THE GIRL BEFORE EVE
BY
LISA J HOBMAN
This is a fictional work. The names, characters, incidents, places, and locations are solely the concepts and products of the author’s imagination or are used to create a fictitious story and should not be construed as real.
5 PRINCE PUBLISHING AND BOOKS, LLC
PO Box 16507
Denver, CO 80216
www.5PrinceBooks.com
ISBN 13: 978-1-939217-95-0 ISBN 10: 1-939217-95-4
The Girl Before Eve
Lisa J. Hobman
Copyright Lisa J. Hobman 2014
Published by 5 Prince Publishing
Front Cover Viola Estrella
Author Photo: [email protected]
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations, reviews, and articles. For any other permission please contact 5 Prince Publishing and Books, LLC.
First Edition/First Printing January 2014Printed U.S.A.
5 PRINCE PUBLISHING AND BOOKS, LLC.
Dedication
For Rich
We have over twenty years of history together and there are so many songs that eloquently put into words how I feel about you…too many to fit onto one CD. But “Somersault” by Zero 7 is one of my favourites.
Acknowledgements
I would like to say a huge thank you to my wonderful family, especially Rich, Grace, Mum and Dad for supporting me, advising me and putting up with me since this writing journey began. As always, you are the stars in my sky and I love you with all of my heart.
A huge hug to all of my friends, old and new, who have happily taken this roller coaster ride with me and have put up with my incessant talking about books, plot lines and rankings. I adore you all.
To my wonderful beta reading team – it’s been such a busy year and I can’t express how much I appreciate you taking time out of your busy lives to read my books and give your valued opinions.
I’ve made so many new friends through Facebook, authors and readers alike, and so a massive thank you to the abso-flippin-lutely faberoo gang from my Facebook page and to my wonderful street team. You’ve stuck with me and have encouraged me to keep going. Thank you for helping me to fulfil this dream. The Happy Hobman Dancers rock!
To all of the blogs and pages who have supported me, helped spread the word about my books and shared my news, you and everything you do are very much appreciated.
Thank you also to my wonderful 5 Prince family, including my amazing editor Linda. It’s wonderful to be a part of such a positive, friendly team. Long may it continue.
Prologue
Friends Will Be Friends (Queen)
The Beginning of Lily and Adam - Primary School 1986
“She is my friend, Stewart Campbell, and if I see you pinch anything from her ever, ever again or try to push her over, I will punch you on the nose, and then I’ll tell Mrs. Craven and she’ll tell your mum, and then you’ll be grounded…forever!” Adam yelled as he towered over the snivelling little blonde-haired boy whose T-shirt he was grasping.
“I’m going to tell my dad on you, and he’ll come to your house and kick your dad’s arse, and he’s lots bigger than your dad, you smelly pig!” Stewart retorted through his tears and threw the packet of crisps he’d stolen on the playground, the contents spilling out. He stamped on the crisps, crumbling them under his feet.
Adam laughed in the other boy’s face. “Oh no, he isn’t, and now I’m going to tell Mrs. Craven that you said a swear word! Don’t you ever hurt her again, do you hear me? She’s a girl and you should never, ever hit girls or pinch their snack. And now you’ve dropped it on the floor and she hasn’t got one. You’re just mean and nasty, Stewart Campbell. And that’s why nobody likes you!” Adam released the blonde boy’s T-shirt and pushed him away. The boy ran off to the other side of the playground just as the lunchtime supervisor came around the corner. She must have noticed the gathered crowd of children.
“Everything alright over here, Adam?” the tall, red-haired lady asked with a sour look on her face.
“Yes, Mrs. Craven. Stewart Campbell said a rude word though, so I told him off and said I was going to tell.”
“Oh did he now? That boy needs to learn some manners. I think I’ll tell his teacher. Perhaps a quick call home might be in order.” Mrs. Craven glanced toward Adam’s friend just as Lily wiped the tears from her eyes and pushed the mass of wild, dark curls from her damp face. “Lily? Have you been crying?”
Lily nodded.
“What happened?” Mrs. Craven asked, narrowing her eyes.
Lily worriedly looked to Adam.
“It’s okay, Mrs. Craven. Stewart was being mean and he took her snack and threw it on the floor and stamped on it. But I told him off for that, too.”
Mrs. Craven smiled and ruffled Adam’s scruffy, dark hair. “Eeeh, for nothing but a six-year-old boy you do look after her well, don’t you, son? You keep that up.” She patted his head lightly and then turned to walk over to where Stewart had run off to sulk.
Once Mrs. Craven was out of sight and the crowd of children had dispersed, Adam turned to Lily. “Here, you can have the rest of my crisps if you like.” He held out the blue crinkly packet to her.
“Thank you, Adders,” she croaked, almost in a whisper. “You’re my bestest friend.”
“Aye, I know that and you’re my bestest friend too, Lil, and Stewart Campbell is just a big meanie. You need to stay away from him. I’ll make sure he isn’t nasty to you again though. Don’t worry.” The two children walked over to the grass and sat down side by side.
“Are you coming to my house for tea on Saturday? My papa says we can have the paddling pool out if it’s sunny?” Lily asked munching on the salt and vinegar crisps.
Adam nodded. “Yep…I can’t wait. I’ve got one of those big water pistols that soak you through, so you’d better watch out.” He nudged her with a wide grin fixed in place.
She giggled. “Yeah, well I’m going to make sure I get my big sand castle bucket out then, and it holds about ten gallons of water, so you’d better watch out.” She nudged him back.
He snorted. “It does not! And anyway I’m a faster runner than you, so you’d better watch out.” He chuckled.
“It does, too! And you’re not faster than me…you run like a girl!” Lily jumped to her feet and set off at a sprint, her musical laughter echoing behind her.
“I’ll get you Lily Macrae! Just you wait!” Adam laughed heartily as he sprang up from the grass and set off in pursuit.
And there began the soundtrack to Adam and Lily’s lives…
Chapter One
Eve, The Apple of My Eye (Bell X1)
Many Years Later - July 2009
“She simply lit up every room she walked into… Her beautiful smile was contagious…and her eyes…she showed every emotion in those beautiful blue eyes. My life…sorry…my life will be a whole lot darker without her in it. She had this amazing ability to make everyone she encountered feel cared for…loved even. She would have been an amazing mother… I just…I just know she would. She had that way about her. Always worried about others…never herself. She was one of a kind…my Eve…my beautiful, beautiful Evie. She was supposed to be my happy ever after…my forever…and she was taken…stolen… I’m so sorry…I can’t…” Adam’s breath caught in his throat and his legs weakened. With clenched eyes, he gripped the lectern for support.
The congregation sat silently as he spoke his heartfelt words. Tears trailed down each and every face. The forlorn and lost expressions of his closest family and friends told him their hearts were aching and broken, just like hi
s own. The loss was too much. Too sudden. With a pain inside him that no one could even begin to understand, Adam Langton returned to his seat, placed his head in his hands and let the pent-up emotion break free. His shoulders shuddered and the tears flowed unabashedly from his stinging, sore eyes. Arms came around him offering what little comfort they could, but nothing…no one could do anything to quell the ache in his chest. She was gone.
Nothing could bring her back.
All the if onlys and what ifs swirled around his head like a carousel spinning out of control, but what was the point? What was the point of anything anymore? His bright, wonderful future had been snatched away. The prospect of having children with her and watching them grow up, of growing old with her beside him, was gone.
Jeff Buckley’s Hallelujah echoed around the vast space of the eighteenth century church as Adam’s friends and family left the building with obviously heavy hearts.
♥♥♥
Back at the house Lily walked into the kitchen where she found Adam staring out of the window over the pretty cottage garden. The glass of whiskey in his hand remained untouched. People talked in hushed voices in the lounge, but it appeared they had seen fit to leave him alone with his grief for a while.
Walking over to where he stood, she placed her arm around him, her hand on his left shoulder, her head on his right. She heaved a sigh. “How are you holding up, Adders?”
“Oh…you know…fair to utterly crap…you?”
“About the same I’d say.” She wiped her eyes and he hugged her to his side. “Your eulogy was just so…beautiful. I know it’s a stupid thing to say, but she would have loved what you said about her.”
“Thanks, Lil. That means a lot.” His lip quivered, and he placed his glass on the worktop before rubbing his eyes. “It doesn’t feel real. I keep expecting her to shout down and tell me off for not replacing the loo roll, or to climb into bed beside me and stick her freezing cold feet on my legs to warm them up. Or snuggle up to me on the sofa whilst she pretends not to cry at some soppy ad on TV. But…that won’t ever happen again. I’ll never kiss her again…I’ll never hold her again.” He shook his head and whispered, “I’ll…I’ll never make love to her again. It’s all gone…she’s gone.” A deep sob broke free from his body.
Lily buried her head into his neck and held on tight as her best friend let his anguish and sadness pour out onto her.
Adam’s mother walked through from the lounge. “Adam, darling. Some of the…gosh what do you call them? Guests? Anyway…some people are leaving and I think maybe you should come and say goodbye.” Adam nodded and left the room.
His mother shook her head. “Goodness, what do you call people at something like this? Guests sound so…happy. It seems wrong.” Confusion and salt water clouded her eyes.
Lily thought for a moment. “Friends. I think you simply call them friends. They all loved her after all, Gwen,” she said before standing and putting her arm around Gwen’s shoulders.
Gwen slid her arm around Lily’s waist. “Are you okay, dear? I know it must have been quite a shock for you. And I can tell you’re trying to stay strong for Adam…but she was your friend too.”
Lily’s lip quivered so she bit it. Her eyes stung with unshed tears. “Yes…she was…the best. But Adam is in bits right now. I’ll grieve in my own time. He needs me.”
Gwen kissed her cheek. “Lily, you are such a good friend. You always have been. I’m so glad he has you.” Her voice wavered.
Lily tried to smile. “He would do exactly the same for me.”
Gwen squeezed her hand again, nodding. “He would, dear. He would.” Gwen turned to go to her son.
♥♥♥
In the lounge, family and friends surrounded Adam, patting his arm, hugging him and smiling sadly. It was all just too much. He wanted everyone to leave now. He needed to be alone. He had always hated being the centre of attention. That was always Eve’s place. She deserved it and handled it so well. She was interesting and fun. He enjoyed watching her from the sidelines, watching her work her magic, watching with adoration as others inadvertently fell in love with her, too.
Eventually, everyone apart from Lily left the house he had shared with the love of his life. Before the accident it had been a home filled with love, lust, and laughter. Now, however, being here with his best friend just wasn’t the same.
♥♥♥
Lily leaned against the doorframe and watched Adam as his six-foot-plus frame slumped onto the sofa. He huffed out a long, hard breath and loosened his black tie, undoing the first two buttons of his crisp white shirt.
He scraped a shaking hand through his thick, dark brown hair and ran the same hand over his face. “Well…that’s it, then. It’s official. I’m a widower.” He glanced up at Lily, his bloodshot eyes still glistening. Her heart ached for him. “What the hell do I do now?”
She walked over and sat beside him, nudging his shoulder with her own. “You carry on, Adders. You take a deep breath and you carry on. You’re twenty-nine. You have to move forward.”
Adam took a faltering breath. “I know. I do know… It’s just—”
“Hey, no one expects you to get over this in a week. There is no time limit on grief, but just know that you have a long life ahead of you and you have to live it. Don’t disappear into your own head and never come out, okay?”
“No…I’ll try not to.” He turned to face her. “Thank you for everything. I mean it, Lil. Having you here…it’s just… I mean…just…thank you.”
“Hey, I’ve told you before; we’re family, you and me. You need me and I come running. You’d do the same… Mind you…I have to find someone to love who actually loves me back first.” She blushed.
“You will. How could you not? Who could not love you, eh?” He nudged her now.
Lily forced a smile. “Hmmm, no one worthy of my time up to now, but I never give up hope.”
Adam looked thoughtful for a while. “The thing is…you’ll go back to working abroad for the TV station…and I’ll…I’ll be here on my own.” Tears escaped again and his bottom lip trembled.
It killed Lily to see him like this. Why did this have to happen? It seemed so unfair.
Taking his face in both hands, she stared into his eyes. “Look, I’m here for the next week. Then I’ll be here for Christmas. And in between that, I’m at the end of a phone or at the end of an email. I’m not leaving you. I’ll always be here for you, Adam. And if it all gets too much, then you just ask and I will come home.”
He covered her hands with his own. “Thank you.” He pulled her to him in a tight embrace and sobbed again.
Adam and Lily had been friends since…well…forever. They met at primary school, and from long before he told off Stewart Campbell for pushing her and pinching her snack, they had been inseparable. He defended her at every given opportunity. They were two halves of the same whole. Two peas in a pod. They were the couple most likely to become a couple at high school, but had never actually made the transition from friends to something more than that. Always together but…never together.
And here she sat by his side on the day of his wife’s funeral. Offering whatever she could of her time and closeness—anything to ease his pain and suffering. Taking time away from her job was not something she did lightly. But she would cross the fires of hell if he needed her and she knew he would do the same.
Chapter Two
Wicked Game (Chris Isaak)
Many Years Earlier –1998
Adam and Lily had always been there for each other. It was just how things were and everybody knew it. Primary school was fine. Everyone thought it was sweet that they were best friends. It didn’t matter to anyone. They never suffered teasing because it was just the norm.
As they grew up, Adam was always the one to oversee the potential boyfriends Lily had chosen. If he didn’t think they were good enough, he would tell her straight. More often than not she agreed and the boy was rapidly kicked to the curb. Likewise, Lily had v
ery strong opinions when it came to potentially sacrificing time with her best friend to another girl. She didn’t beat about the bush making her feelings known.
High school had been a nightmare for Lily. She developed quickly and got a lot of attention—very positive attention from boys, but jealousy, spitefulness, and negativity from the girls. She earned a reputation not at all befitting her, learning very quickly that teenage girls can be very cruel. She made no female friends, and so her reliance on Adam was further compounded. He tried on so many occasions to stop the wretched rumour mill from turning. But his efforts were futile. Regardless of what he said, people would believe what they wanted to believe. She appreciated his efforts and told him so frequently.
Her Spanish heritage, womanly curves, bright blue eyes, and dark unruly curls gave her a combination of being both exotic and a little wild, rather like the character Cathy from Wuthering Heights. She already had the personality, and all the boys wanted to take her out. Looking back on it, she knew Adam had done his best to wheedle out the wheat from the chaff, but there came a point where he had to grow up and realise there were only so many times he could butt in. Playing the big brother was hard work.
Adam was there for Lily through every bad boyfriend, through every heartache. He came running when she needed a shoulder to cry on. He was such a good friend. Aside from her parents, he was the one constant in her life.
During the summer of 1998, after they had both turned eighteen, however, there was one heartbreak he couldn’t help her through. Why could he offer no solace? Because he could never know about it.
The summer break prior to starting university had been a fateful one for Lily. One that in some ways broke her, but in many more ways she couldn’t possibly regret. It was the year she realised she was in love with Adam. She didn’t mean to fall for him. It was a complete accident. But fall for him she did.
Hard.
She didn’t want to be in love with him at all, but as she discovered the hard way, you simply cannot help who you fall for nor can you help when it happens. She knew Adam simply didn’t see her that way. He never would. He had always been her big brother, her protector, and her guardian angel.
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