Page 19 of Only Ever You

“So you’ll go with Bash?”

Was there even much of a choice at this point? Bash would be disappointed if she said ‘no’, but he wouldn’t force her to go. And as far as she knew, his parents were already making adjustments –happilyandwillingly,she’d been told – for her to stay with them.

Perhaps she was making a mountain out of a molehill? She always wished to have more time with Bash and here were fourfulldays being offered to her freely. She’d be an idiot to turn them down.

“I think I will,” she said, then gently sighed with thoughts of how fun this Christmas will be.

“You better text me every day and tell me what’s happened. I fully expect you two to kiss under mistletoe at some point.”

Faye’s nose scrunched. “Do people still do that?”

“I think so?” El didn’t sound sure.

They shared a short laugh, until noise in the backgroundsounded like Ellie’s two year old daughter had begun to cry the house down.

“You have to go,” Faye said.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ll call you soon.”

“Okay. Love you.” Ellie’s voice was like a warm hug.

“Love you too.”

6

BASH

Bennet’soverpowered ball smacked Bash square on the cheekbone when he failed to duck away in time. Beneath his trainers, the hard tennis court was like ice, and his business partner’s impressive forehand had gone awry, straight to his face where he’d been positioned near the net. The sound of the whack echoed, followed by his hiss and groan.

Seventy miles per hour of projectile, as Bash learned,hurt.

Under the floodlights, Bennet jogged up to the net between them. “Shit! Bash, are you alright mate?”

Bash prodded the tenderness of the bone beneath his eye. Given the constant sting numbing the rest of his cheek, there was just a graze, and the promise of a bruise that’d look mightily impressive in his client briefing tomorrow morning.

That’ll serve him right for letting himself be distracted by his wandering thoughts.

“All good,” he said. “You’re better at sourcingLula Ellingtonlampshades than you are at those lob volleys.”

The woman’s work was both genius and impossible to get your hands on, yet everybody who claimed to besomebodyin billionaire circles right now wanted her.

Bennet ran his hand back through the sweaty tresses of his golden brown hair, pushing it up out of his forehead ruddy with exertion. “Sorry, Bash. We shouldn’t be playing when the acrylic is this slippery.”

“We’ll go for something less hazardous next time, yeah?” Bash poked at his cheek again and winced.

“Agreed. Are you sure you’re good?”

“I’m good,” he said. “A drink with the guys later will fix it.”

“What about that female friend of yours?” Bennet taunted him. “Maybe she could kiss it better?”

I wish,Bash’s inner thoughts said.

“Very funny.” He hadn’t explicitly told Bennet that he had feelings for Faye. It was the kind of annoying thing the man had just assumed. And annoyingly, he was right.

“Hey, I’m on your side.” Mockery trickled in Bennet’s voice as he held up his racket and hands.

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