Page 75 of A Merry Irish Christmas
Mary sank back against her chair, winded. Was that what Evan was doing? Had he deliberately not given her his number? He’d been so open and friendly once he’d thawed – but maybe he was just like that and it hadn’t meant anything. Her skin prickled.
‘Oh God, your face!’ Gina gasped. ‘Sorry. I’m not sayingyourguy is like that.’
‘It’s fine. I mean, he might be.’
‘What’s his name, anyway?’
‘Evan.’ There was no need to make something up – it was a common enough first name and there was no way Gina would suspect her Evan could be Evan Prentice, star ofSpider-Man.
‘He called my mum when they were arranging the house swap. He could easily get my number from her if he wanted to.’
‘Don’t listen to me.’ Gina waved her hands frantically as if she could wipe out the words. ‘I’m sorry I said anything. If you think there’s a chance it might be something, you should go for it. What have you got to lose? I mean, what’s a few minutes of humiliation compared to a lifetime of happiness?’
Mary huffed a laugh. ‘You think I should pull a Juanita? Make some grand gesture?’
‘I’m suggesting you get his number and call him. I wouldn’t call that a grand gesture.’ She smiled wryly. ‘But seriously – go for it. Don’t let what happened to me stop you. I don’t regret trying. I mean, it could have turned out to be something great – at least I don’t have to regret not taking a chance.’
‘I don’t think there’s any point in my case. I have reason to believe he’s back with his girlfriend.’
‘The cheater?’
Mary nodded. ‘She called him just before he left and they were talking for ages. He said they’d made it up.’
‘That could just mean they’re friends?’
Mary sighed. ‘I suppose. I don’t think so, though.’ She couldn’t admit to Gina that she could get information on the status of Evan’s relationship on the internet.
‘But he was still talking about meeting up with you here?’
‘Yeah, but he might have just meant as friends.’ She thought back to the words Evan had used, combing for clues. He’d said they should ‘hang out’, and he’d invited her to his New Year’s Eve party. There was nothing to suggest he intended anything more than a casual, platonic friendship.
‘He invited me to his place for New Year’s Eve.’
‘Are you going to go?’
‘No. I couldn’t face it.’ Olivia was bound to be there. She didn’t want to see them together.
‘Well, if you’re not going to the mysterious Evan’s party, a few of us are going to Pink Taco for dinner and drinks. I think there might be a spare ticket if you want to come along?’
‘Thanks, Gina. But I’m not really in the mood for partying. I think I’ll just stay in and have a quiet night.’ She’d ring in the new year at home, recharge her batteries and start afresh in January, ready to begin dating again and having new adventures. It’d be fun.
‘Good luck tonight!’ Gina called as they parted ways outside the office building that evening.
‘Thanks.’
Even though she knew Greg wouldn’t be there, Mary felt wobbly entering his apartment building. She’d spent so much time here over the last couple of years, it had been her second home. Yet it felt distant already, like it was from another life.
She made her way up to the fifth floor in the elevator, feeling weird that this would be the last time. She let herself into Greg’s apartment and walked down the hall – and gasped as she found Greg sitting at the table in his living room. He stood as she entered, shoving his hands into his pockets.
‘Greg! You’re not?—’
‘I know, I’m not supposed to be here.’ He held up a hand placatingly.
‘You said you’d be out.’
‘I know, I know.’
Mary looked around wildly, her heart pounding with a mixture of anxiety and rage.
