The Flaw in His Diamond(25)

       
           



       

On the way to the office she picked out the biggest bunch of flowers  she could find on the high street for Britt's secretary, and another one  for Britt. She was going to make up for her past behaviour with  everything she'd got.

Members of staff could hardly hide their surprise at the sight of Eva  Skavanga sitting meekly waiting in Reception, and many came to whisper  and stare. No doubt she'd be the subject of gossip for some time to  come. It was her own fault, and she'd suffer it gladly, because it  wasn't important compared to what she had come here to do.

'Eva?' Britt rushed across the lobby from her office with her arms open  wide. She looked as amazing as ever. Businesslike and beautiful. And  glowing.

'Marriage suits you,' Eva commented warmly when Britt finally released her.

'Sharif suits me,' Britt admitted softly as she brushed a strand of  Eva's wild red hair away from her face. It was a little wilder than  usual after the long plane flight as Eva had been so busy fretting about  what lay ahead of her-as well as what lay in the recent past-that she  had taken advantage of none of the plush private jet's opulent  facilities.

'And how about you and Roman?' Britt asked carefully, sensing all was not right.

'There is no me and Roman. And that's not what I've come to talk  about,' Eva said over her sister's protest. 'I've come to apologise.'

'To apologise.' Britt pulled a face. 'For what?'

'Now you've made me feel worse than ever.'

'And why's that?' Britt queried, putting her arm around Eva's shoulder  to lead her into a quiet office where she could shut the door so they  could be alone.

'Because my bad behaviour-my ranting and general carry-on-is so  commonplace to you, you probably don't even remember that we fell out  just before I left Skavanga for Roman's island. But we did fall out-or  at least, I did-and I have regretted it ever since, just as I regret  every time I yelled at you for no good reason when you and Leila are the  best sisters in the world, and I've not only taken you for granted, but  I've abused your good nature-'

'Oh, for goodness' sake, stop,' Britt exclaimed, dragging her close.  'I've never heard anything so soppy in my life. I love you and Leila  loves you, and nothing you could ever say or do can change that. But  there is just one thing,' Britt added, turning thoughtful.

'Tell me.'

'You can protest all you like that there is no you and Roman, but  something prompted this confession. So whatever version of events you're  trying to sell me, I'm not buying it.'

'So we're okay?'

'Eva...' Britt shook her head as she threw her sister a wry smile. 'We've never been anything but okay.'





CHAPTER FIFTEEN

ALMOST TWO MONTHS had passed. Two interminable months. Confrontation  had never frightened Roman. His business life was composed of little  else. In business he made objective decisions. With Eva that had never  been possible, because always emotion got in the way. He resented every  angry word and thought they'd shared. In hindsight they all seemed such a  waste of passion. These past couple of months had been the hardest of  his life. He had wanted to give her a fair shot at a job she had told  him she had always dreamed of. He wanted to give her a chance to cool  down from the nuclear fusion that occurred every time they were  together. Unfortunately, two months had proved to be in no way long  enough for the initials Eva had carved in his heart to heal.

'Sharif-yes?' he said, absent-mindedly picking up the phone.

'Not Sharif. I'm just using his phone, Roman.'

'Britt?' he sat up, instantly anxious. 'Is everything all right? Is Eva okay?'

'Is everything okay with us? Yes,' she confirmed. 'With you? I doubt it.'

'Never mind me. Just tell me about Eva.' He hunched his shoulders as he pressed the phone closer to his ear.

'How long are you going to do this to yourself, Roman?'

'Do what?'

'Stay away. Eva's a changed person since she came out to see you.'                       
       
           



       

'Changed how? Good? Bad?'

There was silence and then an impatient huff. 'Why don't you come back here and find out for yourself?'

'Too much to do and never enough time to do it.'

'That sounds like an excuse to me.'

'Everything sounds like an excuse to you. That's why we hired you to run the company.'

'Yeah, well, when it affects my family I'm even less amused. Come for  the party, at least, Roman. Come and see what Eva has achieved here. Or  is that too much to ask?'

He ground his jaw. No one gave him instructions. No one but the  Skavanga Diamonds, he amended silently. 'I can't promise anything.'

'Yeah, that pretty much tallies with what Eva told me about you.'

'She confided in you?'

'She doesn't need to, Roman. She's my sister. I can read her like a book. So are you coming to the party or not?'

He stared into space for just long enough for Britt to exclaim something extremely unladylike.

'Okay, Britt, that's enough. I'll see you-'

'Not if I see you first,' she snapped.

He stared at the dead receiver in his hand. What was it about these  women? Were they born awkward, or did the frigid Arctic temperatures  freeze the female gene out of them?

It didn't help that there was daily contact between him and Eva, and it  was almost time for her mail. She was meticulous with her reports on  progress at the mine. He studied them for the slightest hint that she  was missing him, but had found no sign of that so far. Eva Skavanga, the  most emotional woman he had ever known, had been transformed into a  paragon of restraint and proper conduct. In fairness, she was doing a  great job in Skavanga. And Britt was right. He was doing less well.  According to his people on the ground, Eva had galvanised everyone into  action, and the mining museum was now a reality under discussion with  architects and geologists, rather than a pipe dream, and he had missed  out on being part of the action.

So why was he sitting here in his office in Abu Dhabi, while Eva was half a world away in Skavanga?

Because it was business as usual and he hadn't lost his golden touch. He'd made a third fortune.

And his life was so full.

Staring at spreadsheets and bank balances really made up for the loss  of Eva Skavanga in his life. Like hell it did! He missed her fire and  temperament. He missed the chaos she brought to his life. And who  listened to Eva's concerns? Had she made up with Britt? She must have  done by now, he guessed. Was Leila home from university, or was Eva all  on her own? He had people in Skavanga he could ask, but he couldn't  bring himself to do that. He felt guilty enough already. He'd asked  everything of Eva and had given her nothing but a job.

He brightened the moment he heard mail drop. It was that time of day. It had to be a mail from Eva with her latest report.

He scrolled down. Apparently, the money he'd pumped in had allowed them  to create a garden around the mine. Good. She'd like that. Stretching  his powerful limbs, he scanned the mail again, as if reading Eva's words  could somehow bring her closer.

And this was the same woman he could cheerfully have given away with  two camels and a coop of chickens as part of the deal when he'd first  met her at Britt's wedding-a day that felt like another lifetime now.  His life was dull without Eva. He'd seen what it could be like with her,  and no other woman could hope to come close. He missed her. Just this  contact between them over the internet raised his pulse and made him  smile. He couldn't envisage life without her. He loved her. It was as  simple, and as complicated, as that.

He craned forward as the computer pinged again.





From: Eva Skavanga

To: Roman Quisvada

Subject: Future challenges

Are we in danger of seeing you in Skavanga any time soon, or are the conditions here too challenging for you?





From: Roman Quisvada

To: Eva Skavanga

Subject: Mistaken assumptions

Hasty conclusions have never been your strong suit, Eva. Just remain focused on the job, or you're no use to me.





From: Eva Skavanga

To: Roman Quisvada

Subject: Are you firing me?





From: Roman Quisvada                       
       
           



       

To: Eva Skavanga

Subject: Firing you?

Hell, no! That would cost me money. Surely you know me better than that by now?





No, but she'd like to, Eva mused wryly, pushing her chair back as she  got up from her desk and stretched. Email was a mixed blessing. The  instant communication with someone half a world away was useful, but it  was a soulless way to chat. She didn't want to keep staring at a screen  that made the distance between them seem even more unbridgeable.

How was it possible to miss one man so much? How was it possible to  mess up so badly? Her sisters were right. Her ridiculous pride was the  only thing preventing her from speaking to Roman on a personal  level-that and her even more ridiculous insecurities.