But instead of taking offence James laughed. ‘Still the same spiky Evelyn, I see.’
How wrong he was. She hadn’t been the same Evelyn since the day she left Wareham, her womb as empty as her heart. She sighed.
‘Why are you here, James? You could have your pick of marketing experts – you had no need to come here, after all this time.’
‘I’ve never stopped thinking about you – do you know that? Even after what you did.’
‘What I . . .?’ Getting pregnant? The fire? Evie shook her head. She couldn’t deal with this – if James knew anything of what she’d done he wouldn’t be standing there looking at her as though he was struggling not to pull her into his arms.
‘It’s in the past,’ he said abruptly, breaking the silence. ‘I came here to see if your marketing is as good as your photography was. I’d really like to spend some time with you, Evie. Will you accept the job?’
She knew she should say no, just as she knew she wasn’t going to. She could tell herself that Anna’s business was relying on a client this big, or that it was a brilliant opportunity. But the truth was that she would work with James Addlington because, although their lives had been running on separate tracks all these years, she had known that one day they would have to collide.
Fine, she would do this. Put on a show, act like she didn’t care. And she could act as well as anyone she knew, she’d been doing it since the day she killed his father.
72
Evie
Wednesdays couldn’t roll around soon enough any more, and keeping her excitement from everyone around her was getting harder and harder. As far as Richard was aware she was at the gallery, as far as the gallery was aware she was taking one day’s leave a week to work on her photography. If Richard happened to pop into the gallery she would tell him that she had wanted to surprise him with a new portfolio. She thought she had it all figured out.
Unlike James Addlington – there was a man she couldn’t figure out at all. He claimed he had come all this way just to see her again, but what did that mean for his marriage to Camille? She had spent three whole weeks playing him at his own game, feeling like a giddy teenager again, each trying to prove that they were in control of the relationship. He would arrange last-minute meetings, she would bring along junior employees from OnBrand, citing training needs and note-taking. James would call her specifically when he knew she would be with Richard and ask her what she was wearing and Evie would remain unflustered as she politely informed him that she’d claimed all of her payment protection insurance but thank you for asking. Once he sent a bunch of flowers to her home and she had redirected the delivery to Anna’s address – James had been apologetic when Anna had thanked him profusely for them the next day but warned him that it wasn’t really acceptable to send a dozen red roses to a person’s home address – especially when one’s husband was at home.
‘You can’t avoid me forever,’ he muttered to her as they filled their mugs, backs to everyone in the room. ‘One of these times you will have to be alone with me.’
‘The campaign will be closing in two weeks’ time,’ Evie smiled, her voice low and measured. ‘I hope it was money well spent.’
Despite his assurances that they would be alone together, most of the work for the campaign was completed from home. There were only so many reasons James could come up with for arranging face-to-face meetings, and in two weeks the campaign was launched successfully – this time without Evie’s name on the website. When James emailed her to ask her to dinner to celebrate she forwarded the email to the entire team, headed with ‘Mr Addlington asked me to pass on his thanks and extend a dinner invitation to you all in celebration.’ For the first time in years her heart was racing every time her phone made a sound, she was having to think on her feet to stay one step ahead and she felt more like herself than she had in a very long time.
‘I suppose you think yourself very clever,’ Evie was standing at the bar ordering another orange juice when his voice startled her. She turned around and raised her empty glass to him.
‘Congratulations on a very successful campaign, Mr Addlington,’ she said evenly. ‘The meal was very generous of you. The team worked very hard, I’m sure you’ll admit.’
‘They would have had less work to do if you hadn’t dragged them to every single meeting,’ he replied with a wry smile. The smell of his aftershave and the closeness of him made her heart thump furiously in her chest. His blue eyes studied her face intently. ‘You always were an obstinate pain in the ass.’
‘And you never did like not getting your own way.’
The bartender passed Evie her drink and James leaned over her to say, ‘Put it on my tab. And before you order drinks for the entire restaurant, or give it away to your rather over-friendly boss, you will take that drink and you will drink it, as a thank you for the hard work you’ve done,’ he screwed up his nose. ‘Even if it is only orange juice. I know your passion was always photography but you have a real eye for marketing, you know. I’m very impressed with your work.’
‘That’s it?’ Evie asked incredulously. ‘You’re “impressed”? No attempt to lure me back to your hotel room, or offer to throw me down on the table and show me what I’m missing? Just a compliment?’
‘You flatter yourself, Evelyn,’ James said, that smile playing on his lips. ‘It has been a pleasure working with you.’
He placed a kiss on her cheek and walked back over to the table full of people, where Evie could see him shaking hands with the rest of the team, kissing the women as he had her, slapping the men on the shoulder. Then, without a backwards glance, he left the restaurant.
‘He’s gone then?’ Evie asked Anna, taking a sip of her juice.
‘He’s travelling first thing tomorrow, said he needs his beauty sleep. Although God knows how long my Tom would have to sleep to look that beautiful.’ Anna raised her eyebrows.
So that was that. She had won. All of her game-playing had got her exactly what she wanted. Once again, James Addlington was out of her life – she was safe. And now she could carry on in her perfectly ordinary, uneventful life while he returned to Camille. It didn’t feel like much of a victory.
73
Evie
It had taken just a couple of hours in the company of James Addlington for Evie to order her first glass of wine in what felt like forever. After everything that had happened at university she had slowly stopped reaching for the bottle in order to drown her feelings, but it was remarkable how easily old habits could resurface and before long she was stumbling to the bar to order a third bottle of Chardonnay.
‘Sweetheart,’ Anna placed a hand on her back. ‘We’re going to make a move. Are you going to be okay getting back?’
‘Oh, I’ll be fine,’ Evie gave a wave of her hand. ‘I can’t believe you’re going so soon! It’s only,’ she attempted to focus on her watch but it was jumping around all over the place and she couldn’t get a fix on the hands.
‘It’s ten thirty and we have work in the morning,’ Anna lowered her voice. ‘I think you should forget that bottle and go home to your fiancé. He’ll be worried.’
‘Yes, it doesn’t take much to worry Richard,’ Evie snorted. She handed over her bank card and picked up the bottle of wine. ‘I’ll take this with me.’
‘Should I call you a taxi?’
‘No, honestly, Anna, I’ll be fine. Thanks so much for the opportunity with this account.’
‘You’ve done an amazing job,’ Anna kissed her on the cheek. ‘You really should think about a permanent career change.’
Outside the fresh air hit her and Evie’s head swam. She put a hand out and grasped at the windowsill of the bar to steady herself, grasping at the pack of cigarettes in her handbag. Pulling one out triumphantly, she lit up and took a drag, leaning against the cold stone wall with her eyes closed.
‘It’s bad for you.’
Evie opened one eye, even though she knew exactly who she would find standing in fron
t of her.
‘I thought you’d left.’
‘I meant to.’
‘Yet here you are.’ Evie stood up straight and took another drag on her cigarette, her fingers shaking.
‘Here,’ James handed her a bottle of water which she took without comment. ‘And these.’ He dropped two Nurofen into her palm. ‘To stop the hangover.’
‘I’d say my mother told me never to accept drugs from strangers but she was never really fussy about where she got her temporary highs.’
‘How is she?’
Evie’s face crumpled and James reached out to put a hand on her arm.
‘She’s not well. Not enough blood in her alcohol system.’
‘I’m really sorry.’
She wanted to say she was sorry about his dad too but she couldn’t bear to bring up the subject. This was why he was so dangerous to be around: looking at that face was like looking at a piece of home. It was so easy for her to drop her guard around him.
She pushed off from the wall. ‘I have to go.’
‘Let me walk you home.’
‘I live in Kensington,’ Evie smiled, looking at his sharp suit and uncomfortable-looking shoes. ‘You’re not dressed for a jog.’
‘Then let me get you a taxi.’
‘I’m fine . . .’ Evie pulled off her heels and began walking in what she hoped was the right direction for Victoria tube station.
‘Just what is your problem with me?’ James demanded.
‘My problem?’ Evie swung around, anger rearing up inside her. Suddenly she felt as though she was seventeen years old again, banging on the Addlington family’s door after a skinful, demanding to have her say. Well now she was getting it and it felt just as good as she’d hoped it would. ‘I don’t have a problem. You stopped being my problem nine years ago when you told me I was as easy as I was stupid, you arrogant asshole.’
‘I never said that to you,’ James replied quickly. ‘I wouldn’t say that to anyone, let alone you.’
‘No,’ Evie spat. ‘You didn’t. You didn’t even have the balls to say it to me – you sent me a text message. My father tells you I’m having your baby and—’
‘My what?’ James stepped back, brow furrowed. ‘My baby?’
For a second Evie thought he was going to be sick. Her mind might be on a time lag from the alcohol but even in her state she could see that he had no idea what she was talking about. Had he forgotten so easily?
‘You said you wanted a DNA test. You told my father I was sleeping around and the baby could have been anyone’s.’
‘Really? Does that sound like me? How could you believe I’d say that?’
Evie threw the cigarette to the floor and ground it out with her shoe.
‘Easily. You sent me the text messages. You wouldn’t answer your phone. What was I supposed to believe? Are you telling me now that someone else sent me those messages?’
‘I’m telling you that I didn’t. And I tried calling you when I got your letter, your number was out of service.’
Evie took a deep breath. The cold air hit her lungs and she struggled to concentrate. This wasn’t making any sense. She hadn’t changed her number, how could it have been out of service? These lies, they were all part of his plan to get her into bed, screw her and fly back to Camille, just like he had the first time.
‘My father wouldn’t do that to me,’ Evie’s voice was firm and unyielding. All these years of believing James hadn’t wanted to be with her or their baby – she had come to terms with that now. To have to acknowledge that it was her father who had betrayed her, that these last few years could have been so different . . . that was too much to ask.
‘I’m telling you, I didn’t know about the baby. You can choose to believe me or not.’
‘Oh fuck off, James. If you didn’t know then how did your precious Camille know?’
‘Camille knows?’ James scowled. ‘I might have known. She knows everything about everyone. She probably knows more about the truth of how our relationship ended than we do.’
‘You married her.’
‘I loved you.’
‘You married her.’
‘I love you,’ he grabbed her arm and Evie stopped short. These last few weeks, seeing him and not being able to be anything more than professional had been hard enough. But now they were alone and he was saying the words she’d wanted him to say ever since she’d found out she was having his baby. He put a hand behind her neck to draw her in for a kiss but she pulled away.
‘I can’t go through the same thing I went through last time you claimed to love me,’ she started walking again, her stockinged feet cold against the pavement. ‘I nearly got kicked out of school. I spent four years drinking myself into oblivion to forget what happened between us and you show up and here I am,’ she gestured to her bag where the unopened bottle of wine poked out of the top. ‘Drinking to forget you again. After everything I’ve done to forget. Why is it so hard to move on from you? What’s so special about you?’
‘No idea,’ James smiled. ‘I thought I was a bastard.’
Evie suppressed a smile. She didn’t even remember calling him a bastard now, but it had been a running joke between them, something that would have been told to their children – you know, the first time Mummy met Daddy . . . Well, maybe not until they were old enough to know what a bastard was.
‘Look,’ James handed her his phone. ‘I kept your number. Sometimes I call it – although I never know what I’d say if you answered – but you never do. It’s been out of service ever since you sent me the letter.’
‘I didn’t send you any letter, and that’s not my number,’ Evie said. The water and ibuprofen had cleared her mind enough to see that the middle three digits of the number he was showing her were wrong.
‘Yes it is. It ends in 693.’
‘Yeah, that bit’s right, it’s the middle that’s wrong. When did you say it went out of service?’
‘I can’t remember the exact date, but it was the night Dad gave me your letter. I went out with my friends, got drunk and must have left my phone at home because it wasn’t in my jacket when I got to the pub. When I got home I drunk-dialled you and you’d changed your number.’
‘And you left it at that? Anyone could have written that letter, anyone could have changed my number in your phone.’
‘And anyone could have sent you those texts,’ James pointed out. ‘But you believed them.’
‘I came to see you,’ Evie countered. ‘I at least tried. But you were out and your mother called my dad, who dragged me away and sent me to study in London.’
‘I don’t understand why they would go to so much trouble,’ James cursed under his breath. ‘Okay, we were young but was avoiding a scandal really worth lying to us both?’
‘Dominic Rousseau lies on a daily basis,’ Evie said. ‘I’m not at all surprised he lied to me. In fact I remember thinking how surprised I was that he’d taken it so well, given what he thought of your dad. Did your father ever tell you why they fell out?’
James shook his head. ‘Not properly. He said Dominic accused him of stealing from him and it cost him, but he didn’t say what.’
‘Stealing? Like IP or something? Perhaps that’s why Dad was reluctant to go into business with him, if they’d fallen out over idea theft before. They didn’t trust one another.’
‘It doesn’t explain why they would be so against our relationship,’ James replied.
‘I’m not sure whether it was just our relationship, or if it would have been any boy,’ Evie chewed on her bottom lip. ‘Papa has always been protective of me, he’s always acted as though someone is waiting to steal me away. He’s been horrid to Richard. Maybe they just thought we were too young to be as serious as we were.’
‘They lied to us,’ James’ jaw was set in a hard line. ‘Things could have been so different.’
‘And then you got married,’ she said, straining to keep the bitterness from her voice. ‘To Camille, of all peo
ple.’
‘The biggest mistake I’ve ever made.’
As much as Evie had wanted to hear those words so many times in the past, hearing them now just made her feel hollow. If he wasn’t even happy then what had it all been for? Her moving to London, the fire, his father’s death. All for James to end up in a loveless marriage and her to have nearly killed herself.
‘I’m sure all married men trying to get laid say that,’ Evie snorted. ‘Let me guess, she doesn’t understand you.’
‘To be honest, Camille didn’t want me from the moment she’d got me. Almost straight after the wedding she began having affairs, and no, I’m not trying to justify coming here to find you but I don’t even think she’d care if I started seeing someone else. Although she’d go ape-shit if she found out I was with you. Sometimes I wonder if the only reason she went after me in the first place was how much she enjoyed getting one over on you.’
‘So why are you still together?’
James shrugged and Evie saw in his face how miserable he was, how much their fathers’ lies had cost them both. Their baby, their love, James Sr’s life – it had all been lost over some stupid feud that should never have involved James and Evie at all.
‘She can’t bear for anything to fail. It’s like she hates me for keeping her tied down but it’s her who desperately doesn’t want to be divorced after less than four years of marriage.’
Evie thought of how quickly Camille had made her move on James after news of their split had hit the grapevine, and how delighted she’d been to tell Evie all about it. Had she known the whole truth all along? She must have known that James had been in the dark about the baby.
No matter, it was clear the ball was in her court now. They both knew the truth.
But not the whole truth, that niggling voice inside her whispered. You haven’t told him everything. Do you still think you will get your Happy Ever After when he finds out what you did to his father?
74
Evie
Evie lay in his arms, knowing she should check the time, at least message Richard with an excuse as to why she was out so late, but not wanting to break the spell she felt under. The grass was damp underneath her, and she was certain her chinos were covered in mud stains, but every second had been worth it.
The Night She Died Page 20