Page 2 of Fool Me Twice

Evie stiffened, her hands fisted at her sides as she forced her feet to move forward.

“Mum, I-”

“What the hell is he doing here?” she demanded of her son as soon as she reached them. The usual sparkle in her silvery grey eyes replaced by shards of cold, hard steel.

“Mum—“ Jaxon stepped closer, his dark eyes pleading as he reached for her arm.

But Evie was too angry to register his pained expression. “Was this your idea?” she asked, brushing off his hand. “Did you invite him?”

The room fell silent. Everyone’s eyes fixed on Evie and the intruder.

She neither knew nor cared whether anyone recognised him. Peter Cook, the drummer from Crimzon Steel.

He may have been in a famous band a million years ago, but all Evie saw when she looked at him was the man who’d abandoned her and their son.

But what had she expected? He’d been a famous rock star, thousands of miles away from home. He hadn’t been looking for love; she knew that now, but at the time she’d been so caught up in the heart-pumping euphoria of first love, that she hadn’t for one moment thought he’d been playing her.

Her body burned at the memory of how easily she’d giving herself to him, her stomach spasmed as she recalled the reckless naivete with which she’d handed him her heart. And how it had almost killed her when she’d found out the truth.

Even now, she could still remember how frightened she’d felt when she’d discovered she was pregnant. So many thoughts and questions raced through her mind that she’d thought her brain would explode. What would her grandparents say? She was only nineteen; she was too young to be a mother. What did she know about babies? Where would they live?

And then, she remembered. She wasn’t alone. She had Peter, and all her worries just melted away.

Until two weeks later, when he hadn’t returned any of her calls or replied to her messages.

“Well?” she asked, brought back to the present.

“I, er, I think I’d better...” Peter pointed toward the door.

“Leave? Good idea.” Evie smiled sweetly.

“Mum,” Jaxon begged, his dark eyes pleading with her, imploring her to stop the hurt. Just like when he’d been a child, running after her with a half-dead hedgehog cradled in his skinny arms.

Evie sighed and rolled her eyes.

“Wait,” Jaxon called after his father.

“Maybe we should take this somewhere a little more private,” Anya murmured, placing a hand on Evie’s arm. “You guys can manage without us, right?” She scanned the room, a nervous smile fused on her lips. “Cy.” She nodded at Jaxon’s friend, indicating he should play some music.

Linking her arm through Evie’s, Anya guided her toward the garden and away from the other guests. A pleasure boat anchored a little way out caught her eye. The usual garish fairy lights and loud music favoured by the daytime tourists had been replaced with soft, muted lighting that shimmered on the inky wash lapping at the hull. Sweet love ballads synonymous with romance and moonlit kisses beneath the stars filled the air.

She closed her eyes and drew in a deep cleansing breath, filling her lungs with the fresh sea air. Her nostrils tingled with the sweet, earthy scent of the rosemary straddling the nearby headland. Memories fired through her mind like a video on fast forward.

Flashbacks of coastal hikes along the path, her heart in her mouth every time Jaxon strayed too close to the edge; Jaxon bouncing up and down on the sand, his ear-splitting shrieks ringing out when a crab clamped its fat claws around his bony finger. He hadn’t known whether to laugh or cry, and Evie had held her breath, waiting, but the only tears to fall from her brave little soldier’s eyes had been tears of laugher.

The memories kept coming – his first visit from the tooth fairy, his first day at nursery, his first crush. All the firsts Peter had missed, and could never get back.

Exhaling slowly, she opened her eyes, trying to rid herself of the anger and tension balling in the pit of her stomach.

Today was her birthday, and Peter Cook was not going to spoil it for her.

She studied them side by side as she walked toward them. The similarities between father and son were uncanny. Jaxon’s casually confident pose mirrored his father’s almost to perfection. Both men were broad-shouldered and slim-hipped, with legs that were long and gangly, or at least Jaxon’s were.

She hadn’t really paid much attention to Peter’s legs when they’d met before. The first thing she’d noticed about him were his eyes; they were like deep, dark pools of chocolate, turning almost black when...

Evie shook her head, trying to rid herself of the memories. “Well?” she demanded, her eyes darting between Jaxon and Peter.

Jaxon swallowed, taking a step toward her. “I didn’t think you’d mind since it was a party, and I knew there’d be lots of other people around, so I kind of thought, you know...”

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