Maddy laughed, and it wasn’t her usual nervous chuckle. It was a real laugh. It echoed softly in the cavernous room.
‘I don’t know how you do that,’ she said. ‘Just decide things.’
Eva held her gaze. ‘I think you do know how to do it perfectly well. Otherwise, I couldn’t read it, could I?’
Maddy’s expression softened. ‘You were protecting me today.’
Eva could have deflected. She could have said it was her job. ‘Yes.’
Silence settled between them again, but it felt different now. A little charged in a way Eva prayed she was misreading.
Maddy stood slowly, closing the small distance between them without seeming to realise she’d done it. They were near enough now that Eva could see the faint crease between Maddy’s brows.
‘I didn’t get the greenhouse,’ Maddy said quietly. ‘And I told myself that was fine. That this is more… appropriate.’
Eva didn’t interrupt.
‘But when you asked what I pictured,’ Maddy continued, ‘for a second I remembered how it felt. The light.’
‘You can still have light,’ Eva said. ‘Even here.’
Maddy searched her face. ‘You really think so?’
‘Lower arrangements will allow for it. And the windows point west. The best light will be just before sunset, by the way. Golden hour.’
‘That’s something to look forward to,’ Maddy said honestly, her fingers brushing the edge of the notepad Eva still held. It connected them, the pad. Indirect touching.
‘Thank you,’ Maddy said.
Eva inclined her head slightly. ‘For what?’ Her voice was quieter than normal. She realised she had lowered it intentionally. Trying not to be heard across the room.
‘For seeing me.’ Maddy rolled her eyes. ‘God, that sounded a bit much, didn’t it?’
Eva held her gaze steadily. ‘My pleasure,’ she said.
Maddy looked back. And kept looking.
Adam’s voice floated back into the room. ‘Maddy? Want to see the bar layout?’
Maddy’s hand dropped from the pad abruptly, and she turned away in a quick, nervous movement. ‘Coming.’
Eva watched from across the room as Adam talked at Maddy. She had better go. This was not her place. Maddy was marrying Adam. Nothing would stop that. In point of fact, Eva’s job was to ensure nothing did.
Eva scuttled out without Maddy seeing.
Seventeen
Maddy stared into the small suitcase that sat open on her bed. She took out the book she’d packed. And then put it back in. And then took it back out again decisively. It wasn’t a space issue. Packing a book was dreaming this weekend would be anything she’d ever choose. And it was probably better not to hope.
A hen weekend. Two whole days.
Maddy had tried in the months since the planning meeting at Hawthorne Manor to convince herself this wouldn’t be terrible. People liked these things, right? How many times had she seen a gaggle of women in costumes and penis-themed accessories, out on the town, laughing as if nothing had ever been more fun? There had to be a reason.
And if the reason was just booze? That was fine. Maddy could drink her way through this. She’d never been drunk for more than an evening, but she could stay drunk for two days, right? And no one would question it. She’d just look committed.
Her phone buzzed on the bedside table. Maddy grabbed it immediately.
Apparently, she could burn fat whilst merely sipping some special tea that the ancient Egyptians knew all about. Good to know. She marked the email as junk and put down the phone.
