Page 41 of Unbreak My Heart

Eva’s face looked out at him from the clear plastic pocket where her license sat.

Simon busied himself brushing off the crud from the outside of the expensive-looking leather, wiping it on his jeans when his hands didn’t make as much difference as he’d hoped.

Glancing at his watch, he chewed the inside of his cheek for a moment.

Would she think him a creep for going to drop it off? She might need it.

True, most people had their important cards on their phones, but she might be old school, or worried if she couldn’t find it. He didn’t have her phone number, hadn’t asked for it yet simply because he was chicken, and after the emotional purge he’d just dumped on his brother, he wasn’t asking Max for it, either. But her address was right there on her license.

Slipping his key into the ignition, he waited until the engine burst to life and set the vents to clear the building fog on the inside of the windscreen, then eased the gearstick into position.

Eva’s, it was.

Chapter Ten

Simon parked onthe road out front of the nice duplex block that was set back on a huge allotment.

Eva’s place.

There was no car in the drive, but that didn’t mean much as the garage door was down. She could have her ute in there.

The storm was just as bad here in Bialga as at home. He’d checked the weather app on his phone and was surprised to see a huge storm front stretching halfway up the damned state.

He swore under his breath at the lack of an umbrella. It was time he bought a new one, even if he just left it in the ute. He’d just started to dry out a little, and now he’d have to get drowned again.

He grabbed the purse and locked his car door—the old-fashioned way, since it was vintage and had no key fob—and bolted for the front door.

His clothes were plastered to him, and his hair flattened against his head by the time he got to the small porch area that partially shielded him from the pelting deluge.

Pressing the delicately lit doorbell that sat on the wall above a manicured shrub in a fancy pot, he waited after the loud chime sounded somewhere inside.

He flicked his head down and shook his hair to try to get the worst of the moisture out of it, then scruffed it back out of his face, glancing around while he waited. The duplex was in a nice area of town. Not so new that there was nothing in the yards, but new enough that it looked fresh and clean and upmarket. Tasteful landscaping included shrubs and small treesthat looked like they must have been an advanced size when planted.

The slight squeak of a door opening behind him had him spinning to face a delicious Eva in an olive-green wraparound dress that looked soft enough to touch.

Damn, she’s beautiful.

He swallowed noisily, suddenly nervous.

Stop it. You’re just returning her damned property.

Surprise washed over Eva’s face, fast followed by what looked like… pleasure.

“Simon!”

He held up her purse in front of the security screen. Her dark eyes focused on it, making her go almost cross-eyed in front of him as she unlocked the door.

He fought the chuckle that wanted out. It was cute, dammit!

Those eyes widened.

“It was on the ground at the Cow site. I got there just as this mess started. Max was just leaving. Must’ve fallen out of your car. Thought I’d drop it off for you.”

She hurriedly opened the door and motioned him inside. He toed off his sneakers in the small entryway and faced her, holding out the leather purse.

“Thank you so much, Simon. I didn’t even realise I’d lost it. That would’ve caused some problems this weekend! Matty’s staying at Mum’s, and I was supposed to go out with my friend Samantha tonight to that outdoor event I told you about, but I think this rain has destroyed that idea.”

He’d remembered. And he may have also bought a ticket in case he decided to just show up. Not to be creepy or anything, but she’d seemed to be hedging around the subject of him going when they’d spoken the day before, but Alex had interrupted before she’d gotten to the point, dragging her off to look at something on the plans. By the time she’d come back, Darbyand Gabe had shown up to have a look at how things were progressing, and he hadn’t wanted to quiz her in front of them.

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