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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

He nods, seemingly unsure of why that’s an issue, which only serves to make her even more irate.

‘The rest of the world isn’t a puppet for you, you know,’ she spits, flabbergasted.

She’s been building some anger for a while, now, ever since the call from the care home about her mom’s fees going up right before she got on the flight. She’s been wanting to yell at somebody. She can’t yell at her mom. Or Carl. So it may as well be Duke Asshat Carlisle. She’s almost grateful to him for providing the opportunity. ‘That’s so horrible. If you want to meet somebody you write an email and ask. You don’t make it a contractual obligation, like you’re Christian Goddamn Grey!’

Duke winces, and Evie swears he’s trying to give her a comic touch. ‘Sore subject, that,’ he says. ‘I just missed out on that role. Bloody Jamie Dornan.’

Evie closes her eyes. He’s insane. Actually certifiable. Cracking jokes in the face of her very warranted anger? She shakes her head at him as she tries to put on her coat. She misses the arm and he takes it from her, standing behind her and coolly helping her to put it on as she keeps up the momentum of her rant.

‘Thank you,’ she says, snatching the material away from him as he moves to try and help her zip up. She does it herself, hurriedly, so fast it almost breaks, then adds: ‘I hope it’s been amazing to have me here as per your summons, oh godly one, but contract or not, I’m going home. See ya.’

She stumbles down the narrow steps of the trailer as she flounces down them, not sure why she’s gone off the handle with quite so much vigour except Jesus: she’s so over this Duke guy. Screw him. Screw this whole stupid thing. She should never have agreed to it. She’ll find the care home money another way – any other way. A man like Duke can’t just say jump.

She styles out her misstep and slams the door behind her.

Duke Carlisle is an egocentric jackass, she thinks to herself, trying to figure out which way it is back to the hotel. As she walks, she remembers how he helped her with her coat. Urgh!

8

Duke

It turns into a cloudless, bright-blue-sky day, and as the sun gets brighter it serves to melt away Duke’s thoughts about Evie. It’s been less than twenty-four hours and they’ve butted heads three times. Once can be forgiven, twice is unfortunate, but three strikes? Yeah. He’s out.