Page 49 of Unbreak My Heart

He turned on his heel and stalked away before Simon could speak. Satisfied he was actually leaving, Simon turned to Eva and cupped her face in his hands while he tried to stay calm, when what he really wanted to do was go after Vance and give him a reason to never come back.

The faint sound of an engine gunned as he stroked her face, letting him relax.

He’d seen Eva’s face after Vance’s words. They’d cut deep. “You know he’s full of crap, right? He’s the one who didn’t deserveyou. He messed up. It’s not your fault.”

A gut-wrenching mix of resignation and unhappiness stared up from Eva’s eyes, becoming deep pools of sorrow. “You know, sometimes I’m not too sure about that.”

Simon pulled her close and wrapped her tight in his arms. He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. Eva’s arms slid around his back; her face pressed hard to his chest as the tears began to fall.

Chapter Twelve

Simon’s bare feet,crossed at the ankle, rested on the coffee table in front of them. Eva sat, feet tucked beneath her, knees pressed to his thighs. Her head lay in the hollow of his shoulder; his cheek resting against the top of her head.

Empty coffee cups sat near his feet. Eva absently traced around the buttons on Simon’s shirt.

Her voice was soft in the quiet room. “Thank you for being here. I don’t know how that would’ve gone without you.”

Simon’s arm around her back tightened. “I’m here for you, Eva. No matter what. I hope the prick has finally figured out that you’re done.”

Eva looked up into those intense blue-grey eyes. He looked like he actually meant it. Wonder at this amazing man overwhelmed her. She lifted her mouth to his.

Simon cupped her jaw so gently her stomach somersaulted. She opened her mouth and touched the tip of her tongue to his lips. A soft moan from him opened his mouth and erupted goosebumps all over her body. She clenched the soft material of his shirt in her fist.

A clearing throat and a happy, “Mummy!” had reality blasting in.

Eva jerked back, heat racing into her face. There was no way she could wiggle her way out of this one.

Her mother stared at them, her eyes showing her surprise, tinged with humour. She motioned to the hallway behind her. “I let us in.” She glanced at Simon, who had sat up and wasstraightening his shirt. “If I’d realised you had company, I would’ve called first.”

Simon sent her mother a smile. “It’s okay, Mrs Adams.”

Matty barrelled into the edge of the sofa, Narnas clenched in one small fist, and climbed up between her and Simon. She tried to grab him, but he wriggled, giggling and squirming, and landed in Simon’s lap. She tried to wrangle him back to her own, but it was a losing battle.

“Oma watch Bluey!”

Emilia laughed. “We watched what feels like a million episodes. There’s only so much blue dog you can see in one sitting and not go loopy.”

Eva looked at Simon, who’d twisted to face them all, his butt in the corner of the sofa.

“Sorry,” she said softly, trying to catch his eye.

Simon looked up at her from where he’d been watching Matty squirm all over them both. A small smile lifted his mouth. “Don’t be. It’s okay. I’m good.”

Matty didn’t seem to notice—or care about—the tenseness in Simon’s body. He shoved his toy up into Simon’s face and grinned.

“Narnas hello!”

Simon leaned back and laughed, shaking his head. “Hello, Narnas.”

Matty spun and plonked himself between them, talking to his toy. Eva sent a pleading glance in her mother’s direction, and she swooped in, grabbing Matty, and swung him out, tickling his ribs. Matty squealed in delight as she held him sideways under one arm.

“Let’s go get your bag into your room, hey? I think Narnas might be tired and needs a nap.”

“No nap!” Matty squeaked and squirmed. Emilia placed him down and he ran off down the hall toward his bedroom.

Her mother held up Matty’s overnight bag. “I’ll just go pop this in his room for a minute.” She turned to follow her grandson. “I’m coming, Matty! Narnas better be ready for that nap by the time I get there!”

A high-pitched laughing squeal and slapping feet on the floorboards were the only indications he was listening.

---