Page 59 of Just for December

They look out to the water, to the trees looping around at the other side.

‘I’ll make sure to find you at the party later, okay? Not party – the producers say we can’t call it that, it makes people get too out-of-hand they say – but celebration. Production celebration or whatever it is we’re actually allowed to say.’

Evie nods. ‘Yes,’ she says. ‘Come and find me. Maybe we can sneak off for a walk again.’

‘I’d like that,’ he says, and for one dazzling moment Evie is on Cloud Nine.

And then she reminds herself to get a grip.

By 6 p.m. there’s been a raffle, a mini-quiz, and an adult game of musical statues. They’re at the hotel, which is smaller and more boutique than the other places they’ve stayed at, with low wooden-beamed ceilings and chairs tucked away in corners, mistletoe conspicuously abundant. Everyone is in good spirits – it’s been a needed outlet. There are trays of pizza coming from the kitchen at regular intervals, and baskets of fries, too. Magda is laughing hysterically with Katerina, the DP, and Evie is having fun too, talking with Daphne and Duke and some of the crew, playing a game of Never Have I Ever.

‘Never Have I Ever … peed in Keanu Reeves’s swimming pool,’ Daphne offers to the group, and Duke is forced to down the last of his beer.

‘What?!’ exclaims Evie. ‘That’s foul!’

Duke shrugs, nonplussed. ‘A guy’s gotta do what a guy’s gotta do,’ he says.

‘Never have I ever been caught arguing with Duke Carlisle by a national newspaper,’ offers one of the art directors, and Daphne is forced to drink now. Duke looks to Evie, and she concedes that he’s right: she must drink too. Gosh, how long ago that feels now. She hated him that day. Really, truly hated him! And now look. The ice between them has thawed, they’ve kissed …

It’s as if by mentioning it that Dream-or-Willow appears, then, an apologetic look on their face.

‘Hey,’ she says, and looking between Evie and Duke, Evie knows what’s coming. Wasn’t she just thinking yesterday how they’ve not been requested to do any more showmance shots with the press? ‘I’m so sorry to interrupt …’

Duke turns his shoulder so he and Evie are effectively shielded from the others, who pause for half a second to listen in before deciding it’s much more fun to keep playing. Evie hears somebody saynever have I ever had an on-set romance …but she can’t see who drinks.

‘There’s a pap loitering outside,’ Dream-or-Willow says. ‘Can we give them something? I know you guys don’t like it, but especially with Brad gone, it helps the movie …’

Duke looks at Evie. The way he does it, she gets a flutter between her legs. This is the most relaxed and silly she’s seen him, as though with the directing, and after seeing his mom, even, internal dots are being connected for him and he knows it’s okay to be himself. And Evie likes that self. After he told her he missed her today, she’s kept thinking about it. When she was getting ready for tonight, she did her bikini line in the shower and moisturised her whole body, slowly and deliberately, and found herself daydreaming about his hands over her body until Magda banged on the door and said, ‘Evie! I need to shower too! What the hell are you doing in there?’ She couldn’t well admit that she was thinking that she’d like to go to bed with Duke. She hasn’t even told Magda they’ve kissed. It feels too sacred to do that. Too delicate.

Evie shrugs. ‘Fine,’ she says. ‘We can go get some air, can’t we, Duke?’

Duke grins. ‘Sure,’ he says, like he’s doing everyone a favour, but Evie knows that tone of voice. She throbs again. Her body is making it known that she’s hungry for him.

Outside, he loops an arm across her shoulders and pulls her in close. It thrills her. They see the pap at the same time,nod at him, and then resume the make-believe story that they think they’re having a private moment.

‘Alone at last,’ Duke says, and Evie laughs.

‘Should we ask him to join us?’ she says.

Duke shakes his head. ‘I gave up group sex after anEyes Wide Shutparty at the White House.’

She laughs again. ‘Which administration?’ she teases.

‘I couldn’t possibly say,’ Duke says with a straight face. ‘I signed an NDA and it’s more than my life is worth.’

Evie pulls away to look at him. ‘I honestly can’t tell if you’re joking anymore,’ she says, and Duke pulls a face. What kind of life has this man lived?

‘My mum liked you,’ he says, as they head down the steps and around the corner to a quiet little cobbled path with the fuzzy lights of yet another market at the far end.

‘Not something I hear a lot,’ Evie admits. ‘I’m normally not the kind of girl you introduce to your parents.’

Now it’s Duke’s turn to peer at her with an uncertain expression. ‘I don’t believe you,’ he says. ‘You’re always alluding to being some sort of hands-off, unlovable ice maiden, but I know the truth, Evie Bird. You’re none of those things. You’re the opposite of those things, in fact.’

‘Oh, because you know me so well?’ Evie fires off without thinking, though inwardly she kicks herself. She’s sick of it – sick of how she can’t let him in. She’s thought of him all day, craved him, even, and he’s being kind and she’s saying things she doesn’t mean. What the hell is wrong with her? ‘Okay fine,’ she adds, noting the wounded look on his face and trying to recover quickly. ‘You know me abit.’ She pulls her own face then, letting him know she’s aware she’s beenprickly. ‘I’m trying, you know,’ she tells him. ‘I’m doing my best to live up to this idea you have of me.’

Duke stops walking and turns her to face him, his hands on her shoulders. He sighs.

‘I need you to stop this,’ he says. ‘I can’t convince you that you’re amazing, and that I like you, and that I’m not going to change my mind every single time we talk. I’m too tired, Evie. I just want you to be in this.’

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