20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
T rue to her word, Evie spent the next three days behaving the best way she could. She’d get up, feed herself and Lou Lou, and then head to the house to manage the work. After one day had passed, James appeared at the house with no word to Evie and no excuse to the rest of the team as to what he’d been doing or where he’d been.
Resolute that she wouldn’t be the one who broke the awkwardness between them, Evie continued to keep her head down, enjoying seeing the way her and Grace’s designs were beginning to transform the once all white and grey space.
The only truly awkward point in the day would be when she’d return to the cottage and James was there. If he was he’d quickly make himself scarce, either up to his room or out of the cottage entirely. Most evenings she spent in the garden with Lou Lou, watching the sunset, after which the two would head to bed.
Evie thought she’d miss her life in her hometown. Had thought she’d miss the buzz of the office, the catch up in the kitchen, the bustling gym and having nights out with friends. Here, though she was alone she was rarely lonely, and she enjoyed the steadier pace of the countryside. She’d catch herself enjoying watching a squirrel up a tree, or the reflection of the trees in one of the streams nearby which she’d taken to walking along most evenings. Here, whilst she could have hit rock bottom, she felt as though the peace and tranquillity of the spot was holding her up.
The wedding was set to take place on the Monday following, a day so un-weddinglike in Evie’s mind she had to assume it was because Cyan was so rich that weekends meant little to her.
On the Friday as Evie began to go from room to room, checking off one to-do list whilst making another that included a lot of missing bulbs, fixtures and accessories which she could only hope were in a van that was making its’ way to her imminently, she walked into the orangery, her favourite space in the house.
The glass room, which took over the majority of the back of the house had been painted by the team in a deep dark almost blacky-green and was filled with tropical plants. A black and white tiled floor accentuated the bright pink pops of colour that the squashy sofas were covered in. Thousands of warm white LEDS were fitted into the orangery door and window frames and in the evening the sight was stunning.
Breathing in the scent of foliage Evie was startled when one of the trees rustled and James came out. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.’
Flustered that he was talking to her after days of silence Evie shrugged. ‘You didn’t.’
James raised an eyebrow at her abrupt response. ‘Looks good in here, well done,’ he began and Evie looked at him, wondering what was happening this time.
‘Thanks, I’m thrilled to see it all coming together. It’s been hard work…would have been easier if everyone had been here the whole time,’ she couldn’t help adding. As soon as she said it she stopped herself, wondering what she was trying to do.
James had the decency to blush slightly, then inclined his head a little. ‘Walk with me?’ There was a long path between the plants which took visitors from one end of the house to the other. Evie nodded. For a few minutes they walked together in silence.
Evie was just about to make her excuses and leave him, when he cleared his throat.
‘I really like you Evie. I know I haven’t shown that lately. I’m sorry I’ve been a jerk these last couple of days.’
Evie’s smile was tight. ‘Jerk is one thing,’ she wanted to ask about Chloe but momentarily distracted by her phone buzzing, wasn’t sure what she wanted to hear him say.
He hesitated, then placed a hand on her arm. ‘I’d like to ask you something,’ he began and Evie looked at the floor, taking a deep breath.
‘I want to ask you something too,’ she replied, knowing she couldn’t meet his gaze.
‘Okay, but can I ask you something first?’
Evie snapped. ‘No, not really. You disappeared for two days with no explanation, you told me nothing and you’ve ignored me for the past three days as though…I don’t know…you hated me.’ She breathed out slowly. ‘And I know about you and Chloe, so if you’re about to ask me if I’m okay with you going out with her, I suppose its fine. It’s not like we were a proper item. We’d barely been together a handful of days.’
‘A year.’
Evie looked up and eyeballed him squarely. ‘No, that year was ten years ago and no longer counts. This past fortnight, this time round? Maybe four days of being together. It’s not really a relationship, so you can go off with Chloe or whichever barmaid offers you her bed for the night, I really don’t care. You have my permission.’
She turned to leave and he caught her on the arm. ‘I said I was sorry.’
‘It’s not really good enough is it? I promised myself you wouldn’t break my heart a second time, and yet here we are,’ she removed his hand from his arm and they looked at each other. She could see the boy she fell in love with, but he was hidden by the man she’d been hurt by. ‘I’m going to stay at the pub tonight, hopefully they have a room. I can’t be in the same space as you any longer.’
Evie began walking away, she heard her phone buzzing but ignored it.
‘Me, break your heart? You do know you broke mine? I saw you, you know.’ James called out, and Evie ignored him. What did he know? Picking up the pace the sound of her trainers slapping against the tiles was almost comical were it not for the situation she’d found herself in.
‘Evie,’ James shouted and she continued walking.
‘I can’t do this James, it’s like school all over again.’
‘Evie, stop.’
She spun round as she heard him running over to her. ‘What is it James? I said I was going. Don’t stop me, I’ve had enough.’
‘Bellamy is on the phone – he's been trying to call you, Grace has gone into labour and wants you there apparently.’
Evie stopped in her tracks. ‘Me? Why?’
James shrugged. ‘Something about how you’ll calm her down whilst he'll only wind her up.’