Page 32 of Love Thief

Chapter

Ten

EVIE

Iknow the meeting is about me. After my shower, I drag my laptop out and check the internet. It seems a bit devoid of haters and I wonder if Jonno has been about his job. Probably. The man is prolific on the internet. He did, after all, manage to hide James and me for eighteen years.

After last night’s ups and downs, I’ve had time to think things through and again have decided bollocks to it. I’m doing what I want for my son. In six months I’ll be old news. A footnote to the Marcus Russell extravaganza.

Well, probably not even six months, more like three months actually. I’m sure Kellen will be bored very shortly and desperate to cop off with someone else, even though he’s asked that we be a couple.

It was again whilst we were having wild sex. It's a novelty at the minute for him. But when reality sets in, he’ll be off. I’ll probably be fed up with his crap at that point too. It’s hard work, ignoring the obvious looks and jabs of former lovers, a struggle maintaining my positive outlook, and rising above all the shit that seems to swirl and swell around them. I'll be happy to wave at him on his way out.

He walks back in, a determined look on his face. “All ok?” I ask nonchalantly.

“Yep, all good. Get your gear on, we’re off to do some of the sights.”

I’m surprised. I didn’t think anyone would think that was a good idea. And apparently my face betrays my shock.

“You want to go and see the sights, so we are. No one will expect us to go out today, so let’s go.” His tone is a bit aggressive, but not really directed at me, clearly at other people. I jump up and get moving before someone changes their minds and sees sense.

We spend an amazing day as regular tourists in Las Vegas. The fountains, Madame Tussauds, a gondola ride, observation decks—we get to see them all. I’ve put my hair up in a bun and added sunglasses and a big floppy sun hat. Not that I expect anyone to know me, just to try to not draw attention.

He’s tried to disguise himself with a baseball cap and mirrored sunglasses. But he’s too good looking. I see people stare at us before they even know who he might be. He just draws the eye.

It’s not until late in the afternoon, as we’re sitting in a diner he likes, that someone recognises him. When they realise who I am, I get a bit of attention and people are congratulating us. It’s the weirdest thing for people you don’t know to make such a fuss. They’re all supportive, asking general stuff about our relationship. I can’t believe how invested people get in strangers. I pose for photos and smile until my face aches. Someone even tells me I’m prettier than the photos they’ve seen. I say thank you, not sure what else you can say to that.

As the crowds get bigger, our security moves in and amicably moves people on. Most move on once they’ve spoken to us, excited to have spoken to Kell. I can only hope the evening will go as well. Then I can go back to Devon and fall back into obscurity.

We get back to the hotel with time to spare to get ready to go out again. All the girls are in our suite, drinking and laughing like hyenas. They look like they’ve spent the day here, if the glassy eyes, red cheeks and slurring words between the manic laughter are anything to go by. I smile at them all on entry, dropping my hat and bag on the floor and flopping into a comfy chair.

“Good day?” asks Grace, not smiling but looking at me all the while.

“Yeah, Vegas is fab. You should have come, we did all the main stuff.” I’m totally gushing now, telling them all the sights we’ve been too. Doing impressions of Kell trying to punt the gondola, claiming he was a pro as he went to Oxford and punting was a must skill. I finish off with, “Was so weird though at the end, we got spotted in this diner and?—”

“You mean Marcus got spotted,” corrects Becky.

“Well, yes, of course,” I’m taken aback by the spite in her voice. As they all look at each other, a collective smirk passes between them, but I carry on. “My face aches from smiling for photos.” I try to laugh, pulling a silly face, making a joke out of it.

“What a hardship,” I hear Grace say under her breath.

I frown at that. What’s going on?

“Why did he decide to marry you, has he said?” Tiff asks and they all look expectantly at me.

“Err…” I’m a bit speechless at this point.

Unfortunately Tiff isn’t. And all of the women’s focus and negative energy hits me in the chest. “I mean, not being bitchy, but he could have married any of us, anytime. And I mean look at us all.” She sweeps her arm around the assembled women. Beautiful, made up to perfection, dressed to the nines. “We,” she gestures to herself and Bells, “were always available and willing. So why now? And why you?”

I practically feel their eyes going up and down my body. My eyebrows go up towards my hairline. What the hell is going on here?

With the authority of the longest standing girlfriend, Becky adds, “Levi says it must be for the headlines it’ll generate.”

“Kenny thinks it’s publicity for the label. And the new album they’ve got coming out,” Grace puts in.

What the fuck? ‘Not being bitchy,’ my arse. She’s only met this lot once. Now she’s a fucking authority figure. Clearly they’ve been discussing it all day, as well as drinking, amongst everything else.

“Love, passion, wants to spend his life with me, any of that considered?” I ask sarcastically. They all start to laugh. That’s a ‘no’ then.

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