‘That Edward and Eve and the kids come here for Christmas and the birthday party?’
‘I expected Eve to be here anyway, but no skin off my nose if the others come,’ he said and came and stood over the chair where Edward was sitting.
He looked up at the man, wondering what he was doing.
‘You’re in Dad’s chair,’ said Eve with a laugh.
‘Oh gosh, sorry.’ Edward jumped up and gestured for Sam to sit down.
Sam sat with a harrumph and opened the newspaper on the small table next to him.
‘Righto, we’re off then,’ said Eve cheerfully. ‘Back soonish maybe.’
‘No rush pet,’ said Donna and she patted Edward on the shoulder as they walked to the door.
‘Don’t mind Sam – he’s very protective of his Evie. Hasn’t liked any of her boyfriends yet.’
‘I’m not her boyfriend,’ he started to say but Donna smiled at him and screwed her nose up.
‘Shh, off you go now. Drive safely.’
And she pushed him out the front door and towards her daughter who was already waiting by the car.
Why could everyone else see it except Eve or didn’t she want to see what he was feeling? He didn’t understand but he wanted to and maybe this trip would help him make it clear to her how he felt, if only he was brave enough to take his chance.
26
Leeds was busy with shoppers and families visiting Father Christmas and ice-skating at Millennium Square.
Edward bought them coffees and they watched for a while, laughing at the attempts, falls and admiring those who could actually skate.
‘I haven’t done something like this in a long time,’ said Edward. ‘I usually do the shopping online or give Myles money.’
‘That’s not very festive of you,’ she said.
‘I’m not usually very festive.’ He laughed. ‘But now I know it’s a certain someone’s birthday, I am all in, as Myles says.’
He turned to her and she saw the look in his eye. He wanted to tell her something but she wasn’t sure she wanted to hear it.
‘Excuse me?’ Eve heard a voice and she turned.
An older woman and man stood next to them.
‘Are you Edward Priest?’ she asked.
Edward shook his head. ‘Sadly not, I wish I had his money – or money for every time someone asked me that.’
Eve tried not to laugh as he spoke.
‘Oh just as well then, Dave here used to be a big fan but his last book went on and on, like he wanted to tell us all how smart he was. “Just get on with the story,” Dave said. Didn’t you, Dave?’
Dave nodded in agreement. ‘At least now we don’t have to lie. Have a lovely Christmas.’
The couple wandered off and Eve burst into laughter.
‘That was more brutal than the Goodreads review I got that read that they thought I was writing my books with AI technology until they realised that AI software had more self-awareness.’
Eve screamed with laughter. ‘Stop, it’s too funny.’
