‘Keep it light, keep it charming, find you for a hello and then get the heck out?’ Evie clarifies.

‘You’ve understood me perfectly.’ Duke smiles, relieved that she is who she is – that she gets it.

‘Magda can occupy herself too, so it really will just be me.’

Duke smiles, reaching out a hand to her wrist. He feels … heard. Cared for. And it’s such a small thing to feel such disproportionate gratitude for, but he’s aware that this woman in front of him – this beautiful, funny woman – never makes it about her. She has her issues too, but she’s here for Duke, and it’s so easy to let her in. She’s not being kind and deferential because he’s Duke Carlisle, international movie star. She doesn’t need anything from him. He’s just Duke, and she’s just Evie, and he really would like to kiss her again.

‘Not here,’ she says, reading his thoughts. ‘Eyes everywhere.’

The not doing it causes Duke a physical pain.

‘Got it,’ he says. ‘But. Soon?’

‘Soon.’ She smiles.

28

Evie

‘So, sorry,’ Magda says, when Evie rejoins her. ‘Where are we going tomorrow?’

‘Pfaffenwinkel,’ Evie repeats. ‘I think that’s how you say it, anyway.’

‘That’s a lot of f’s,’ Magda says.

‘Pleasing use of winkel, though,’ Evie notes.

Magda laughs. It’s so wonderful, having her best friend here. Evie knows she could stand to loosen up a little, and Magda makes it easier to give in to enjoying it all. She feels less angry with the world when her friend is around. She’s still on her guard, but less so.

They’re walking to set. Evie’s social media manager has asked her to get some images of what it’s like behind the scenes, so they can post about it on her account when the movie is out next year. She asked if Evie might even consider actually being in the photos, too, since, considering the international press her fauxmance with Duke has had, her stance of total anonymity has evidently wavered. They haven’t had a fake date in a while, actually, although Evie has a feeling that with the directorial changes she might be called upon as a distraction technique again. She doesn’t mind. Between this and his mom, Duke has had a lot on his plate. She’ll welcome the excuse for some one-on-one, whatever the circumstance. And he has suggested more kissing might be involved, which isn’t a terrible thought …

‘So …’ Magda begins, and it’s in that voice. They walk through the city, having turned down the offer of a private car, taking in today’s dark sky, threatening snow again, and the contrast with the twinkling white lights and red ribbons that festoon almost every single building. It’s a chocolate-box city, perfectly picturesque.