Page 55 of Just for December

Duke stops himself from saying that no time is a good one, really. Instead he decides: ‘After lunch. I’ll send you the details.’

He isn’t crying by the time he rings off. He splashes cold water on his face, looks at himself in the mirror, and tells himself he’s loved, and loving, like Phoebe taught him. Hethinks of Evie’s face. For the first time in a long time, he chooses to believe it.

In the hotel lobby, he bumps into Evie and Magda.

‘Hey, hey, Mr Director!’ Evie says to him, giving a playful punch to his upper arm. ‘You ready?’

‘How did you know?’ Duke asks, standing proud.

‘Katerina said.’ She shrugs. ‘Congratulations!’

‘Thank you.’ He nods. ‘Yeah. It’s pretty cool.’

‘It’s amazing,’ she says, grinning. ‘But also: you ready to go? I need to be on set too apparently. Let’s walk and talk.’

‘Yeah. I’m ready. But whilst you’re here I have a favour to ask.’

‘Okay Duke, yes, I’ll be in the movie. FINE,’ Magda jokes, and Evie purses her lips likeof courseMagda wants to be on film. Of course she does.

‘It’s about my mum,’ Duke continues, and Magda, clearly understanding that maybe she shouldn’t be privy to this, demonstrates her ability to read the room by announcing, suddenly, that she’s just going to get a coffee to go and she’ll be by the front doors getting some air when Evie is ready.

‘Perfect.’ Evie nods, turning her attention back to Duke. ‘What can I do?’ she asks. ‘What do you need?’

‘Well …’ Duke explains. He knows this is a big ask, really. ‘She’s coming to set. I imagine she’ll have Roger with her. They’re coming to say goodbye, just quickly. The thing is I don’t want everyone knowing my business, and who knows what she might say to who …’

‘You want me to play babysitter?’ Evie asks.

‘Host,’ Duke corrects, adopting a funny voice. ‘Would youhostmy mother on set? Also known as babysitting, yes.’

Evie nods. ‘Of course,’ she agrees. ‘When’s she coming?’

‘After lunch. I told her one, and she’ll be by the barriers, and knows to wait to be met by somebody. I didn’t say who, though I assume she’ll recognise you.’

‘Keep it light, keep it charming, find you for a hello and then get the heck out?’ Evie clarifies.

‘You’ve understood me perfectly.’ Duke smiles, relieved that she is who she is – that she gets it.

‘Magda can occupy herself too, so it really will just be me.’

Duke smiles, reaching out a hand to her wrist. He feels … heard. Cared for. And it’s such a small thing to feel such disproportionate gratitude for, but he’s aware that this woman in front of him – this beautiful, funny woman – never makes it about her. She has her issues too, but she’s here for Duke, and it’s so easy to let her in. She’s not being kind and deferential because he’s Duke Carlisle, international movie star. She doesn’t need anything from him. He’s just Duke, and she’s just Evie, and he really would like to kiss her again.

‘Not here,’ she says, reading his thoughts. ‘Eyes everywhere.’

Thenotdoing it causes Duke a physical pain.

‘Got it,’ he says. ‘But. Soon?’

‘Soon.’ She smiles.

28

Evie

‘So, sorry,’ Magda says, when Evie rejoins her. ‘Whereare we going tomorrow?’

‘Pfaffenwinkel,’ Evie repeats. ‘I think that’s how you say it, anyway.’

‘That’s a lot of f’s,’ Magda says.

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