Page 16 of Just for December
‘Can you take this seriously?’ she says. ‘I’m trying to keep this strictly business so there’s no … well, God, that’s a contradiction in terms, isn’t it? Keep a fauxmance professional. Jesus. We’re really doing this?’
‘If it’s any consolation,’ Duke tells her, ‘I’m not exactly over the moon myself.’
‘No need to be rude about it,’ says Evie.
Duke startles. ‘How am I being rude? You just said the same thing!’
‘You didn’t have to agree so readily,’ she says, pouting.
God, this is going to be a rough ride. The woman doesn’t even make sense half the time. Duke can’t keep up.
‘No kissing, no arse-grabbing, hand-holding for less time than it takes to microwave a frozen jacket potato. It’s all logged,’ he tells her, tapping his temple.
‘What do you know about cooking frozen jacket potatoes?’ she asks. ‘Did you come across something like that when you were researchingcivilians?’
She spits that last word, and Duke realises he used it as a turn of phrase earlier.
‘I didn’t mean anything by that,’ Duke says. ‘I’m sorry if that offended you.’
‘I’d have to care about what you say or think to be offended.’ Evie shrugs.
‘Ouch. I think that just hurtmyfeelings.’
In response Evie raises an eyebrow, unmoved.
‘I do have one personal question,’ he says, knowing she’s liable to throw something at his head for it. She blinks. ‘If you have a boyfriend, or girlfriend, or whatever …’
‘I don’t,’ she says, quickly.
‘Oh,’ says Duke. It’s not like this surprises him, Little Miss Sunshine being single, but he had to check.
‘If you did, I was just going to say they’d need a heads up. Just thinking ahead.’
‘Your concern for my love life is crossing a line,’ Evie says.
‘Right.’ Duke nods. ‘Let’s just move on? Anything else you want to say other than don’t touch you, don’t look at you, don’t try and make the best of it?’
‘No,’ Evie says with a fake smile. ‘I think that’s about it. This is just for December, and then poof, we can erase it from our minds.’
‘Just for December indeed,’ Duke agrees. ‘What a gift.’
11
Evie
Their first fauxmance date is a disaster, just as she’d assumed it would be.
They decide, up there in Duke’s suite, to get it all over and done with as soon as possible by heading out to get coffee, taking a walk around the block, and then heading back to the hotel where Evie can then get on with her work, and Duke can … do whatever it is Duke needs to do – presumably go to set, or spend an hour in front of his mirror staring lovingly at his own reflection.
They head out, Evie holding open the door to the hotel for Duke to walk through, and Duke quipping: ‘Why am I ninety-nine per cent sure that if I tried to hold the door open for you, you’d shout at me for it?’
Evie pulls down her hat low on head. It’s super cold out.
‘You seem to think I’m, like, rudeness personified,’ Evie says. ‘Which is, in itself, really rude.’
If Duke replies, she doesn’t hear it. He strides ahead, and she has to jog slightly to catch up.
They round the corner to a little café they’ve both independently clocked on their explorations, and suddenly Evie realises there’s no takeout. Magda had said something about this, about no ‘takeout’ culture in Europe like they have in America, and it’s true – they can either stand at a little bar area for an espresso or take a small table outside under the heaters.
