BooksBarbecue
Back Just for December Save as PDF
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. PRAISE FOR LAURA JANE WILLIAMS
  3. Dedication
  4. 1
  5. 2
  6. 3
  7. 4
  8. 5
  9. 6
  10. 7
  11. 8
  12. 9
  13. 10
  14. 11
  15. 12
  16. 13
  17. 14
  18. 15
  19. 16
  20. 17
  21. 18
  22. 19
  23. 20
  24. 21
  25. 22
  26. 23
  27. 24
  28. 25
  29. 26
  30. 27
  31. 28
  32. 29
  33. 30
  34. 31
  35. 32
  36. 33
  37. 34
  38. 35
  39. 36
  40. 37
  41. 38
  42. 39
  43. 40
  44. 41
  45. 42
  46. 43
  47. 44
  48. 45
  49. Acknowledgements
  50. Publishing Credits
  51. Keep Reading …
  52. About the Author
  53. Fiction by the same author
  54. About the Publisher

Evie does something strange with her head, a sort of nod-meets-a-shake, like she really is trying to follow along but: what?

‘Okay,’ Duke says. ‘This isn’t coming out great. I think what I mean is: I was looking for love outside of myself, right? And then you came along, and you sort of … challenged me – I don’t even know how. You make me want to be better, Evie. You make me face up to who I am and where my actions don’t match my words and I find you so freaking stubborn, and impossible to read, and a little bit infuriating, quite frankly—’

At this, Evie laughs, and it’s then that Duke sees the tears in her eyes, threatening to spill over.

‘You are!’ he repeats. ‘You are infuriating. But also kind of a realist. You make me better because you force me into reality, and you know, you said love isn’t mad dashes through airports but I did one hell of a mad dash for you, and I think that’s because I’m kind of a fantasy guy, and that makes us a tiny bit perfect for each other. And between fake-dating you, turning into real-dating you … I guess I got so scared because there’s nowhere to hide with you.’

‘I’ve been told that before.’ Evie giggles, and those tears are streaming, now, down her cheeks. ‘But I tried!’ she protests. ‘I did a whole romantic gesture last night and you weren’t even there! It started to feel like even if you were right, the timing was wrong, or the place …’

‘And that’s where Ms Reality comes in,’ Duke agrees, taking a step towards her. He can’t bear to not be touching her. He has to touch her. He wants her face in the palm of his hands, his lips against hers. ‘Because we have to make this the right place and the right time. If I know anything, it’s that when two people have whatever this is—’ he motions between them ‘—that they are morally obliged to the gods and the stars to figure everything else out.’

‘Okay.’ She nods. ‘I’m scared, but I like you, Duke.’

‘I’m scared and I like you too,’ he says back, pressing his nose to hers.

She laughs, and he laughs, and then they kiss, and he can taste her salty tears as he uses a finger to wipe them away.

‘So we’re doing this?’ she says, pulling slightly away.

‘We’re doing this,’ Duke tells her, and then the air steward manning the aeroplane door motions to the inside of the plane and says, ‘Very cute, guys. But are you doing this?’

Evie looks at Duke.

‘Come stay with me?’ she says, and he nods. ‘For Christmas?’

‘I thought you’d never ask,’ he tells her.

44

Evie