“Oh Evie, it’s amazing. You’ve really caught Freya’s likeness. I’m expecting her to talk to me.”
Evie wished she could believe Amelia was being sincere, but to her ears the praise came across as false and patronising. She managed to say, “I’m reasonably happy with it but I’m having trouble with her hands. I need to get a move on if I am to finish it before her birthday. Don’t let on though as she really doesn’t know about it. I want something to be a surprise on her big day.”
“I think it’s perfect already and I won’t say a word. I promise. You are so clever. It must be incredible to be so talented.” Amelia was laying it on thick and Evie found herself feeling uncomfortable again. “But look, I’m also here to run something past you. Ross Isbister has asked me out and I just wanted to make sure that you are alright with that.”
Evie was about to reply when Amelia added hastily, “You see, Freya thought the two of you had something going on and obviously there’s no way in the world I would want to step on your toes. One word from you and I will just back right off.”
Evie didn’t know what to say. She supposed it was decent of Amelia to ask if she was OK with it, but truth be told, once again this strange woman had unsettled her.
Evie swallowed hard and uttered faintly, “Don’t be silly, Amelia. Ross and I are just friends, that’s all. I have no claim on him or him on me.”
“So, I have your blessing then?”
Evie winced. It was a date, not an engagement. She also sensed Amelia was enjoying herself. “You don’t need my approval to go out with Ross,” Evie said evenly. “You are both single.”
Amelia giggled and went on, “You know it was so funny. I was in the deli and he thought I was you for a minute. He was so embarrassed he asked me for a drink and then you know how it is. One thing led to another, and he wants to see me tomorrow night.”
Amelia hugged herself, “Between you and me, I am so excited but also a bit nervous. He really is the most delicious man I have ever met. You could drown in those brown eyes. And I don’t mean to be crude but he has the very best butt.”
Evie thought,‘She’s right. The first time I met Ross I thought his bum was like a perfectly ripe peach and wondered what it would be like to sink my teeth into it.’ She stopped herself from going any further down that particular road.
Instead, she said, “Yes, a lot of women seem to think he is handsome, but he doesn’t do it for me, I’m afraid. And he’s a workaholic. You know he still lives with his parents.”
Actually, Evie admired how Ross looked after his mum and dad and she also completely related to how absorbed he was in his work. He created beautiful pieces and spent hours making sure they were perfect. She knew exactly how that felt. It was the same when she disappeared into one of her paintings.
She had a fleeting vision of Ross making one of his beautiful chairs in the corner of this very room while she worked on a nude portrait of him. She shook her head to get rid of such thoughts.
She heard Amelia say, “Well, I happen to think it’s really swell that he still lives at home. It shows what a nice man he is.” She added, “You know I can’t tell you how glad I am you don’t fancy him. I wouldn’t have had a chance if you were interested.”
She drained her mug of coffee. “Now, I need to go and get the shopping. Freya’s got the offer of a lobster and we are having her famous Cullen Skink tonight.”
Evie watched her go out the door full of joy about her date with Ross and looking forward to enjoying one of Evie’s favourite meals cooked by Freya.
She was surprised at how crushed she felt that Ross had asked Amelia out. She told herself that she didn’t want him as anything other than a friend, but she really wasn’t happy he was going out on a proper date with Amelia.
Ross Isbister didn’t go out on dates. True, he had asked her out for a drink once, but he never followed up on that properly, and he always looked as though he would rather be anywhere else when she ran into him. She had thought for a brief moment at the gallery that he was going to ask her out again, but she must have been mistaken.
‘Well, he’s transferred his affections pretty bloody fast for a man who apparently had a crush on me. That was obviously a load of old bollocks,’ she thought to herself bitterly.
And another thing that really was hard to bear: Freya always asked her over when she nabbed a lobster. It was their ‘thing’, but Amelia had taken that away from her too.
Chapter Twenty-Six
Maureen’s House
Evie turned up to Maureen’s house in Florence looking forward to seeing everyone. She’d been putting in long hours working on paintings for the gallery as well as the surprise portrait for Freya, and her social life had suffered – there were unanswered messages piling up on her phone. The party was just three weeks away now, so they had lots to get sorted today.
Kate and Edwyn were already there. Their girls were happily chatting to young Rory and colouring in on the big kitchen table. Delima and Jack had driven over with Ola and baby Hari.
Evie was welcomed in and sat down beside Delima who handed Hari over to her. He laughed and gurgled contentedly on her knee. Evie couldn’t resist kissing the top of his head and inhaling the scent of freshly washed newly baked baby. She adored him so much, she was even happy to risk being peed on, or worse, when his nappy needed changing.
Patsy was helping Andrzej put out snacks and hand out drinks when Amelia arrived. Evie felt like she couldn’t escape from her.
“I hope you don’t mind me joining in but Maureen did say it would be OK,” said Amelia, slinking round the door. They all gasped at her new hair and said how much she resembled Evie. Maureen smiled at her, “You are more than welcomebut what did you tell Freya? I hope she doesn’t know we are all meeting up to plan her party.”
Amelia replied, “I told her I was going over to Evie’s for a catch up and she seemed to go along with it, but to be honest I reckon she knows exactly what we are up to. She’s already sussed out that there’s going to be a party so why don’t we just stop with the pretence and let her join in the planning?”
Patsy was about to stuff her face with a giant samosa when she turned to Amelia and said with the utmost seriousness and sincerity: “But that wouldn’t do at all, Amelia. We have to keep up the facade. She knows that we know she knows, but she doesn’t really want to know what we know. You know?”
