday mornings weren’t anyone’s favourite day, but today Evie felt like it had definitely taken the top spot for worst, day, ever.
She’d woken with Lou Lou’s incredibly smelly breath on her face, upside down in her bed, still in her clothes with a headache thumping so hard she had to concentrate on breathing. Not in a very long time had Evie felt so hungover and she winced at the bright sunshine pouring through the flimsy curtains. It was as though the day was laughing at her. So joyous and cheery outside, a reminder of how awful she felt. How many shots had she downed the night before? She couldn’t remember, only that her, Bryn, his fiancée Maisie, and some of the other team members had moved on from cider to tequila when they’d been chucked out of the pub at closing and taken the party to the security guard’s house. There they’d continued dancing well into the early hours.
Evie sat up sharply, forgetting her head for a moment then crying out as the pain hit her hard. How had she got home? She didn’t remember walking – it would have been too far. And she was sure she hadn’t called a taxi. Not that there would have been any on a Sunday night.
She wracked her brain to try and recall how the night ended but everything after the first shot was a fuzzy mess of disco lights, YouTube karaoke and tequila.
Realising now she was sat that she needed to throw up, Evie ran to the loo just in time, then sat on the floor, shivering and feeling sorry for herself. After a few minutes she shook her head gently, it was only a hangover. Albeit a horrendous one. But nothing some water, painkillers and dry toast wouldn’t help. She stripped off the clothes from the night before and let them fall to the floor, then turned the waterfall shower to freezing and immersed herself under the jets of ice cold water.
The water was like little metal spikes repeatedly stabbing her body but after a minute she relaxed into it and began to feel renewed. Refreshed. Turning the water back up a little she washed her hair slowly and luxuriated in the process of taking time over herself.
By the time she’d returned to her bedroom, cocooned in a fluffy white towel, Evie was beginning to feel – if not better – then improved on when she first woke. She pulled on a white t-shirt, denim cut off dungarees and, after roughly towel drying it, tied her hair into a loose pony on top of her head.
Nodding at the reflection that greeted her, Evie resolved to stay as under the radar today as possible. She would show up and find a task that meant complete immersion, whilst not being so taxing her dehydrated brain wouldn’t cope.
It was only a little later as Evie made her way to the main house, her movement less ginger than before, she realised she hadn’t seen or heard James all morning. She tried to remember if he’d been at the party but couldn’t be certain either way.
‘Look what the cat dragged in,’ Mick laughed with a few of the guys as she pushed open the front door.
‘Don’t, I can’t believe how cheery you all are,’ she replied, relieved talking didn’t make her headache any worse. The painkillers had kicked in.
‘Bacon butties and tea so strong a spoon stands up in it,’ Mick replied. ‘That’s the key. Right, seeing as how boss man hasn’t arrived and you’re first, you my dear are in charge. The lads have made a start on everything we know needs doing, but you’re going to have to take a look at that very long to-do list to make sure we’re not missing anything. Far as I understand it this house needs to be finished by the weekend.’
Evie was nodding, but couldn’t understand where James was. Had he overslept? ‘Right. Of course. On it…in the meantime, any chance someone could find me a strong tea too? Sounds like I’m going to need it,’ she added, walking towards the room she and James had been using as an office.
As she eyed up the white board with an incredibly long list of jobs Evie called James. She tried five times and each time it just rang out. She sent a message asking where he was then looked at the board to see what the priority was and her heart sank. There was so much to do.
Vowing she’d have words with James when she next saw him, Evie breathed in deeply. She could do this. She picked up the walkie talkie that meant she could communicate with the rest of the team on the grounds and pressed the talk button.
‘Hi all, final week and we’re on second fix. Well done everyone for pulling through all this, I know we can keep going. Team A, you’re on bathroom fitting. We need all the bathrooms and toilets plumbed in, as well as all tiling done. Team B, we’re looking at the kitchen diner. The whole space needs fitting out now. Team C, you’re on boxing in, snagging, making good and any odds and sods that crop up. Team D, you’re outside on the wedding dome. I’ll come and have a look and chat through your itinerary.’
She put the walkie talkie down on the table for a moment, before spotting something on the whiteboard, then snatched it back up. ‘Also, it’s not great timing but at some point today we should be getting the glass doors in for the sunroom. They should have gone in last week, but were delayed. Try not to break anything.’
Nodding with satisfaction, Evie looked at her phone and saw one message from James.
I need some time
She shook her head in confusion. What was he doing? It was so unprofessional. Resolving to step up and take charge, she gratefully accepted the mug of tea handed to her from one of Mick’s team in Team B and walked into the chaos.
A few hours later, her feet hurting from traipsing all over the site a hundred times over to answer queries and manage issues that were cropping up – which today included finding a covered well in the garden where they were digging down, the fittings sent for the kitchen being for a much smaller room and a delivery of doves that were meant to be released on the wedding day but were a week early, it was with an enormous sense of relief that Evie walked into the little cottage.
Everything was as she’d left it. Quiet and calm. Lou Lou ran over to her barking happily and licking her hands. ‘I know, I’m pleased to see you too,’ she said, following the little dog to the garden doors to let her out.
Sinking to the floor and watching Lou Lou run around, Evie looked again at her phone. Still nothing from James except the one message.
She craved sleep and a bath but was distracted by her phone ringing. Snatching it up, she answered hastily.
‘Yes?’
‘Interesting way to treat a client,’ came Cyan’s reply.
‘Sorry Cyan,’ Evie answered quickly, hoping she sounded pleased to hear from the popstar.
‘It’s okay. I guess you’re pretty busy?’
Evie nodded, then realised it wasn’t a video call. ‘Yes. Very…what can I do for you?’
‘You’re always so formal Evie…what can you do for me? It’s a good question…how’s the house?’
‘It’s good. It’s coming along nicely and will be ready for you to move into in a week’s time, with…?’ she prompted, the speculation on who Cyan’s person to be was rife in the media and even the team on site didn’t have a clue.
‘Great. And is Lou Lou settled with you?’ she asked, ignoring the question. Evie watched the little dog running around, digging in the flower bed.
‘She’s great. Really happy,’ Evie said honestly.
‘Good, and is she being a good girl with you? Not causing you any problems with the clothing choices?’
Evie pulled a face. Neither she nor Lou Lou had favoured the small wardrobe that was sent with the dog’s belongings. Instead Evie had settled on letting the dog just be a dog, no trappings or clothes. Just the single origin beef chunks cut up by hand and added to her bowl remained of the diva doggy demands.
‘She’s being a real sweetie, no problems at all. If only everyone else was as easy to manage,’ Evie replied, speaking before she thought.
‘Oh, anything I need to know about?’ the superstar replied and Evie caught herself, realising she’d been talking frankly to her client. Not a friend.
Evie smiled, hoping to inject some warmth into her response. ‘No, everything’s okay. We’re all working hard,’ she shifted a little, her bones aching from the day. ‘Is there anything I can help you with? I don’t want to be rude, but you’ve barely shared more than two words with me, I’m a bit surprised you called.’
There was silence on the other end and Evie wondered if she’d talked out of line.
‘How do you know?’ Cyan asked quietly.
‘Know what?’ Evie replied, aware her headache was beginning to return once again, she stood up with the idea to find a glass of water.
‘Know you’re in love,’ the superstar replied.
Evie sat back down. ‘Are you having doubts? Because whatever it is I’m sure you’ve got friends and family who want to help?’ She thought it strange someone as famous Cyan wouldn’t have someone else to talk to.
‘I didn’t say that, did I?’ Cyan’s reply was sharp. ‘Never mind, just making conversation.’ Even though she’d said as much, she didn’t hang up which suggested she felt otherwise.
‘Look, I don’t know what situation you’re in. But if you find someone who makes you happy, makes you laugh. Is kind to you, and caring,’ Evie thought of the last week with James. ‘Someone who makes you forget yourself a bit, but who loves you entirely for who you are, then that’s when you know.’
There was a sharp intake of breath down the line. ‘Woah, I wasn’t expecting all of those things. I mean, I feel excited when they’re around me and I want to be with them forever, but I don’t know about the rest of it. Is that how you feel for that guy on your team? James?’
Evie’s stomach flipped. ‘Erm, I feel…some of that…but how did you know?’
Cyan laughed. ‘I might live a bit differently to most people, but I can recognise love when it’s in front of me. When I saw you two last week I thought it was obvious you were together – and happy for you because of it. Why else would I call you? I assumed you’d be a bit of an expert on it all.’
Incredibly aware of how silent the house was without James in it, Evie tried not to give too much away. ‘We were...are…happy, but if you could keep it to yourself for now. We don’t want things getting in the way of completing your work.’
‘I think it’s hilarious you think anyone else would be interested when they’re working on my wedding, but sure, I’ll continue to keep your secret,’ the star replied and Evie smiled slightly, the rude Cyan was back.
‘Thanks, speak soon.’ Evie rung off and decided that enough was enough.
She needed to find James.