Page 50 of Keeping Eveline

“Eveline? Are you there?” His voice pulled her back to the call.

“Sorry. I am. How are you?” Eveline bit her lip so she didn’t say his name out loud. The last thing she needed was for Gerald to know she was talking to the enemy.

“Good. How are things? Do you need anything?”

Had Kyle been listening throughout the time she’d been at work to find out what was being said or not?

At the time, she hadn’t asked if someone was going to be monitoring her every word, but it made sense that someone was.

“I’m good. I don’t need anything at the moment. Is there something wrong?” Was he calling because the recording wasn’t working and they couldn’t hear her? Not that she’d said much since her conversation with Gerald.

“Everything is fine. It’s all perfect. Can I tempt you into having lunch with me?”

Her stomach fluttered at the way Kyle lowered his voice. There definitely was something to having phone conversations instead of texting. “You can. Where do you want to meet?”

“Walk to the corner, and I’ll pick you up. I’m sure you don’t want Gerald or anyone else to see who you’re having lunch with.”

Kyle hit the nail on the head. She didn’t want to be caught. Surely, he didn’t want to, either. There was nothing shameful about his request, as if he didn’t want to be seen with her. It was just the gravity of their situation.

“Sounds good. Shall we say twelve thirty?” That was when she usually took her lunch, so no one would think it strange if she left the office then.

“Yep. That works.”

There was a pause, and Eveline waited to see if Kyle would disconnect or she’d have to end the call.

“Be careful.”

“Always.”

Her heart fluttered, and she tamped down feelings she had no right to feel. Since she’d been living at his apartment, they’d done nothing but share a few hot kisses. Kyle still slept in the spare room.

What would he do if she asked him to share her bed? Well, his bed really.

“Got a new boyfriend?”

Paul had popped up beside her desk. He was one of the new hires, and with his slicked-back hair, shiny long-sleeve shirt rolled a little up his forearms, he gave her the vibe of a guy from a bad eighties movie who thought his shit didn’t stink and all the girls loved him.

Eveline could easily disabuse him of both of those things, but she kept her thoughts to herself. “Why do you ask?” she countered, not wanting to share her personal life with anyone at work—no matter her current situation. The less they knew the better.

“You’ve got that sappy look on your face. Like in the cartoons when their eyes turn to love hearts.”

She blinked, unsure what to make of what he’d said. “Okay,” she pushed out awkwardly.

Not wanting to draw out the conversation any longer or be rude and snap that it wasn’t his business, she tapped her keyboard to bring her computer to life and opened up her email. Not that she needed to send one, but if she looked busy, maybe Paul would take the hint and slink off back to the office he shared with the other guys.

“My mom loved those cartoons when I was growing up. She always had them on. Said they were for us, but I know they were really for her.”

What the what?

Paul talking about his mom was the last thing she expected. He also talked about her with affection in his voice.

Her colleague wore a soft smile playing around his lips, as if he were lost in the memories of a good childhood, and Eveline’s opinion of the man changed a fraction.

“That’s a nice memory to have. Do you see her often?”

As if the question jolted him from his memories, the shutters came down. “No.” Paul walked away, but the usual swagger in his stride was missing.

“That was weird,” she muttered but turned her attention to her tasks. The sooner she got into, it the sooner it’d be time to meet Kyle, and she couldn’t wait to see him.

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