Chapter 49
Roman cut the call and then looked around the kitchen.
Why was he suddenly second-guessing this? It was what he wanted. She was on her way so he had to get his shit together. There was no turning back now.
But this was happening sooner than he expected. The furniture wasn't even there yet. He'd thought it would take a few more days of this before she broke and came looking for him, not the very same day their picture got splashed in every paper and magazine.
He walked over to the kitchen island and gathered up the newspapers and magazines he had been looking at. He stuffed everything into a drawer to get rid of another time.
He was sure he hadn't left anything incrementing lying around but he did a quick walkthrough just in case. At least the cleaners had come. The whole house was spotless, ready for the fixtures and fittings to be added.
He felt giddy by the time he walked into the open living room area. Fucking giddy like a school girl about to see her crush. If Philip saw him now he'd probably take the piss out of him for years.
But it was fine. This was going to work and he wouldn't have to think of the alternative. He'd lived it for three whole months.
The heating was on but he'd also lit the fire. There was only a lamp on at the corner of the room so the fire gave the space a romantic ambience. Maybe it would help to sway his little skittish woman, but somehow he doubted that. It would take a lot of work to regain her trust.
The only chair he had here at the moment was a two-seater in front of the fire. A cosy one where they would have to sit side by side. She would probably have to press against him to get comfortable. Real close, she'd practically be in his arms. He supposed that part worked out better than what he'd planned.
He was pouring himself a drink when his phone rang and Evelyn's name flashed across the screen.
This was it. The beginning of everything.
"Evelyn," he said when he answered. "I didn't expect to hear from you. Have my lawyers been in touch?"
"Roman, I..."
She sounded panicked. Had he gone a little overboard with this? He could admit that sending Phillip to follow her was a little assholish. He didn't want to scare her again but he had to see this plan out to the end.
"What happened?"
"I'm outside. I'm sorry, I didn't have anywhere else to go. Can I come in?"
"Yes," he answered quickly. "I'll open the gate."
When Evelyn drove up the driveway, he pressed the panel to close the gate behind her car and then went to the front door. He took a couple of deep breaths before he opened it.
Evelyn was already waiting at the door and looking back at the road. He could feel her panic before she said another word. Philip had stopped his car there, he could see the front of the huge car and its tinted windows.
"I'm being followed," Evelyn said, looking back at him. "I know I shouldn't have led them here but I..."
She looked pale and was trembling as she stood without a coat on.
"Come in," he said as he stepped aside "You look frozen."
"I'm so sorry about what's in the papers," Evelyn said quietly as she walked in. "I know I signed the NDA so I would never tell anyone anything."
He didn't say anything as he gestured to her to go and sit by the fire. Evelyn still looked wary of him. She was tense and couldn't look him in the eyes. Her body language screamed for him to keep his distance but he wasn't going to do that.
"I know what you're thinking," Evelyn continued as she sat on the edge of the chair as if she was going to bolt any second.
But she had nowhere to run now.
"I knew you were coming to meet me last night so I can't prove I didn't set this up, but I promise you, I had nothing to do with any of this. I have nothing to gain by splashing your name in the papers."
"I know you had nothing to do with it," he said as he walked back to the drinks cabinet and poured a drink for Evelyn.
"You're not upset about this?"
He could hear the confusion in her voice. Before she'd left he would have been very pissed off if he'd ended up in the papers like this. He would have thought she was playing her games again, trying to force a relationship that would never happen. But Evelyn was guileless. It had become so obvious the longer he'd had her watched.
He was the game player, the deceitful one who didn't deserve to be in the same room as her. But all was fair...
He turned back to her with two drinks in his hand.
"I'm not upset," he answered with a shrug. "I know these so-called reporters can be creative with the truth. I told you last night not to believe everything you read in the papers."
"How can you be so casual about this?! Someone now knows who I am. They've been to the restaurant and they followed me here," Evelyn pointed out before she took the drink from him and had it all in one mouthful.
"Things like this tend to just die down. Don't worry about it. It will be fine."
He walked back to get the whole bottle of whiskey before he came and sat down next to her.
And as he had expected, the cushions dipped and Evelyn's thigh touched his. She tried to move hers away but there was no room for that. The heat from her body seared his thigh and spread through every part of him.
"Can't you do something?" Evelyn asked. "I can't have them following me to my parents' house. They're distressed enough already without having strangers hanging about outside, or having any of their business in the papers."
He sipped his drink and pretended to think about it.
"How secure is your parents' house?" He asked.
And then felt like a dick when he saw the look on her face like she hadn't yet thought of that. He was going straight to hell for this.
"You think they'll break in?"
No. Him kissing a girl wasn't that newsworthy that people would break into an elderly couple's house just to get information.
"I'll tell Philip to send someone to watch the house," he said instead, and then poured her another shot of whiskey, which she also downed in one go.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "I didn't expect you to be so calm about all this. I don't know what I expected when I drove here."
"You know I would do anything for you, Evelyn."
She turned her head and met his gaze directly for the first time since she'd walked into his house. Her emerald eyes searched his for a moment before her cheeks coloured and she looked away. Could she see how much he was holding back?
"I should probably go. I'll have to book into a hotel or something," she said.
"Evelyn, you know they'll follow you there, as well," he pointed out. "You're better off staying here for tonight and we'll figure things out tomorrow."
Evelyn looked at him again. Probably questioning his motives. Probably wondering if being under the same roof was a good idea.
He poured her another drink and then stood up.
"I'll call Phillip now to send a team to your parents, and then I'll make us something to eat while you think about it."
He'd only taken a few steps when he turned back.
"If they followed you from work, you might want to consider taking a few days off from there, as well. You know, just to be safe."
And then he walked out to the kitchen to let her come to the conclusion herself. She had no other choice than to stay with him.