Page 10 of Stuck with the Hot Boss
Ash’s own eyes flashed bright green. ‘Cute. And also creepy.’
‘Evie,’ warned Leo. ‘Ash has work to do.’
‘Oops.’ Evie put down the doll. ‘Where do you want us?’
‘Well, this ensuite’s only big enough for one,’ said Ash. ‘So maybe you just sit on the bed and watch from there?’
‘Copy that.’ Evie bounced onto the bed and flopped onto her back. ‘Ohhh, so soffft …’
‘Evie.’ Leo’s tone was unmistakably testy.
With a sigh, Evie sat up. It was still too early, and she’d not had enough coffee to tolerate him bossing her around for the next however-many hours.
She patted the bed beside her. ‘Leo. Come and sit here like Ash suggested. And for all our sakes,relax. This could be a really fun day. Lighten up and enjoy it.’
Honestly, he looked like she’d slapped him. But before he could respond, Ash emerged from the ensuite, where they’d been inspecting the shower stall.
‘I’m going to need more kit from the van. And I saw a coffee cart in the square. Want me to grab some while I’m out?’
‘Yes,please!’ said Evie. ‘Hugelatte with two sugars for me! Leo, give Ash some cash.’
‘Excuse me?’ Leo frowned.
‘We’ll claim it on expenses!’
Leo rolled his eyes, fetched his wallet, handed Ash some notes. ‘No milk or sugar in mine. And I’ll need a receipt.’
Ash tugged the peak of their cap. ‘Wotcher, guv. Be back in a jiffy.’
Off down the stairs they went, the bedroom door swinging shut behind them.
Evie picked up the Blythe doll again and pulled the string to change its eyes, this time to bright green. ‘Look, she’s related to Ash!’
Leo had ignored her request for him to sit on the bed. He was leaning up against the wardrobe door, arms folded tightly across his chest, scowling at her.
‘Do youevertake anything seriously?’ he demanded.
Evie’s first instinct was to fire off some glib retort. But she was stopped by the unexpected heat in Leo’s voice, plus her sudden recall of what the council worker on the bridge had said: ‘Those who are rarely troubled are often those who skate only on life’s surface.’
Is that me,Evie wondered?I skate along the surface and bail when things get tough? Isthatwhy I fell for the same kind of man each time? Because I’m just like them?
‘Idotake things seriously,’ she said, as much to herself as to Leo. ‘I put my full effort into my job, and I’m a good and loyal friend. I probablyaminappropriately jolly at times, that’s fair. But life is short. Too short not to be your whole true self …’
‘But theremustbe a separation between work life and personal life,’ said Leo, still heated. ‘It’s simply not–’
‘Professional?’
‘Yes!’ he almost shouted. ‘Professional! Disciplined! Focused! What’swrongwith that!’
As Evie stared at him, he shut his mouth tight and turned his head away.
‘I’m going out for some air,’ he said, brusquely.
He grabbed the doorknob and turned it. Then he pulled it. Then he rattled it. The door remained unmoved.
‘Here, let me–’ Evie got off the bed, and tried it herself. Same result.
‘How can we be locked in?’ she said. ‘It’s a child’s bedroom! There must be some law against it!’
