Evelyn walked up the driveway of the house she almost bought for her parents. It looked so different. The shrubs and trees had been trimmed back and the driveway widened, and there were workmen at one side of it. It looked like they had extended it.  Roman was so insensitive to bring her here. How did he expect her to feel? But of course, Roman never cared about anyone's feelings.  She walked further up the driveway and saw her car parked in front of the construction trucks. Has it been repainted? It looked brand new, even the tyres.  A man in a high-visibility and hard hat came out of the front door holding a clipboard. She walked up to him quickly. 

A knock on her window startled Eve out of her thoughts.  She looked out and saw her mother standing there with a coat over her dressing gown and a rubbish bag in her hand.  How had she even got home? She was still in shock and was close to hyperventilating. Her head was a mess, trying to understand what had just happened.  Was she off the hook? Or was this another of Roman's tricks? Was he about to hit her with something worse than her parents becoming homeless? Her mother knocked again, making her realise she was probably worrying her by sitting there like an idiot. She was gripping the steering wheel so tightly she was surprised she hadn't broken it. When she released it, her hands were still shaky

Eve brought the food back to the service counter and mumbled an apology. "That's the fourth table, Eve," the chef, Andy, said with a frown as he pulled the plates towards him to throw the food away. He looked pissed off, and he was right to be. She'd wasted his time and the restaurant's money and she was only just starting the teatime rush.  "I'm sorry," she said again. "I'll pay for it." She couldn't afford to pay for the wasted meals from all those tables, especially when she needed money to cover the shift her mother had lost, but she didn't want to risk her job.  "Maybe take a break instead. Have a coffee or something to wake yourself up," And

What had she done? Eve lay awake all night thinking of Roman's lips on hers. Her body had come alive as if she had been dead all this time.  But after what he had done to her? After all the tears she had shed? Why did he still have that effect on her? She had destroyed her life just to get away from him, and now just one kiss had shown her that all the work she had done on herself was worth nothing. All her pep talks were bullshit.  By the time the morning came and she dragged herself out of bed to prepare for her morning shift, she was still kicking herself. But at least this was the end of it. He'd given his word that she wouldn't have to see him again. Once the paperwork came from the lawyers, she could finally stop looking over her shoulder and live her life.&n

Roman had the beef simmering, water boiling in a pot for the pappardelle and the red wine already breathing on the table when Evelyn walked tentatively into the kitchen. He met her gaze and knew she hadn't yet decided what she was going to do. Her arms were wrapped around herself and she still looked like she was going to run out of the house any moment.  He had to do something to make her stay.  But what the hell was he supposed to do? How could he make her comfortable around him again? Make her say those words, that she loved him? He'd been a fucking fool that night to let his insecurities get in the way. She must have worked up to that for a long time and he'd just thrown it in her face. But she had proved she had more guts than he had. Opening up like that, say