Chapters (52)
- COVER PAGE
- DEDICATION
- PART ONE
- ONE
- TWO
- THREE
- FOUR
- FIVE
- SIX
- SEVEN
- EIGHT
- NINE
- TEN
- ELEVEN
- TWELVE
- THIRTEEN
- FOURTEEN
- FIFTEEN
- SIXTEEN
- SEVENTEEN
- EIGHTEEN
- PART TWO
- NINETEEN
- TWENTY
- TWENTY-ONE
- TWENTY-TWO
- TWENTY-THREE
- TWENTY-FOUR
- TWENTY-FIVE
- TWENTY-SIX
- TWENTY-SEVEN
- TWENTY-EIGHT
- TWENTY-NINE
- THIRTY
- THIRTY-ONE
- THIRTY-TWO
- THIRTY-THREE
- THIRTY-FOUR
- THIRTY-FIVE
- THIRTY-SIX
- THIRTY-SEVEN
- THIRTY-EIGHT
- THIRTY-NINE
- FORTY
- FORTY-ONE
- FORTY-TWO
- FORTY-THREE
- FORTY-FOUR
- FORTY-FIVE
- FORTY-SIX
- ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
- ABOUT THE AUTHORS
Evie fumbled, causing the cup to overflow. The brown fizzy liquid splashed across the floor, just missing her shoes. ‘I said—’ Evie paused, her heart rate kicking up a notch ‘—never again, Freddy.’
‘How do you know my name?’
‘I know your type,’ she replied.
‘Is that so? And what type would that be?’ he asked, annoyed.
Freddy’s date shifted awkwardly beside him, looking confused.
Evie swallowed. She usually hated confrontation, preferring to suffer silently than risk appearing demanding, petty, or worse, difficult. But today she felt bold. Today, she didn’t have time for men who wasted her time. Plus, she had to alienate Freddy so much that there was no way anything would happen between them ten years from now.
‘A stuck-up prick who only cares about himself,’ Evie said. Then, turning to the young woman, she added, ‘I know he seems sweet now, but he’s not worth it. Trust me, you deserve better than him. He’s just a dickhead who leads women on, giving them a little, but never quite enough, making them feel desperate and unlovable, when really, she’s not the problem, he is. You deserve better than that.’ She recited the lines she had rehearsed in the shower so many times but had never had the guts to say in real life. God, this felt good!
Freddy looked at her, aghast. Then, with his stupid eyebrow raised, he said, ‘I don’t know who you are, or what you’re playing at, but don’t think I won’t take this up with your manager.’
‘Go on then.’ Evie stared him down, daring him.
Freddy took a step back. ‘Listen,’ he said, staring at the name tag that was pinned to her chest for slightly longer than necessary. ‘Evie. I don’t know who you think I am, but I’m not like that at all. I’m one of the good guys.’
‘Listen, mate. Just take your Combo Meal.’ Josie appeared beside Evie and slapped the food and drink on the counter. ‘And consider your complaint taken up with management.’
He stared at Josie, then glared at Evie. ‘This is the very last time I come to this cinema,’ he said loudly, then snatched up his meal and dragged his bewildered date away.
‘Good riddance,’ Josie muttered. ‘He’s always coming in here with different women who all think he’s Father Christmas.’
‘You have no idea,’ Evie said.
‘What did you say again? Me too?’ Josie asked.
‘Yes, exactly.’ Evie smiled, feeling good for the first time all day.
FOURTEEN
Fourteen
Wearing a bright yellow sundress, Evie savoured the warmth of the sun. She’d come to enjoy the gentleness of the English summer—the searing heat of Melbourne had been oppressive at times. Mind you, she’d never get used to the constant drizzle in winter, nor the way the sun disappeared so early in the evening at that time of year.