Page 31 of Fool Me Twice

That entitled egomaniac was nothing like the unassuming man she’d fallen for back then. That guy was shy and unsure of himself, with a vulnerability that had made her want to throw her arms around him and protect him, despite him being several years older than her.

But he wasn’t that boyishly handsome twenty-five-year-old with the shaggy blonde hair and pert arse anymore.

The golden halo of curls had disappeared, and his once-smooth olive skin now betrayed all the weariness of a life lived. Every line and crease told a tale of pain, loss and regret.

Evie gazed out of the window, her unseeing eyes fixed on the rolling waves as they crashed over the dirty blonde sand, the pen still clutched between her fingers tapping out a rhythm on the countertop.

She wasn’t exactly that cute nineteen-year-old anymore, either. Years of yoga and Pilates had honed her figure, briefly slowing the sands of time as they slipped through the hourglass. Time had been kind to her physically, but what about emotionally? She wasn’t that same open, trusting soul she’d once been. It hadn’t been a conscious choice; that decision had been made for her when she’d found herself alone and pregnant on the other side of the world.

What about now? Why did she find it so hard to forgive Peter? She thought she’d made peace with his abandonment a long time ago, so why did he make her feel so angry and tense all the time? Like she was on edge and out of control, which Evie hated.

The pain of Peter’s rejection had almost crushed her, but it hadn’t broken her. She couldn’t remember the exact day or time she’d emerged from the chrysalis of pain she’d cocooned herself in. Nor did she recall the first night she’d fallen asleep on a pillow unsullied by tears.

The journey had been long and sometimes difficult. There’d been setbacks along the way, but she’d carried on, she’d persevered and she’d survived.

To the outside world, she still looked the same, but inside, she was different. Gone were the foolish fancies of a forever love. She didn’t need platitudes of devotion, no flowery words or promises of forever, that Evie had gone.

There was no longer a place for romantic love in Evie’s heart and like the shifting sands, relationships came and went, but no man would ever lay claim to her heart again. That, she had sworn to herself.

But then, there were Peter’s words, “Please don’t think you were ever second best... because you weren’t.” And her breath hitched in her chest as she replayed them over and over.

Armed with her new regimen, Evie knocked on Peter’s door. Her stomach swirled as she waited for him to call her in; she felt nervous, her throat dry as she listened for his voice.

“Peter?” she called, her hand on the door handle, ready to burst in and rescue him from whatever scrape he’d got himself into. She was about to enter when Peter opened the door. “I thought I told you to rest that leg,” she said, narrowing her eyes.

“I was feeling a little better.” He smiled, pushing the door open to let her in. “And the swelling had gone down, so I thought it was time I got off my arse and did something to help get me back on my feet.” He tried a weak laugh. “I know my being here has given you a lot of extra work.”

“It’s fine,” she said, sitting on the corner of the bed and opening her notebook. “Anyway, I’ve drawn up a schedule, and I wanted to run it past you to check if you’re happy with it.”

“I’m sure it’s okay, Evie.”

“Don’t you want to take a look?”

“Look, I know you don’t want me here any more than I want to be here, so I think the best solution for everyone is for me to get fit enough to leave. That way, everyone will be happy and Jaxon needn’t know about... our difficulties.”

Evie side-eyed him. “It’s not a problem, you know, you being here.”

“Come on, Evie.” He snorted. “I’ve seen the way you look at me. I know how hard it is for you to be around me. And, to be honest...” He blew out his cheeks. “I don’t know how much more I can apologise to you. I can’t change the past, or what happened, and if I could go back and do things differently, then I would, in a heartbeat. But I can’t. All I can do now is to try to make it up to Jaxon and to you, if you give me the chance. And for Jaxon’s sake, I think we should at least try to get along.”

Evie was taken aback. She’d been expecting him to be tetchy from the pain or to complain about the schedule. Not this, not another heartfelt confession.

“You’re right,” she said, realising she didn’t want to argue anymore either. What he’d said was true; they both needed to try harder to get along for all their sakes.

“I’m sorry,” he teased, his eyes sparkling. “Did you just say I was right?”

“Yes.” She sighed. “You’re right. We do need to try to get along better, if only for Jaxon’s sake, and I’m sorry—“

“Now you’re sorry?” Peter pretended to clutch the wall for support. “So let me get this right.” He looked her straight in the eyes and grinned. “I’m right and you’re sorry? My God, Evie, are you feeling okay?”

“Don’t push it.” She speared him with a warning look.

He held her gaze for a moment, and she felt that little anxious ball in the pit of her stomach begin to grow, but she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing her fly off the handle again. Instead, she took a few deep breaths and tried to centre herself. “Now, about this plan.”

Peter skimmed the page.

“I know it looks like a lot, but I thought it would be better to mix things up a little, maybe have shorter sessions, but more variety. What do you think?” She looked up at him expectantly, feeling like a child showing off her school project to the teacher, waiting for her gold star.

“Looks good to me.” He smiled at her. “You’re the expert.”

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