One Night with Morelli(69)

                Hannah’s gasp was audible.

                Draco flashed a look her way then back to his lover. ‘You didn’t even tell your best friend we are together?’ He thought women shared everything…everything that mattered anyway. It felt like a betrayal. Was she ashamed of him or didn’t he even rate gossip?

                Eve narrowed her eyes. ‘No, I’m not coming.’

                He gave a magnificent shrug. ‘Fine. I’m leaving for New York on Friday.’

                ‘Have a good flight.’

                * * *

                ‘You will be back for my birthday?’ Josie asked over the phone.

                In his hotel room Draco left the window and the view of Central Park. ‘Aren’t I always there for your birthday?’

                ‘Just checking. It should be a good party. Aunt Gabby is cooking all my favourite food.’

                ‘You’re being good for your aunt Gabby, I hope.’

                ‘I’m always good and she loves having me. Ask her if you like—she’s here.’

                ‘I’ll take your word for it. Josie, I was wondering if you’ve seen—’ He stopped suddenly.

                ‘Have I what…? Sorry, Dad, the line’s not so good.’

                The line was working a hell of a lot better than his brain! He was so desperate for news of Eve, any scrap or small detail, that he’d been about to milk his teenage daughter for information on her.

                What the hell was he doing?

                He had lost count of the number of times he had picked up the phone, hungry to hear her voice, but he’d never dialled the number. And why? Because he’d been proving a point. They had not spoken since the night of that damned charity ball.

                Pathetic!

                All he’d actually proved was that he was gutless. What else did you call a man too afraid to admit he needed a woman, needed to hear her voice, see her smile, watch her fall asleep?

                His chest lifted in a silent sigh; he was afraid to admit that he’d finally fallen in love. The admission came with a certain sense of relief; love had made a fool of him once and he’d sworn it would never happen again. But it had.

                ‘You still there, Dad?’

                Draco stared at the phone in his hand blankly for a moment before lifting it to his ear.

                ‘I’m fine.’ He wasn’t but he would be, he thought.

                ‘I said do you mind if I ask Eve…to my birthday party…please?’

                ‘That would be fine.’

                * * *

                Eve had been nervous about meeting Mark Tyler, but it wasn’t nearly as awkward as she had imagined. By the time they were drinking their coffee they had discovered they had a lot in common and were talking as though they’d known each other all their lives.

                If things had been different they might have. As the thought registered in her brain, she looked at the hand he had laid on hers and sighed.

                Across the table Mark looked concerned. ‘Are you all right?’ He caught the direction of Eve’s gaze and, flushing slightly, went to move the protective hand he had instinctively placed over the smaller one that lay on the table, but as he lifted it her wrist turned and her fingers curled around his.